Parkland Shooting's Jackie Corin on Zendaya-Pattinson Movie
The Hollywood Reporter • • general
Key Points:
- A24's dark comedy film The Drama, starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, centers on a bride-to-be revealing she once planned a school shooting, a plot point kept secret in the film's marketing to avoid spoilers.
- Jackie Corin, a Parkland shooting survivor, views the film as part of evolving storytelling around gun violence but warns that humor in this context can be perceived as either a coping mechanism or dismissive, depending on the audience.
- The casting of high-profile stars Zendaya and Pattinson raises concerns about glamorizing the subject, though it also offers a platform to engage broader audiences on the issue if handled with care.
- The studio's decision to conceal the film's shooting-related theme during press events has been criticized for limiting public understanding of the film's intent and the actors' engagement with the serious topic.
- Survivors and advocates emphasize the importance of responsible dialogue on gun violence from the film's cast, highlighting the need for sensitivity given the real-life fears and trauma associated with school shootings.
