Warning! The following will get into the big spoiler from The Drama. If you don't want to know, stream the movie with an HBO Max subscription and then return here after watching!
The Drama is out on HBO Max, meaning subscribers can now watch the Robert Pattinson and Zendaya film that has everyone talking. I actually knew the twist going into my watch, and while that didn't impact my enjoyment, I do have a question about Charlie's motivation during the movie.
For those who watched and need a reminder, or those who don't care about spoilers, The Drama follows Charlie as he's torn on how to proceed weeks before his wedding when he learns his fiancée Emma planned a school shooting in high school. It's a dark movie that, surprisingly, has a few laughs as well. That being said, I kept thinking about what Charlie was wrestling with during the movie, and if it was more that he was appalled by what he learned, or if he was more appalled at the idea of others finding out.
Did Charlie Fixate On Emma's Confession More Because Of How Rachel Reacted?
Charlie hyperfixates on Emma's confession, and it's completely valid given the context, but I also wondered if the way it all initially went down played into that. Everyone was shocked by Emma's confession, to the point they believed at first that it wasn't true. Once she confirmed it was, however, Rachel got aggressive, and it seemed things changed in Charlie's brain after.
Emma pointed out that Charlie was apt to fixate on things, but what was it he struggled with? I think there's certainly a part of him that had serious questions around her past, but I think Rachel's reaction made him think about the public perception if others found out. How would the world react if they knew Emma's secret, and what would they think of him?
Then, when Rachel pulled out of the wedding as Emma's maid of honor, Charlie was in a rush to get her back in the fold. Why? Well, people might ask questions why she pulled out. I think it's also evident Charlie cared when he asked his coworker Misha about it, trying to get a read on how another person might respond.
Charlie Questioned His Love For Emma, But His Actions In The Drama Show He Always Loved Her The Entire Time
Charlie seems to struggle with whether he should proceed with the marriage in The Drama, but his actions, to me at least, suggest he made up his mind very early on in the movie. I've struggled to talk about this, mainly because, as our review points out, it's weird to talk about this movie with others.
I think Charlie's actions from the start show that he's always loved Emma, even if he isn't aware of it. Everything we see is him coming to grips with accepting the fact that someone he loves was tied to something as controversial as a school shooting.
Getting Rachel to try and forgive Emma, asking a co-worker what they'd do if they found out a loved one was involved in planning something like this- these are the actions of someone who is concerned with the societal reaction tied to someone she loves. Some people will say his brief moment of trying to cheat with his coworker disputes this, but remember, he had the opportunity and didn't go through with it.
Ultimately, The Drama ending was not a shock to me. Emma was always going to love Charlie, and he was going to accept her. I think this is less clouded once the viewer gets out of their head about thinking how they'd wrestle with the situation, which I might've been doing since the trailer first dropped.
I am just one man with an opinion, however, so I would encourage all people to talk about The Drama and maybe rewatch it. With the twist out of the way, maybe I'll get a few people who see that it was never Emma who was the issue when it came to Charlie's love.
