“The Drama” is written and directed by Kristoffer Borgli (Dream Scenario, Sick of Myself) and stars Zendaya (Spider-Man: Homecoming, The Greatest Showman) and Robert Pattinson (The Batman, Tenet) as a couple who are preparing for their wedding. While the two get ready for their big day, they have a conversation with some friends that ends up becoming much bigger than any of them could have anticipated. When Emma reveals a key part of her past, it changes the way everyone sees her, including her future spouse, Charlie (Pattinson).

“The Drama” has one of the best trailers I have seen in recent memory due to its quick pace and effective messaging of the film’s main idea. Add a pinch of star power, and you have a recipe for hype. Zendaya and Robert Pattinson not only have busy years ahead of them, but they are in a few films together, including this one. Naturally, I was excited for this movie.

I am not saying skip the trailer before you see the movie, because, again, it is a great piece of marketing. It got me in the door. But if you want my two cents, the trailer does not even do this movie justice. It does a great job giving a spec of the main idea, and what unfolds from said main idea is completely bonkers. This is a film that is likely to inspire conversations, make people think, and whether for good or bad, could potentially ruin a relationship.

I am a believer that nobody, including myself, is perfect. Everyone does something stupid at some point in their life. This movie does a great job at showcasing the dangers of having your past come back to haunt you in the worst possible way. This is done through a simple conversation where two couples talk to each other discussing the worst things they have ever done. It is an innocent game where harsh truths come to light, but everyone seems to take the information and brush it aside. That is until Zendaya’s character, Emma Harwood, reveals something she has not even told her partner. I am not going to say what she did, as I had no idea what it was prior to watching the movie, but this ruins her friendship with the couple across from her, and puts a bad taste in her partner’s mouth.

Harwood’s revelation sets the tone for what’s next, and could not come at a worse possible time. Throughout the film we see her and Charlie Thompson (Pattinson) get ready for their wedding. Planning for a wedding, as exciting as it can be, is already stressful enough between getting people together, choosing and setting up the venue, making sure everyone assumes their role, and now it has become ten times harder.

Throughout the film, we see Thompson writing his wedding vows. We see him tinker with the document where he has them stored. It is not just a matter of giving a speech from the heart. It is a matter of knowing his partner. The revelation essentially turned things upside down for Thompson. He does not feel like he knows her the way he did before. He sees an entirely new side to her. The longer the film goes on, the more we find Thompson in a sense of personal debate. Does he know his partner? Or is she a complete enigma? What else does he not know?

This movie kind of makes me glad I am single. What if I end up doing something stupid that I will have to bring up to my partner one day? Will they accept it? Or perhaps vice versa? What if I am dating someone and I find out they killed a guy? I find myself to be quite an accepting person, but if I find out my partner killed a guy, I think it would be an understatement to suggest that idea gives off a bad vibe.

I also dig the start of the movie. The movie begins with our main couple meeting each other in a cafe, where Thompson notices Harwood reading a book and tries to win her over by saying he loves said book. We find out early on that Harwood is deaf in one ear. The way the movie establishes this point is rather cute.

Perhaps the biggest strength, arguably to no one’s surprise, is the on-screen talent. Of course, Robert Pattinson and Zendaya lead this film, both of whom are great actors on their own. But this film does them favors by putting them together. I buy that these two are a couple from, as mentioned recently, the moment they meet in a cafe, to their eventual decline. As good as they are together, the two are not alone when it comes to showcasing tour de performances.

While Zendaya and Robert Pattinson are naturally going to be the first two people that come to mind when I think of this movie, trailing ever so slightly behind them is Alana Haim, who plays Rachel, Emma’s maid of honor. The movie easily allows her to shine due to the already excellent material she is given, but it also helps that Haim takes said material and goes to town with it. Everything from finding out about her personal revelation, which as much as the other characters seem to let it slide, made me gulp in my throat a bit, to what she ends up doing as the film gets to the big wedding itself. This film is called “The Drama” for a reason, and as it progresses, Rachel often accentuates it.

While there is a somewhat grounded feel to this movie, if there is any character that most resembles a cartoon, Rachel would probably be the closest candidate. This is not meant to come off as a dig. If anything, her exaggerated tendencies seem to stand out. As much as I did not like “Licorice Pizza,” one thing is for sure, it put Alana Haim on the map for me. She did a terrific job in that movie. Not only does she do just as swell of a job in “The Drama,” but it also helps that the movie itself is just as riveting.

In the end, “The Drama” is one of those films that you kind of have to see to believe. Just about everything in this film stands out in some way. The acting. The location choices. The dialogue. The direction. Everything in this movie works. I do not think “The Drama” is going to end up being the best movie of the year. In fact, part of me thinks it could have been slightly shorter. But it does not change the fact that “The Drama” lives up to its name. It is a film that for better or worse, is going to make you think. I am going to give “The Drama” an 8/10.

Also, I would like a personal note. Between this movie and “Dream Scenario,” both of which are helmed by Kristoffer Borgli, the filmmaker seems to have an attachment to setting his work in Massachusetts. It seems like a minute point, but I am glad Borgli is not only making good movies, but manages to do so while shining a spotlight on my home state. If Borgli is ever in the Boston area again, let me know if you’re up for some candlepin bowling.

“The Drama” is now playing in theaters. Tickets are available now.

Thanks for reading this review! I have an update regarding my ongoing video series Movie Requests, where I take film suggestions from other people and talk about them. I am pleased to announce that the fourth episode is coming soon and it is going to feature none other than “The Mandalorian” star Katee Sackhoff! She suggested a movie for me to review last November, and I am finally going to talk about it on May the 4th, otherwise known as “Star Wars Day.” How appropriate. What movie do you think she requested? Leave your comments! You can catch the video as soon as it drops on Flicknerd.com or my YouTube channel, which you should absolutely and positively subscribe to. You’ll get it faster that way.

And if you have not done so by now, please check out my last episode of Movie Requests, featuring “Avatar” actor Joel David Moore! He requested I should watch “Force Majeure.” What did I think about it? Click the video and find out for yourself!

My next review is going to be for “Exit 8.” Stay tuned! Also coming soon, I will be sharing my thoughts on “Normal,” “Lorne,” and “Michael.” If you want to see these reviews and more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “The Drama?” What did you think about it? Or, what is your favorite movie about a couple who happen to be in a not so perfect relationship? If you want my two cents, please go check out “Marriage Story” if you have not done so already. It is on Netflix, but if you prefer your physical media, like me, it is available on the Criterion Collection. Give it a shot. Scene Before is your click to the flicks!