DRAMA, THE

(director/writer: Kristoffer Borgli; cinematographer: Arsene Khachaturan; editors: Joshua Raymond, Kristoffer Borgli; music: Daniel Pemberton; cast: Alana Haim (Rachel), Robert Pattinson (Charlie), Zendaya (Emma), Jordyn Curet (Young Emma), Mamoudou Athie (Mike), Hailey Gates (Mischa), Zoë Winters (Frances), Anna Baryshnikov (Sam); Runtime: 106; MPAA Rating: R; producers: Lars Knudsen, Ari Aster, Tyler Campellone; A24; 2026)

“Its redemption story made me feel uncomfortable but not any wiser.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

Norwegian filmmaker Kristoffer Borgli (“Dream Scenario”/”Sick of Myself”) writes and directs this wedding story rom/com, whose unfulfilling story doesn’t live up to its clever premise.

Charlie (Robert Pattinson), a neurotic artist working as a museum curator, picks up the working girl editor for a publisher, an insecure but impulsive Emma (Zendaya), in a Boston coffee shop while she’s reading a book at her table. He pretends he read the book so he can talk with her. She tells him she can’t hear that well because she’s deaf in one ear. This meeting-on-the-cute leads to a romantic relationship, and eventually for the young adults to set a marriage date.

One evening their friends Mike (Mamoudou Athie) and Rachel (Alana Haim) are having wine with them, whereby each of them reveal the “worse thing” they ever did. The drunken Emma blurts out that when she was 14 (Jordyn Curet) she almost did a mass school shooting. This makes Charlie unsure if he can now wed her.

The question raised is if such a dark confession is enough to spoil their marriage plans.

The lead actors were fine playing questionable roles, but the story was contrived and  unconvincing. The uneven script brought about both laughs and cringe moments, and its redemption story made me feel uncomfortable but not any wiser.

REVIEWED ON 4/6/2026  GRADE: C+
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