“The Drama,” starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, hit theaters on April 3rd. Since its debut, it has been met with box office success—as well as controversy. The film follows an engaged couple the week of their wedding as they question how well they know each other, and how far love actually can go. “The Drama” easily creates a familiarity with the couple, Emma and Charlie, as well as admiration for their seemingly perfect lives. The choice to film it in 35mm further solidifies the classy romantic feel of the movie. With brilliant acting, stunning visuals, and a witty script, “The Drama” divides viewers on a single issue: the ethical implications of the plot twist.
Shortly after meeting Emma and Charlie, we see them sitting around a table with Emma’s maid of honor, Rachel (Alana Haim), and Charlie’s best man, Mike (Mamoudou Athie). After a few too many glasses of wine, the group decides to each share the worst thing they’ve ever done. Through the first three confessions Mike, Charlie, and Rachel playfully tease one another, giving each friend their storytelling moment. But, when Emma goes last, their smiles suddenly drop. Charlie is confused. Rachel is horrified. Behold: The Twist.
The movie’s buzz revolves around this confession, but after Zendaya’s mic-drop moment, its unhinged nature only builds, catalyzing in an off-the-rails wedding reception. Packed with humor, this film thrives off the in-theater experience: we howled, laughed, gasped, and cringed as we watched Charlie and Emma navigate the fallout of discovering The Twist. Zendaya and Pattison deliver their A-game as usual and Haim brings a brilliantly annoying performance to this film as Rachel, giving us a character we love to hate.
When Emma reveals her secret, viewers are enticed to ask themselves how they would respond as a character in her world, given the nuance of the topic. Critics in publications like The New Yorker, Vulture, and The Boston Globe agreed that the subject matter was handled insensitivley, while younger audiences on platforms such as TikTok and Letterboxd generally found the film enjoyable, despite the heavy topic.
We believe the gravity of the confession was necessary: it realistically threatened their relationship and created the chaos that captured the audience. Yet, this doesn’t justify young Emma’s actions, nor does it give Charlie an answer. He tries to interpret her confession to minimize it; he makes excuses for her and successfully crafts his own narrative. He’s conflicted, trying to reconcile the sophisticated, empathetic woman he knows, and her unveiled past. The film works with the same urge we have as viewers to make distinctions between Good and Bad, and forces us to confront being uncomfortable in the in-between.
“The Drama” is a movie to sink your teeth into, and whether you love it or hate it, that’s good! The moral question in the movie is complex, and aches to be turned over again and again long after you’ve left the theater, walked across Boston Common, and boarded the Red Line. While these two editors thoroughly enjoyed the ride, the conversations afterwards are what made the movie a fulfilling watch.
This article also appears in our April 2026 print edition.
