"The Drama" (Borgli, 2026) - Review

Ladies and gentlemen, you are cordially invited to the wedding of the year, starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson. Please RSVP.

Written by Xiaoyi Wang

As soon as the posters for Kristoffer Borgli’s The Drama were first released, long before the film came out, theories were already flying around the internet. What secret loomed beneath this seemingly romcom? What happened to make the lovely couple go from showing off their engagement ring to frowning in a puff-jacket-covered (and somewhat bloody) wedding gown? You see, as it turns out, we don’t always know the people we think we know so well. Ask yourself, really: just how much of their past do you actually know? And the bigger question is: will you still stay when you learn the truth about their past? Until death do us part?

The film opens with Charlie (Robert Pattinson) reflecting on the beginning of his relationship as he prepares his wedding vows. It goes something like this: in a cute coffee shop, Prince Charming spots a lovely lady sitting alone, reading by the window. He awkwardly goes up to start a conversation, pretending that he has read the book in her hands, but she ignores him. Ouch—how awkward. He tries again, explaining that he didn’t mean to disturb her, and finally she turns around. It turns out Emma (Zendaya) is deaf in one ear and is listening to music with the other. It’s only a misunderstanding, so Emma offers for them to start over. Thus begins a two-year romantic relationship leading to the altar.

As much as the situation is sweet, the editing quickly establishes that something is shielded by the curtain. Something unsaid—skip forward. Something otherwise ominous and uncanny lies beneath the awfully chic and elegant style of the film. Not exactly missing puzzles, but more like misprinted puzzles, one that you shouldn’t look too closely at.

The lovely couple, joined by their married friends Mike (Mamoudou Athie) and Rachel (Alana Haim), go on a tasting dinner to decide the wedding menu. A couple of glasses of wine in, Rachel drops one of the most inconsiderate questions one can ask before a wedding—what is “the worst thing” you have ever done? Lovely. A few more drinks in, everyone takes their turn to make their intoxicated confessions. Then there’s Emma, the last to speak. Under the influence, she reveals a secret so shocking that it stops everyone in their tracks.

There is no denying that stylistically, the cinematography and color are almost as if they came straight out of a magazine, not to mention the extraordinarily chic title card. The grain of the film makes every emotion all the more intimate, at times as if the couple filmed it themselves, entangling us in their privacy.

Zendaya and Pattinson are wonderfully natural in their performances, sharing perfect chemistry as an engaged couple who love each other dearly, capturing both their affection and the uncertainty and frustration that follow when the secret is revealed. I would especially like to mention the hilarious Zoë Winters in the role of the photographer, who delivers one of the funniest scenes in this dark romcom, as well as the unforgettable Hailey Benton Gates. Though her part is brief and discreet, she is an absolute scene-stealer.

Much of the film’s editing consists of quick snaps of different angles of the scene, making every moment feel like a series of evidence photos from a crime scene (along with many perfectly timed jump cuts). A particular attention is brought to the sounds and noises of the environment, which are stitched together in the same fast-paced manner, almost like a collage on an investigation board, making us jump from one piece of evidence to another.

Then, at other times, like in the dinner tasting scene, we settle in and are provided with the information in its entirety, and we get to watch the drama unfold. Most of the time, the audience only knows as much as Charlie, so we follow along with his frantic reaction to the revelation, doubting Emma, doubting himself, and reconsidering every line of his vows. Is his empathetic bride-to-be truly who she seems to be?

Even though The Drama is rather tame in form, it still isn’t your usual romance. Because of its heavy themes, the film aims to be uncomfortable at times. It is intentionally provocative, and everyone will have their own reaction to the situation. Just like the different characters, you are left to make up your own mind. Still, throughout all this, Borgli manages to sprinkle in some well-dosed comedy, balancing the film’s weighty themes. For a film titled The Drama, it could have been a bit more dramatic, but overall, it is still a haunting psychodrama that leaves you wondering what you would have done in their shoes.

So yes, dear Emma and Charlie, we would love to attend your wedding.

P.S. Just… please consider staying off alcohol. Please.

The Drama is now playing in theatres.