Making its UK cinematic debut on April 3rd, The Drama gives us an insight into the countdown of a young couple's wedding. We watch them tackle the most stressful time of their lives as a dark secret is uncovered at a dinner between the couple, Charlie (Robert Pattinson) and Emma (Zendaya), and their friends Mike (Mamoudou Athie) and Rachel (Alana Haim), who are also the Maid of Honour and the Best Man. Once the secret is revealed, we watch all four characters, especially Charlie, spiral out of control. The movie shows us the raw, emotional and awkwardness of two people who love or more so, want to love each other, figure out how to overcome this stage. Zendaya and Robert Pattinson play the characters so well, as whilst watching it, it feels like you're watching a real couple fighting: it kind of makes it awkward to watch.
Director Kristoffer Brogli focuses on the idea of how we are perceived as people compared to who we really are. The whole driving narrative of the story is Emma’s big secret, and Charlie is trying to comprehend whether the mistakes in her past still make her the same person. Charlie relies on multiple people to give him the right answer on what he should do and does not allow himself to find the answer until the end of the movie. Additionally, Brogli is presenting a very real issue to the audience, which is highly relevant today, as people are constantly focused on how they are being perceived, either by social media or in person.
Robert Pattinson and Zendaya star in The Drama
[Credit: IMDB]
The Drama is one of those movies you walk out of and think that was not what I expected in the best way possible. The flashback to Emma videoing herself before planning the crime, and flashbacks to memories between Emma and Charlie; they were twisted as it showed teenage Emma with Charlie, making it unironically funny and dark. However, I do feel as if the film lacked pacing, as the beginning felt slow. The main focus is constantly on being Charlie spiraling without seeing how it affected Emma, making it seem like the two main characters are too big for each other to share their viewpoints as the movie markets itself as a romance film about this couple, when it can only handle one of them, which makes it a bit of a frustrating watch, as we never really know how Emma is feeling.
The cinematography, done by Arseni Khachaturan, and edited by Joshua Raymond Lee, complemented the film. The jarring and ‘agitated’ editing reflects the anxiety and pressure the characters are feeling, mixed with the tight close-up shots and the extensive use of 35mm Kodak film, creating an intense, low-light environment.
Director Kristoffer Borgli offers a complex, dark and comedic watch which is unlike any other.
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