Norwegian film The Drama starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson about a couple’s wedding crisis after a shocking secret
Consensus Summary
The Drama is a Norwegian-American film directed by Kristoffer Borgli starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson as a seemingly perfect couple whose engagement unravels after a shocking revelation. The plot begins with a meet-cute in Boston where Emma’s partial deafness and a drunken game of confessions expose her past plan to commit a high-school shooting as a teenager. The film blends romantic comedy with psychological thriller elements, exploring themes of trust, redemption, and societal judgment. Both sources agree on the film’s provocative tone and its release by A24 in April 2024, though they differ on its stylistic approach and emotional resolution. The Guardian emphasizes its satirical edge and eerie sound design, while ABC highlights its cultural commentary and unexpected empathy in the ending.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- The film is titled The Drama and directed by Kristoffer Borgli
- Zendaya stars as Emma and Robert Pattinson stars as Charlie in the lead roles
- The plot centers on a meet-cute in a Boston café where Emma is deaf in one ear
- Emma reveals in a drunken game that as a 14-year-old she planned a high-school shooting but abandoned it after a real shooting occurred
- The film was released by A24 and premiered in April 2024
- The film’s tone blends romantic comedy with psychological thriller elements
- The film’s release date is April 2 (ABC) and April 2024 (Guardian)
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The film is described as a Euro-satire of American bourgeois aspiration, referencing Ruben Östlund’s Force Majeure and Thomas Vinterberg’s Festen
- Emma’s partial deafness was caused by holding her father’s assault rifle too close to her ear while practicing shooting
- Emma’s plan was upstaged by a real mall shooting that killed a friend, leading her to abandon her own plot
- The film’s sound design includes eerie ambient noises and dissonant woodwind figures on the soundtrack
- The film compares Emma’s situation to Louis Malle’s Lacombe, Lucien
- The film’s ending is described as slightly losing its nerve
- The film is compared to Borgli’s previous works Dream Scenario and Sick of Myself
- The film is described as a rollercoaster emotional thriller reminiscent of 80s-90s Hollywood dramas
- The film’s taboo revelation is framed as a cultural commentary on media literacy and personal branding
- The film’s score is described as a 70s psycho-drama score by Daniel Pemberton
- The film’s ending is described as unusually cheesy and empathetic for Borgli
- The film’s plot is said to expose a European misconception of American culture
- The film’s poster features an Ingmar Bergman reference adorning Emma and Charlie’s living room
- The film’s release date is explicitly stated as April 2
- The film’s reaction is described as a mix of jet-black comedy and emotional warfare
- The film’s title is said to be a provocation and a jeu d’ésprit of outrage
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian describes Emma’s deafness as caused by holding an assault rifle too close to her ear, while ABC does not specify the cause beyond it being partial deafness
- The Guardian states the film’s ending slightly loses its nerve, while ABC describes it as unusually cheesy and empathetic
- The Guardian frames the film as a cynical satire of American bourgeoisie, while ABC describes it as gradually revealing a more complex hand with cultural commentary
- The Guardian mentions the film’s sound design as eerie and dissonant, while ABC focuses on the score’s 70s psycho-drama style without detailing sound design
- The Guardian compares the film to Borgli’s Dream Scenario and Sick of Myself for style, while ABC emphasizes its provocation and cultural critique over stylistic comparisons
Source Articles
The Drama review – Zendaya and Robert Pattinson’s controversial wedding film delivers on its promise
A woman’s confession on the eve of her nuptials causes uproar in this insouciantly offensive provocation from the director of Dream Scenario • This review contains spoilers How much of your past shoul...
This controversial rom-com starring Zendaya is one of the best movies of the year
On the surface, A-listers Zendaya and Robert Pattinson's new film seems like a regular rom-com. That's exactly what director Kristoffer Borgli wants you to think....