What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done? That’s the premise that sets off the events in The Drama, the latest A24 film (dir. Kristoffer Borgli), starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, which was released in theatres on April 3, 2026.
The film follows Emma and Charlie, who are happily engaged when the bride-to-be reveals a horrifying secret just days before their wedding. As Charlie becomes consumed by the shock and uncertainty, we see an unhinged, darkly comedic, and at times disturbing series of events unfold.
While I won’t give away the twist, the film has been such a hot topic online that it would be hard to avoid spoiling the shocking reveal. Let’s just say this – Emma’s confession is bad and one that Charlie (and the audience!) is rightfully horrified by.
As Charlie becomes consumed by the turmoil of what he should do and wondering what type of person he may be marrying, the film keeps the audience on its toes – at no point were we able to see anything coming or how it could unfold.
I loved this film, and the best part was how deeply it delves into Charlie’s perspective as he unravels, achieved through storytelling techniques that draw the audience into his troubled mind. This is how the film is able to get us to react viscerally, as it creates an immersive and engaging experience for the viewer. Its fast editing and the engagement with Charlie’s imagination to showcase his feelings – fear, guilt, doubt, anger, desire, hysteria. The use of these fantasy sequences starts right at the beginning and disarms the viewers – it takes time to realize that sometimes these brief flashes aren’t truly happening, but are a projection of Charlie’s imagination based on his mental state, which deteriorates throughout the film.
We not only see but feel how much this secret is weighing on him mentally, the lengths he goes to to to try and feel empathy for a younger Emma, and we are left on our toes, unable to predict any of his next moves as he becomes increasingly unhinged.
As all art aspires to do, The Drama has stirred up strong reactions due to its moral conflict. Audiences are polarized as people discuss their judgments on Emma’s secret and what they would do in Charlie’s position.
While the major twist is what sparks the chain of events, the narrative is about Charlie’s determination to reconcile the woman he loves with the darkness that’s revealed. Throughout the film, Charlie is forced to accept the fact that there are no guarantees in life or marriage.
I think that the film does a great job testing how big of a role trust has in our relationships, because you never truly know what someone’s past, present, or future holds. When making a lifelong commitment to another person, you have to have faith in who the person is and be willing to empathize. This displays a fundamental part of marriage: trust, acceptance, empathy, and even reconciling after a betrayal.
Many left the film wondering if the central question posed was “What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?” When in reality, I think the questions we should reflect on are “How far can we go to forgive and understand those we love?” and “Are we forever defined by our darkest moment?”
Trusting people can get messy. If the person you’re days away from marrying hides their worst parts of their past, can you trust them again? In order to find out if Charlie and Emma make it down the aisle, you’re going to need to watch this film and chime in with your thoughts!
Watching The Drama in theatres was particularly memorable – The packed audience audibly reacting to the many twists and shocks in the film – And when the credits rolled, we were all clapping and cheering.
To the readers curious in judging The Drama for themselves: consider watching it with others and reacting in the community!