The Drama Movie Review: Chaos, Cocktails, and “Wait… What Did She Just Say?”

By Ersilia Pompilio

I really wanted to see The Drama. Like, really wanted to see it. The trailers? Addicting. The cast? Stacked—Zendaya and Robert Pattinson in a messy, mysterious love story? Say less. I grabbed a gal pal, threw on something Palm Springs casual-cute, and headed to the theater ready to be emotionally wrecked.

And honestly? The drama started before the movie even did.

We get our tickets, head into Theater 3 like the ticket guy said, sit down, start catching up on our own personal chaos… and suddenly, after what felt like 47 previews, a random Disney movie starts playing. Yeah. Wrong theater. We had accidentally walked into a completely different film like it was a side quest. So already, confusion. Already, plot twist. Already, on theme.

Once we finally made it into the correct theater, The Drama opened like a soft, dreamy rom-com. Think vintage ‘80s vibes: boy meets girl, sparks fly, coffee dates, quirky banter. Pattinson plays Charlie, a museum director, and Zendaya is Emma, the effortlessly cool bookstore girl. They fall in love fast, and just like that—we’re planning a wedding.

Cute, right?

Wrong.

Because this is where Kristoffer Borgli (the chaotic genius behind Sick of Myself and Dream Scenario) pulls the rug out from under you.

It starts small. A weird sighting in the park. A slightly off conversation. Then boom, we’re at a dinner table with wine flowing and vibes shifting. Someone asks: “What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?”

And just like that, this movie goes from “aww” to “are we okay??”

One by one, the confessions start dropping—and they are not cute. We’re talking deeply unhinged, morally questionable, “you should’ve taken that to the grave” type stories. What starts as dark humor quickly spirals into something way heavier. Then Emma drops her truth and the entire room (and theater) just… freezes.

From there, the film fully commits to chaos.

We get flashbacks. Flash-forwards. Hypothetical futures. Blood-soaked wedding scenes. Emotional spirals. Charlie, just days before the wedding, starts unraveling in his own head, questioning everything—including whether he should even marry Emma. And honestly? Same.

But here’s the twist: the movie doesn’t just ask what happened—it asks whether your past should define your future. Is Emma the problem? Or is everyone else projecting their own trauma onto her? Is Charlie spiraling… or finally seeing clearly?

No one is fully innocent, and that’s what makes it so uncomfortable—and weirdly addictive.

Classic Borgli.

If you’ve seen his work, you know he loves a protagonist on the brink—someone slowly cracking under pressure until their worst traits bubble to the surface. And The Drama delivers exactly that, just dressed up in wedding florals and rom-com lighting.

Also, can we talk about how this movie somehow made marketing part of the experience? The internet was already spiraling over Zendaya and Pattinson’s chemistry before the film even dropped, and that tension bleeds right into the story. It’s giving: art imitates life imitates TikTok discourse.

Now, was it perfect? No.

It is a bit slow at times, and there are moments where you’re like, “okay… where are we going with this?” But the performances? Impeccable. Zendaya balances vulnerability and intensity in a way that keeps you guessing, while Pattinson absolutely thrives in his “man having a quiet existential meltdown” era.

And just when you think the chaos is contained to the screen, my friend leans over 30 minutes before the end and whispers that we need to stop by her place after because she might’ve left her straightener on.

So yeah. Drama everywhere.

What I loved most, though, was Emma’s strange, almost surreal coping mechanism. In moments of peak relationship tension, she imagines rebooting her love story—reintroducing herself to Charlie like they’re meeting for the first time, trying to rewrite the narrative. It’s haunting, a little delusional, and honestly… relatable?

Because who hasn’t wanted a do-over?

Overall, The Drama is exactly what the title promises, but not in the way you expect. It’s darker, messier, and way more psychological than your typical love story. It’s the kind of movie that lingers, that makes you text your group chat immediately after, that turns into a two-martini debate at a cute Palm Springs bar.

Final verdict? 7/10.

Go see it at The Festival Theaters in Palm Springs. Not just for the plot, but for the post-movie discussion you’re absolutely going to have. Preferably somewhere chic, with a cocktail in hand, asking your friends:

“So… what’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?”

About the Author

Ersilia Pompilio is the Editor in Chief of SQUAD Magazine, a Palm Springs guide for bachelorettes and ladies who love to leisure. Ersilia has over two decades of experience in performing, producing live storytelling shows, and hosting a podcast, she has also taught storytelling classes and written professionally for several media outlets. Originally from Los Angeles, Ersilia is also a twenty-year resident of Palm Springs, California.