The Drama uses the subconscious and hypothetical to execute dark humor

A funny thing about relationships is how long we can know someone and still not really know everything about them. It can be comforting to think that we are good judges of character and can know instantly what our friends, family members or significant other would never do. Occasionally, we unearth a regrettable act from their past and can either laugh it off or let it change our entire perspective of them. When this happens, it presents an opportunity to learn about them and ourselves simultaneously. What misdeeds are forgivable? How long ago is long enough to let bygones be bygones? Kristoffer Borgli’s new A24 romantic comedy The Drama explores these questions in hilarious fashion.

Charlie (Robert Pattinson, Batman) has met the one in Emma (Zendaya, Challengers) and ponders his vows before the big day. To work over his lines, he sits down with his good friend Mike (Mamoudou Athie, Kinds of Kindness). As Charlie talks through what is appropriate to say and what is really from the heart, the audience gets their first glimpse into the character trait that steers the entire story: He overthinks like crazy. Borgli includes several flashbacks during Charlie and Mike’s conversation about the day he met Emma and the evolution of their relationship, along with a couple of Emma’s minor irritating habits. This opening sequence not only gives the audience insight on Charlie’s character but also primes us for how Borgli will generate humor throughout the film, with intermittent rapid cuts to the past.

In the midst of a double-date, Mike’s girlfriend Rachel (Alana Haim, One Battle After Another) prompts Mike, Charlie and Emma to all confess to the worst thing that they have ever done. After some needling and plenty of wine, they all share stories with a bit of humor from their past. However, when Emma goes last, she reveals a much darker story that leaves Rachel very disturbed and angry. She grills Emma over it until Emma gets sick and chucks up much of her wine, officially ruining the good time they were having. Though Charlie initially wants to defend his fiancée, his friends quickly convince him to reconsider the future of his and Emma's relationship.

What makes The Drama such an engaging comedy is Charlie’s lack of backbone. He does not show very assertive behavior throughout the movie, and thus ends up in several situations where he is afraid to confront people, solve problems, or make difficult (or frankly even easy) decisions. His cowardice leads to several hysterical but also cringeworthy scenes, one when he throws away a keepsake of Emma’s that reminds him of her story. She finds it in the garbage, confronts him, and catches him in a lie as she happens to be holding a kitchen knife. She wields the knife at him, making him flinch before rolling her eyes and walking away in a huff. His conflict-averse nature reemerges later when he and Emma confront their wedding DJ, who they believe uses drugs. As Emma grills the DJ, Charlie sinks into the background and instead tries to play peacemaker, even as the DJ blatantly insults Emma. Though his apprehensiveness makes him a frustrating character, it contributes to much of the film’s humor.

Emma, on the other hand, exudes confidence for much of the first thirty minutes of the movie until her past gets drudged up. She returns to her insecure preteen years and the frustration she felt as a social outcast, which is only dragged out by Charlie’s inability to take control or have a straightforward, honest dialogue. Many of the flashbacks deal with Emma’s interactions as a child and the dark thoughts that she conjured as a result. The fallout from their double-date leaves her revisiting her childhood experiences and questioning her fiance's commitment to her. .

If The Drama is viewed as a metaphor for cancel culture, Rachel essentially represents the public. She works with Emma and has a decent relationship, but is especially offended by Emma’s story due to her own family history. Even though the story Rachel shares involves cruel treatment of someone, she laughs it off and directs her anger at Emma, whose bad act was purely hypothetical and never carried out. In some ways, Rachel’s logic mirrors how flawed people turn their judgment and indignation toward others, projecting rather than owning their baggage. The entire situation comes to a head in sidesplitting sitcom style at Emma and Charlie’s wedding dinner.

While The Drama may hint at certain perspectives, Borgli’s writing and direction play the story for maximum humor, choosing not to go the route of lecturing the audience. The mix of characters, as well as solid acting and perfectly placed cutaways, make for several funny and uncomfortable sequences. The movie has its fair share of dark humor, as did his last feature Dream Scenario. Both deal with the subconscious and the desire people have to be famous or renowned, even if for negative behavior. The Drama may not be a family friendly or lighthearted comedy; it still provides several hard laughs and something to chew on for those not opposed to dark, layered humor.