Around Denver Things To Do Places To Go People To See Movies
Search by keyword or venue Search by date
   
« Movies Home


Films About Town
More Films...
 The Drama
R for sexual content, some violent/bloody images, language throughout, and brief drug use.

Starring
Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Alana Haim, Mamoudou Athie, Greer Cohen

Director
Kristoffer Borgli

Producer
Ari Aster, Lars Knudsen, Tyler

Genres
Drama   Romance  

Released by A24 on 4/3/2026 Nationwide
Trailer

Review

Note: I have avoided explicit spoilers in this review but there's only so much hinting I can do while still making points.

From Norwegian writer/director Kristoffer Borgli, the creative mind behind the surreal Dream Scenario, comes The Drama. This latest effort attempts to fuse challenging philosophical musings with a narrative structure that often feels half-baked, resulting in a cinematic experience that is ultimately more frustrating than effective. While the film reaches for profound heights, its success relies almost entirely on the formidable, committed performances of Zendaya and Robert Pattinson rather than the thematic framework Borgli has constructed. The more intently one examines the internal logic of The Drama, the more the narrative appears threadbare and, at times, entirely nonsensical.

Without venturing into spoiler territory, the film's central weakness lies in two fundamental questions that Borgli never effectively addresses-questions that would naturally serve as the starting point for any real-life exploration of this scenario. We are left wondering about the genuine motivation behind the alleged activity and the true reason why that activity failed to proceed as planned. While the screenplay offers fleeting hints and stylistic breadcrumbs, these core issues are never confronted head-on. By dancing around these essential truths, the film strips the audience of the ability to fully evaluate the characters, the validity of their relationship, or the weight of the ensuing consequences. (Yes, I being deliberately vague here because I can't talk about specifics but if you've seen the movie, you'll understand what I'm getting at.)

The film's structure also presents significant hurdles for the viewer. The narrative rushes through the "meet-cute" and foundational details of the fairy-tale romance between the unassuming, socially awkward Charlie Thompson (Robert Pattinson) and his ideal partner, Emma Harwood (Zendaya). This accelerated pacing prevents us from experiencing more than a few fragmented glimpses of their love story before the plot plunks them into a high-stakes, drunken game of "What's the Worst Thing I've Ever Done" with their friends Mike (Mamoudou Athie) and Rachel (Alana Haim). This pivotal scene occurs just days before Charlie and Emma's wedding, serving as the catalyst that turns their world upside down. Following this revelation, the film utilizes a series of confused flashbacks that are presumably meant to provide clarity but instead muddy the waters further. Borgli also employs quick, jarring cuts to events that either do not happen or occur out of chronological order. At times, the direction slips into full Dream Scenario mode, abandoning reality for a nightmarish, discontinuous form of storytelling that creates a barrier between the audience and the protagonists.

Despite these structural flaws, I found myself caring about these two individuals almost against my better judgment, which is precisely why the film's nonsensical trajectory felt misplaced. Regarding the conclusion, it is worth noting that a lack of resolution on this level must be earned and The Drama never reaches that threshold. The ending felt pre-ordained long before the screen faded to black, yet that foresight did not make the resolution feel any more satisfying. Ultimately, I was left questioning what Borgli was attempting to communicate, or if there was a coherent message intended at all beyond the stylistic exercise.

Zendaya is characteristically luminous, imbuing Emma with a depth and humanity that far exceeds the thinly-sketched caricature presented in the screenplay. While her work here may not reach the searing intensity of her performance in Malcolm & Marie, it occupies a similar space in terms of her ability to carry a film through sheer screen presence and emotional nuance. Robert Pattinson is equally excellent, masterfully portraying the roiling internal pressure that threatens to erupt beneath Charlie's outwardly meek and submissive exterior. Unfortunately, the screenplay frequently makes explicit certain psychological elements that would have been far more impactful if they had remained bottled up.

Though The Drama is being marketed as a "dark comedy," I struggled to find anything remotely humorous about the proceedings, even when applying the broadest possible definition of the genre. The film is certainly uncomfortable and off-putting, but it lacks the wit or satirical bite necessary to be considered amusing. I did not find myself laughing or even chuckling at the absurdity; instead, the "dark comedy" label feels like a marketing ploy designed to soften the film's abrasive edges. It seems the film aspires to say something deep about certain facets of human behavior, but the director lacks the precision to land those points. While I admired the lead performances, the journey of The Drama remains unfulfilling. When I see a movie like this, I want to connect with the characters and believe their circumstances. I got some of the former but practically none of the latter.

