THE DRAMA (2026)

Genre: Drama/Romance
Director: Kristoffer Borgli
Cast: Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Alana Haim, Mamoudou Athie, Zoë Winters, Hailey Gates, Sydney Lemmon, Anna Baryshnikov
Runtime: 1 hr 46 mins
Rating: M18 (Sexual Scenes And Coarse Language)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 16 April 2026

Synopsis: A happily engaged couple is put to the test when an unexpected turn sends their wedding week off the rails.

Movie Review:

As with any other titles from A24, The Drama is yet another star-studded romance that won’t qualify as a typical, approachable rom-com for the masses. If you crave something awkward, uncomfortable, provocative or all of the above then this drama led by Zendaya and Robert Pattinson might just be your invite.

The Drama starts off with a meet-cute moment—misleading, of course. Charlie (Pattinson) approaches Emma (Zendaya), who is deaf in one ear, in a café setting straight out of a rom-com. Naturally, things go well, and before long, Emma and Charlie are preparing for their wedding. Their best friends, Mike (Mamoudou Athie) and Rachel (Alana Haim), are roped in as best man and maid of honour respectively, and everything seems to be going according to plan, with the speeches, photographer and DJ all in place.

Then comes the bombshell that triggers the film’s main theme. The four of them play a game revealing their darkest secrets: Mike talks about his ex-girlfriend, Rachel shares a disturbing childhood incident involving her special-needs neighbour, and Charlie admits to cyberbullying a classmate. Emma then reveals a very dark secret of her own, one that deeply unsettles the group, especially Rachel.

We won’t reveal exactly what Emma says, but it sets off a strong domino effect. It’s something so disturbing that even Charlie had no idea about it. This is where a deeply evocative question arises—do you really know your partner well enough? Is it time to call it quits? Or even call off a lavish wedding at the very last minute?

The Drama dissects this fragile idea with the clever use of flashbacks. To be fair, the act itself was never carried out, though it was carefully planned by a younger Emma. Still, it leads to Charlie’s growing distrust and eventually an office affair that nearly destroys everything. It’s unsettling territory, one that shows how quickly love, friendship and even family can fall apart.

Both Zendaya and Pattinson deliver strong performances, balancing moments of playfulness with emotional intensity. They joke, laugh, share intimate moments, and then spiral into arguments over their mental and emotional states. Once again, Zendaya proves she isn’t afraid to take on challenging roles, while Pattinson gives off a young Hugh Grant–style Londoner charm, a man who simply wants to marry the love of his life despite the moral dilemma.

From Norwegian filmmaker Kristoffer Borgli, whose previous works may not be widely known, The Drama is far from a forgettable rom-com filled with predictable wedding mishaps. Instead, it marks Borgli as a filmmaker to watch. If you’re keen to explore the darker sides of human thoughts, or simply unafraid that a film like this might shake your idea of a fairytale wedding, feel free to take in all the drama.

Movie Rating:

(A talky yet insightful arthouse romance that is more chaotic and painful than you might expect)

Review by Linus Tee