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 that stars Zendaya and Robert Pattinson as a seemingly perfect couple unraveling after Emma reveals she once planned a high-school shooting as a teenager. The film blends dark comedy with psychological tension, centering on Emma’s admission during a drunken game with friends, which triggers a crisis in their relationship. Consensus across sources confirms Emma’s partial deafness stems from mishandling her father’s rifle, her flashbacks to Louisiana in the early 2010s, and the film’s April 2024 release. Critics praise Zendaya’s and Pattinson’s performances but debate the film’s tone, with some calling it satirical and others finding its portrayal of gun violence tone-deaf or offensive. The ending, set at a diner, tentatively reconciles the couple, though reactions vary from ‘cheesy’ to ‘cynical.’ Controversy surrounds the film’s handling of gun violence, with survivors criticizing its provocative premise, while Borgli’s intent appears to critique societal obsession with secrets and personal branding.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- The film is directed by Kristoffer Borgli and produced by A24.
- Zendaya plays Emma, a 30-year-old woman who reveals she planned a high-school shooting as a 14-year-old in Louisiana.
- Emma’s partial deafness was caused by accidentally damaging her eardrum while handling her father’s assault rifle.
- The film’s controversial twist involves Emma’s admission during a ‘worst thing you’ve ever done’ game with her fiancé Charlie (Robert Pattinson) and their friends.
- The film premiered in cinemas on April 2, 2024.
- Emma’s teenage flashbacks include dark imagery like gangsta rap posters and a rifle, set in the early 2010s.
- The film’s title and premise were teased via a fake wedding announcement in the Boston Globe featuring Zendaya and Pattinson.
- The film’s score is composed by Daniel Pemberton, described as uneasy and 70s-inspired.
- Emma’s father provides a wedding speech, while Rachel (Alana Haim) delivers a scathing, alcohol-fueled critique of Emma.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The film’s sound design includes ‘weird, eerie ambient noises’ and ‘dissonant woodwind figures’ on the soundtrack.
- Borgli’s film is compared to Ruben Östlund’s *Force Majeure* and Thomas Vinterberg’s *Festen* for its satirical tone.
- Emma’s partial deafness was initially claimed to be due to an ‘infection in infancy’ before revealing the rifle incident.
- Charlie compares Emma’s situation to the plot of Louis Malle’s *Lacombe, Lucien* during their crisis.
- The film’s ending is described as ‘a little cheesy’ and ‘oddly empathetic’ by the Guardian’s reviewer.
- Emma’s flashbacks include her recording ‘sociopathic videos’ while handling the rifle.
- The film’s resolution shows Emma pivoting to gun safety activism after abandoning her shooting plan due to a nearby supermarket shooting.
- The Guardian criticizes Borgli’s portrayal of Emma’s teenage years as ‘clumsy and borderline offensive’ due to racial stereotypes in her room.
- The film is described as a ‘rollercoaster emotional twists’ ride with a ‘hallucinatory aspect’ due to flash-forward editing.
- Borgli’s previous films *Sick of Myself* (2023) and *Dream Scenario* (2023) are mentioned as part of his ‘penchant for provocation’.
- The film’s tone shifts from ‘smug European caricature’ to a critique of ‘personal branding’ and ‘lack of empathy’ in society.
- Pattinson’s performance is praised as ‘shapeshifting’ and ‘memorable dramatic turn,’ while Zendaya’s ‘cool, inscrutable ambiguity’ is highlighted.
- The film’s ending is called ‘unusually cheesy’ and ‘oddly empathetic’ by ABC, contrasting with Borgli’s usual style.
- The film’s cultural critique includes ‘images that fuse sex, race, and violence in clichéd ways,’ noted as a ‘European misconception of the US.’
- The article emphasizes the film’s layered, ‘thorny, often unnerving’ nature and its suitability as a ‘perfect date movie.’
- The film’s reaction to the ‘worst thing you’ve ever done’ game is described as ‘unsettling, hilarious scene after another.’
- The film’s trailer and Reddit speculation pre-dated its release, with TMZ leaking the plot before embargo.
- Tom Mauser (parent of a Columbine victim) and Mia Tretta (school shooting survivor) publicly condemned the film’s premise.
- Jackie Corin (Parkland survivor) argued the film should use its platform to discuss gun violence responsibly.
- The film’s portrayal of Emma’s teenage years includes ‘dark makeup, a rifle, and sociopathic videos,’ described as ‘clumsy and borderline offensive.’
- Emma’s father is depicted as ‘entirely absent’ during her teenage years, with no friends or social life beyond her computer.
- The film’s resolution is criticized as ‘cynical’ for Emma abandoning her shooting plan due to a nearby supermarket shooting.
- The article notes Borgli’s 2012 essay about his relationship with a high school student when he was 26, hinting at ethical concerns.
- The film’s ending diner scene is described as ‘bruised and battered’ but ultimately ‘tentatively reconciling’ the couple.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- Guardian Article 1 describes Emma’s deafness as initially claimed to be due to an ‘infection in infancy,’ while Guardian Article 3 states this was a lie from the start (no mention of infancy).
- ABC calls the film’s ending ‘unusually cheesy’ and ‘oddly empathetic,’ while Guardian Article 1 calls it ‘a little cheesy’ but does not use ‘oddly empathetic.’
- Guardian Article 3 criticizes Borgli’s portrayal of Emma’s teenage years as ‘clumsy and borderline offensive,’ while ABC frames it as a ‘complex hand’ that critiques American culture without outright condemnation.
- Guardian Article 1 suggests the film’s ending ‘loses its nerve,’ while ABC and Guardian Article 3 describe it as ‘unusually cheesy’ or ‘oddly empathetic’ without implying weakness.
- Guardian Article 3 quotes survivors like Tom Mauser and Mia Tretta condemning the film, while ABC does not mention any real-world backlash beyond the film’s provocative nature.
Source Articles
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