© 2026 James Berardinelli

Zip:  Miles:    on 
AMC 19th St. East 6
9:45 AM, 10:45 AM, 1:30, 3:15, 4:15, 6:00, 8:30, 9:00, 9:45

AMC 19th St. East 6
7:00

Regal Union Square
9:15 AM, 10:15 AM, 11:50 AM, 1:10, 2:30, 4:10, 5:10, 6:20, 10:45

Regal Union Square
7:50

AMC Kips Bay 15
11:15 AM, 12:15, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 3:45, 4:45, 5:45, 6:30, 8:30, 9:15, 10:15, 11:00

AMC Kips Bay 15
7:30

Quad Cinema, NYC
1:00, 3:15, 5:30, 6:00, 7:45

Metro Private Cinema
6:00, 6:30, 7:00, 7:30, 8:00

AMC Village 7
11:45 AM, 12:30, 2:30, 3:45, 5:15, 6:30, 8:00, 10:45

AMC Village 7
9:00

AMC 34th Street 14
12:00, 12:45, 1:45, 2:15, 3:30, 4:30, 5:00, 7:45, 8:30, 9:00, 10:30

AMC 34th Street 14
6:15

Village East by Angelika
7:15

Village East by Angelika
2:15, 4:45, 9:45

AMC Empire 25
10:15 AM, 11:15 AM, 1:00, 3:45, 4:30, 4:45, 5:30, 6:30, 7:30, 8:40, 9:15, 10:15, 11:00

AMC Empire 25
2:00

Regal Times Square
10:10 AM, 1:10, 4:10, 8:20, 10:10, 11:10

Regal Times Square
7:15

Regal Essex Crossing
8:50 AM, 9:10 AM, 10:30 AM, 11:15 AM, 1:30, 2:00, 4:20, 4:50, 7:20, 10:10, 10:40, 11:10

Regal Essex Crossing
7:50

Cinema 123 by Angelika
5:00

Cinema 123 by Angelika
11:55 AM, 2:30, 4:10, 7:30, 10:00

Nitehawk Cinema - Williamsburg
4:00, 6:35, 9:45

AMC Lincoln Square 13
10:30 AM, 1:30, 4:30, 6:30, 9:30, 10:30

AMC Lincoln Square 13
7:30

Regal Battery Park
10:20 AM, 11:30 AM, 1:30, 2:30, 4:30, 5:10, 7:20, 10:10, 10:45

Regal Battery Park
8:00

Williamsburg Cinemas
3:50, 6:20, 7:30, 8:30, 9:00

Williamsburg Cinemas
1:15

IPIC Theaters at Fulton Market
1:15, 4:15, 7:15, 10:15

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema - Lower Manhattan
11:25 AM, 1:00, 1:30, 2:30, 3:20, 4:30, 5:35, 7:30, 8:20, 8:35, 9:55, 10:30

AMC Newport Centre 11
11:15 AM, 2:00, 4:45, 7:30, 9:30, 10:15

AMC 84th Street 6
9:45 AM, 11:00 AM, 4:30, 7:15, 8:00, 10:00, 10:35

AMC 84th Street 6
1:45

AMC Orpheum 7
11:30 AM, 2:15, 5:15, 10:00

AMC Orpheum 7
6:45

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema - Downtown Brooklyn
10:15

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema - Downtown Brooklyn
10:15 AM, 10:30 AM, 10:45 AM, 1:15, 1:30, 4:15, 4:30, 7:15, 7:30, 10:30

Regal UA Kaufman Astoria
9:20 AM, 10:10 AM, 12:20, 1:00, 3:10, 3:50, 5:50, 6:50, 9:00, 10:00

BAM Rose Cinemas at Peter Jay Sharp Building
4:30, 7:00, 9:30

Cobble Hill Cinemas
3:30, 6:00, 7:00, 8:30

Cobble Hill Cinemas
1:00

Regal Secaucus Showplace
10:30 AM, 1:30, 4:20, 7:20, 8:35, 10:15

AMC Magic Johnson Harlem 9
11:00 AM, 1:45, 4:30, 10:00

AMC Magic Johnson Harlem 9
7:15

Nitehawk Cinema - Prospect Park
3:15, 8:00, 9:45

Regal Atlas Park
10:00 AM, 12:50, 3:40, 6:30, 9:20

Regal Concourse
10:00 AM, 1:00, 4:00, 7:05, 10:00

AMC Ridgefield Park 12
1:45, 4:30, 7:15, 10:00

Alpine Cinema
1:50, 4:15, 6:40, 9:00

IPIC Hudson Lights
1:15, 4:15, 7:15, 10:15

Regal UA Midway
11:30 AM, 12:50, 3:50, 6:50, 9:50

Cinemart Cinemas
1:30, 3:50, 6:10, 8:30

Kew Gardens Cinemas
1:00, 3:30, 6:00, 7:15, 8:30

AMC Clifton Commons 16
10:15 AM, 1:15, 4:15, 10:15

AMC Clifton Commons 16
7:15

AMC Jersey Gardens 20
11:40 AM, 2:30, 5:15, 8:00, 10:45

AMC Bay Plaza Cinema 13
11:30 AM, 2:15, 5:00, 10:40

AMC Bay Plaza Cinema 13
7:45

Showtimes in parentheses have bargain pricing.
Cinemas About Town