After months of anticipation, A24’s “The Drama” finally hit theaters the weekend of April 3, 2026. Starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, the new flick follows a happy couple as they learn of some startling news and must deal with this new information days before their wedding.
As an AMC Stubs A-List member, I just had to make sure I caught this film in theaters. Fortunately, my two friends joined me for a morning screening complete with Dunkin’ and pajamas to enjoy the marriage of Charlie Thompspon and Emma Harwood.how
In terms of plot, I never knew what was going to happen next. When the plot twist was revealed, I had no idea that the film was going to take the sort of turn that it did. However, I think the fact that the filmmakers chose to focus on something so pertinent and frightening in American society was a well-made, albeit risky choice.
Regarding the acting of the film, I found each and every character on screen to be completely compelling throughout. Zendaya and Robert Pattinson’s lead performances truly helped the audience realize the complexity of the narrative by foregrounding the incredibly strong relationship between Emma and Charlie respectively.
In fact, their chemistry and connection seemed so convincing to the point that I could see how hard it was for each character to struggle with the information that was uncovered. Additionally, Alana Haim’s character Rachel made for a very easy character to hate on despite the fact that her reasoning was technically sound.
Finally, Rachel’s husband, Mike—played by Mamoudou Athie—was my favorite seeing as he was conflicted between Emma’s past, his friendship with Charlie and his own marriage with Rachel while still keeping true to his personal morals.
Technically speaking, the film’s editing, cinematography and sound stood out to me most. Intercutting flashbacks based on appropriate cues in the present moment provided the audience with enough background to demonstrate the strength of Charlie and Emma’s relationship. Not to mention, cutting to imagined reactions during tense scenes allowed us a window into the characters’ state of mind. It was also incredibly helpful to juxtapose Emma’s matured emotional state in the present with instances from her past that illustrated her poor mental health and reasoning for her past actions.
The way in which the shots were composed were beautiful in and of themselves. Using close-ups to highlight emotions of anxiety, fear and anger gave the audience an opportunity to be up close and personal with the main characters’ feelings and thoughts. Furthermore, I greatly enjoyed the color-grading throughout the film which felt refreshing given the recent trend of generic “Netflix” lighting and color-grading.
Lastly, the element of sound in the film was insanely well-rounded. Featuring a soundtrack with romantic hits and different genres, I felt like each and every song used in the film served a greater purpose. Similarly, the film’s score helped engage the audience through its use of strings, supporting unsettling and even disturbing moments throughout.
After watching “The Drama,” I ran to my Letterboxd account to give it an easy four and a half stars. Having been blown away by director Kristoffer Borgli’s work, I highly recommend this film to anyone interested in watching. Moreover, I strongly encourage anyone who wants to watch this to go see this film while it’s still in theaters—at a precarious time in the entertainment industry, it’s more important than ever to support original movies on the big screen among several other audience members who can gasp alongside you.
Eva Esqueda is a senior majoring in media & communications and is minoring in French, American Studies and film studies.