With a celebratory engagement snap as the poster for Kristoffer Borgli’s latest feature, you could be forgiven for thinking that The Drama is a lighthearted rom-com of sorts. However, the Norwegian director’s work tends to lean into absurdist satire and this is no exception. Just days away from their wedding, loved-up couple Emma (Zendaya) and Charlie (Robert Pattinson) are crafting their heartfelt speeches and applying the final touches to their big day. After a few too many glasses of wine at their menu tasting with friends Rachel (Alana Haim) and Mike (Mamadou Athie), their relationship is thrown into disarray when a surprising revelation comes to light.
Beginning with a flashback to a deceptive meet-cute between the central characters, it’s evident from the off that Borgli’s narrative is designed to skewer the genre conventions of the modern love story. His sharp script confronts and challenges us, as an audience, and an acutely unsettling score from skilled composer Daniel Pemberton amplifies the sense of unrest. Hinging on an unhinged conversation that acts as the catalyst for conflict, the director crafts shock and suspense within a compelling piece of social commentary. For all its imperfections, the relationship between Emma and Charlie feels incredibly real within our contemporary cultural landscape. Earworm pop track Inside Out from Scottish artist Jesse Rae is plucked from obscurity as a recurring motif of the excellent soundtrack, becoming the unlikely anthem of their undoing.
Part of the film’s success is the masterstroke casting of two of the industry’s most popular figures. Disney Channel sensation turned movie-star Zendaya is often confined to blockbuster fare when appearing on the big screen so it’s refreshing to see her acting take centre stage. She’s fantastic in this, giving a nuanced portrayal that reveals layers of hidden complexities as the plot develops. Pattinson is no stranger to twisted romance and is in good form as well – his awkward, bumbling Brit plays like an arthouse interpretation of Hugh Grant’s New Labour era fools.
Building upon his devilishly offbeat brand of filmmaking, Kristoffer Borgli’s The Drama is prime word-of-mouth cinema. Its uncompromising tone might divide opinion but ultimately it will generate conversation and feels like a future cult hit in the making.
Cinema Perspective 