The Drama

Release date: 3 April 2026 (UK)

Director: Kristoffer Borgli

Producers: Ari Aster, Lars Knudsen, Tyler Campellone

Screenplay: Kristoffer Borgli

Starring: Zendaya, Robert Pattinson

Running time: 1h 46m

The drama, the drama! Someone told me the spoiler for this one in advance, but thanks to my sleep deprived insanity I promptly forgot it again, so it was a dramatic surprise all over again when it happened, hooray.

The baby spent much of this one exploring the cinema, at one point appearing alongside Robert Pattinson when she climbed up onto the stage in front of the screen (sadly the situation was too precarious to obtain photographic evidence.) Sometimes I worry it’s not really fair to keep taking her, but to be honest, it’s a better environment for crawling about than many ‘soft play’ situations we’ve found ourselves in, and she seems pretty happy, so at this point we’re clinging on to the bitter end (technically 12 months, after which we are consigned to the relative horror that is ‘toddler cinema’…)

Here’s a lovely little black comedy, which is quite a relief after all the shouty shouty big blockbusters of the last few weeks. I won’t spoil the premise, but essentially Robert P and Zendaya, who I like to think would have been my much cooler slightly geeky best pal at high school, are getting married, and they couldn’t be happier. In the lead up to the big day, they have dinner with a couple of friends and play ‘what’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?’ (BAD IDEA!), during which Zendaya confesses something shocking which blows up the evening and, potentially, the relationship.

The script is clever enough to make it slightly more complex than this, introducing a truly awful confession from the maid of honour which is promptly forgotten in the face of Zendaya’s bombshell. Which, it’s worth pointing out, is something she never actually DID. What we have here is a terrible thought crime, up against an actual crime which was actually done, but apparently Zendaya’s the bad guy?

‘I’m sorry you did WHAT?’

The baddie of the film, therefore, is unquestionably the maid of honour woman, who takes on a position of absolute outrage and judgement - presumably to deflect from her own very bad confession - and generally makes the whole drama about herself. She waits until the very last minute to declare she won’t come to the wedding after all (heinous) and then somehow…there she is at the wedding after all, just in time to drink some free booze and give a sarky speech (CURSED behaviour.)

Meanwhile, poor old Zendaya’s having a horrible time, with Pattinson convinced she’s about to knife him every time she chops some vegetables, horrible flashbacks plaguing her and a wedding DJ who may or may not be a heroin addict. I think the film is keen to remain ambiguous, but I think it’s pretty clear you gotta be team Zendaya here, terrible thought crime or no terrible thought crime.

She didn’t actually do it, so…it’s probably ok….?

A couple of us were just in the process of discussing this interesting moral quandary when we were loudly shushed by the mother of a peacefully sleeping newborn a few seats down. Much like the ethical dilemma present in this film, I found myself torn afterwards about the morals of this extremely dramatic moment. Is it ok to have a conversation in the middle of baby cinema? It’s ok for the babies, obviously, but what about us? Personally, I think here we have a space where everyone is doing their very best to stay sane, which looks different for different people. A little bit of nuance is required. I understand why someone wanted quiet, and was annoyed not to have it. What I don’t understand is coming to baby cinema for a nice peaceful immersive experience of watching a film.

Ma’am, that baby is gonna do a massive poo at some point. Even if not, that baby’s gonna grow up, start crawling about the place until they’re costarring in the film, and generally drive you round the bend. Trust me. Give it a few months and you’re going to be dying for a chat with a pal before the credits roll.

Good things: It’s very funny. I’m not sure I was meant to laugh at all the bits I laughed at, but it’s very funny.

Bad things: The evil shushing woman. Shush to you, madam!

My review: I forgive you Zendaya!

Lily’s review: One poo.

Next week: Bloody Space Gosling again! Look, it’s epic, but there’s a limit?