Zendaya and Robert Pattinson’s new A24 movie has a disastrous twist.

Key Points:

• The Drama centers on Charlie (Robert Pattinson) and Emma (Zendaya), a couple preparing for their wedding, whose relationship is destabilized by Emma’s revelation of a dark secret from her teenage years—her contemplation of a school shooting inspired by online glamorization of gun violence.
• Despite the gravity of Emma’s confession, the film focuses more on the social awkwardness and discomfort it creates rather than deeply exploring Emma’s motivations or the broader issue of gun violence, leaving her character underdeveloped and serving mainly as a plot device.
• The narrative highlights the couple’s deteriorating relationship in the days leading up to their wedding, marked by fake smiles, sexual dysfunction, and escalating tensions, with Charlie portrayed as a neurotic and self-doubting figure struggling to process the revelation.
• Directed by Kristoffer Borgli, The Drama attempts to blend satire, rom-com, and cringe comedy to unsettle viewers, but critics note the film’s tonal instability and lack of compassion for its characters, resulting in a superficial treatment of serious themes.
• Robert Pattinson’s performance as Charlie is praised for its self-lacerating nuance, while the film’s overall approach to its provocative premise is seen as more focused on eliciting uncomfortable laughs than offering meaningful commentary on gun violence or personal trauma.