The Drama Leaves You with Cold Feet Over Morals

Weddings are known for drama—but this takes the cake.

A24

When The Drama was first announced I was expecting some typical fun wedding rom-com with a dash of weirdness (A24 vibes), but this movie took a turn that I was absolutely not expecting. There is a bit of divisiveness around this film; rightfully so. It touches on some very sensitive topics so here is a little PSA. If you are triggered by controversial issues relevant to current American politics, you might want to peek at some spoilers before watching. It is that deep.

How Was the Movie?

I love this movie. For me, it turned out to be way better than I expected. It was a great balance of comedy, drama, romance, and awkwardness. People don’t like awkwardness, right? But it’s part of our lives; everything isn’t clean cut and I enjoy how this film doesn’t shy away from that.

It takes the typical “cold feet” trope in wedding movies and turns into something more mentally provocative. I feel like The Drama makes us ask “what are my morals when it comes to my relationships?” And surprisingly this doesn’t just mean romantic relationships. It’s also about our relationships with our families, our friends, our colleagues, and with society at large. 

This is brought up when the friend group in the film decides to have a little impromptu game of “what’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?”  Many surprises come from the confessions, along with some intense judgments. Mind you, they decided to do this game in the midst of drinking, so this was probably doomed from the beginning.

Everyone admits to doing something pretty damn bad, and like the characters, I feel like each individual viewer will have their own morals and opinions on how bad each thing actually was. The concept of “doing something vs thinking about doing something” also comes into play, and the rest of the movie becomes a reflection of trust, commitment, unconditional love through the eyes of Robert Pattinson’s character Charlie. 

Best Parts About the Movie?

Robert Pattinson

I think Robert Pattinson has proven his point more than enough now that he is a great actor. Not because he did great in this role, but because I’m so used to him playing an American so much that I've forgotten that he’s English. Watching him with an accent was splendid, and the film is actually centered around his character as he works through the dilemma of his engagement. 

A24

A Unique Rom-Com :

Some people are saying that this is not a Rom-Com, but I still think that it very much is. Is it cute and bubbly? At times, yes. But there’s a clear darkness wrapped in this film as well and I think that’s what makes it stand out. Love isn’t perfect, and it isn’t always cute. Also, as the title warned us, there is drama. Let’s call it a Rom-Com-Dramedy, if you will.

The Drama:

The actual  drama in the movie is something that most people weren’t expecting. It’s also not something that you can simply get over quickly. By the end of the film, I’m betting that most viewers are still questioning “how bad is this really?” 

I’ll tell you my personal thoughts; It’s not something that I would let slide, or be comfortable with, but I appreciate the ownership of it from Zendaya’s character Emma.

All the other people, however, get a total side eye because they all tried to play down their “bad thing” as if it weren’t a big deal. Pure manipulation and lack of accountability. 

A24

Is This Movie for You?

If you’re expecting a feel-good wedding movie with typical drama like Monster-in-Law or Runaway Bride then this ain’t it. This is a dark comedy and a psychological drama that will make you question how we judge those closest to us. 

I think I need a spoiler talk on this movie. If you’ve seen The Drama, I would love to know what you thought.

Thanks for reading.

-A. Monique