--- title: "The Drama: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-drama/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-drama" critics_score: 71 critics_reviews: 19 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Drama (2026): what the critics said Critics' score 71 from 19 reviews: 14 positive, 3 mixed, 2 negative. Most critics like The Drama, but the spread is wide and the disagreement is about whether the film earns its premise. Nearly everyone agrees on the leads: Zendaya and Pattinson are praised throughout, with several reviews saying their chemistry keeps the film watchable when the ideas wobble. Kristoffer Borgli’s talent for discomfort is the other point of agreement; the drunken confession and the wedding speeches are repeatedly singled out as the scenes people will argue about afterwards. The reservations cluster around what follows the early revelation. Several reviews find the final act more conventional than the setup, and a few think the film never justifies its central idea. The dissenters go further. Vulture argues the racial and social dynamics are handled superficially and calls the result cowardly, the Financial Times finds it nervously evasive, and The Telegraph sees thin laughs and characters it cannot care about. The middle ground calls it a talking point rather than a finished film. ## Slant Magazine — Rocco T. Thompson Rating 3.5/4. 31 March 2026. The review calls the film a mercilessly uncomfortable and impudently funny black comedy that pushes Borgli's style to new limits with its shocking confession and public humiliation sequences. It commends the believable leads, grating supporting turn from Haim, and a sweet note that makes the provocations land effectively. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-drama-review-robert-pattinson-zendaya/) ## Empire — Emma Stefansky Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 31 March 2026. The critic describes the film as often hilarious in a cruel way, praising Borgli’s skill at exploring how relationships fracture under pressure and the performances of Zendaya and Pattinson. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/the-drama/) ## IndieWire — David Ehrlich Rating B+. 31 March 2026. The review praises the film as a provocative, squirm-inducing rom-com that redefines the modern American love story with its early twist and social commentary. It highlights strong chemistry between Zendaya and Pattinson and the director's ability to blend discomfort with humor in a way that feels timely and bold. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/the-drama-movie-review-robert-pattinson-zendaya-1235186011/) ## Little White Lies — Hannah Strong Rating 3/4/4. 31 March 2026. The review finds the high-profile casting and twist boost a mostly strong concept into one of the more piercingly well-observed relationship dramedies of recent years. Zendaya and Pattinson’s performances and the prickly take on modern romance are highlighted positively. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/the-drama) ## The Independent Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 31 March 2026. The critic finds the film the most uncomfortable of the year but also provocative and compulsively watchable, praising its willingness to thrust love under scrutiny without spoon-feeding the audience. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/the-drama-review-zendaya-robert-pattinson-b2948988.html) ## The Observer — Wendy Ide Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 2 April 2026. Borgli’s mordant, mortifying style produces a taboo-shattering, caustically funny dissection of a disintegrating romance that wears the glossy appearance of a romcom. The critic highlights the formidable performances by Zendaya and Pattinson as key to the film’s wit, daring and overall success. [Read the review](https://observer.co.uk/culture/film/article/the-drama-is-a-caustic-dissection-of-a-relationship-on-the-rocks) ## Evening Standard — India Block Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 1 April 2026. The review calls it a dark American satire that hits its target, praising the bold handling of its controversial twist and the genuine romance of the ending scene. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-drama-review-zendaya-and-robert-pattinson-b1277224.html) ## The Guardian Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 31 March 2026. The film is a contrived but amusing high-concept provocation from Kristoffer Borgli that successfully mixes romcom and thriller elements around a shocking pre-wedding revelation. The critic praises its spiky, ingenious style and notes it delivers on the promise of its title despite some weaknesses in the aftermath and ending. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/mar/31/the-drama-review-zendaya-robert-pattinson-wedding-film) ## The Times Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 31 March 2026. Borgli’s wedding-from-hell dramedy is mordantly entertaining and features one of the most excruciating speeches in movie history. The critic praises how Pattinson and Zendaya excel in the cringe-out-loud satire. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/the-drama-review-robert-pattinson-and-zendaya-excel-in-cringe-out-loud-satire-qpl7rblx5) ## Radio Times Rating 3/5. 7 April 2026. The review calls it a combustible and audacious blend of romcom and marital drama that pushes pre-wedding jitters to extremes, with the stars proving saving graces. The early twist and Borgli’s mischief-making are singled out, though the subject matter demands more sensitivity than delivered. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/the-drama-review-spoilers-robert-pattinson-zendaya/) ## Time Out — Larushka Ivan-Zadeh Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 31 March 2026. The critic describes the film as a deliberately squirm-inducing exercise and the year’s most talked-about romcom, but questions if it is just clickbait. The grounded chemistry of the leads and Borgli’s delight in discomfort are noted, though it is ultimately called more of a talking point than a fully realised film. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-drama-review-2026) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 3 April 2026. The critic argues the film fails to commit to its provocative premise about a Black woman's past confession, handling racial and social dynamics superficially and lacking emotional depth or genuine exploration. Strong performances from the leads and supporting cast provide some engagement, but the overall execution feels cowardly and frustrating. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/the-drama-cant-commit-to-its-provocative-premise-review.html) ## The Telegraph Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 4 April 2026. The film promises bombshell revelations and the wedding from hell but delivers a cramped, feel-bad, unromantic comedy with characters the audience does not care about. The critic finds thin laughs and notes it is skimpier on insight than Borgli’s best previous work. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2026/03/31/zendaya-robert-pattinson-drama-review/) ## Financial Times — Danny Leigh Rating ★★☆☆☆. 1 April 2026. The much-hyped taboo-buster turns a dark secret into a pranky plot device and is as splashy as a large puddle on a rainy day, with jokes that devolve into conventional romcom kind. The critic finds it nervously evasive despite testing audience discomfort with the central taboo. [Read the review](https://www.ft.com/content/ff21853d-c7da-4787-801e-63b4414b81f0) ## Los Angeles Times — Amy Nicholson 2 April 2026. The critic sees the film as a coolly unromantic thought experiment that uses shock tactics to probe shame and forgiveness but remains detached from its characters. The drunken confessional scene and supporting performances, especially from Alana Haim, stand out for building tension. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2026-04-02/drama-review-zendaya-robert-pattinson-alana-haim-kristoffer-borgli) ## Screen Daily 31 March 2026. The critic notes that while the balance of thorny laughs and thought-provoking themes is not always smoothly executed, the provocation succeeds thanks to the grounded performances of the stars. Zendaya and Pattinson’s chemistry is singled out as keeping the compelling ideas afloat. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-drama-review-zendaya-and-robert-pattinson-steer-provocative-dark-comedy/5215155.article) ## Sight and Sound 3 April 2026. The critic praises the film as an arresting moral debate cunningly disguised as a rom-com, with Borgli satirising cultural taboos around a shocking confession rather than the horror itself. The film’s defiant curiosity about morality and forgiveness is singled out as likely to fuel heated arguments. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/drama-slyly-funny-psychological-drama-neat-rom-com-disguise) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Richard Lawson 31 March 2026. The critic views the film as a disappointing rehash of familiar pre-wedding jitters material, despite its shocking premise about a bride's past confession. It is handsomely made and features sharp performances, especially from Pattinson, but lacks depth or meaningful exploration of its ideas. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/the-drama-review-zendaya-robert-pattinson-kristoffer-borgli-1236552417/) ## The New Yorker — Justin Chang 2 April 2026. The critic finds the combustible premise struggles to ring true or justify itself despite strong execution in places. The richly shot Boston locations, jangly score, and excruciating wedding sequences are singled out for sustaining interest. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-current-cinema/the-drama-has-a-combustible-premise-that-it-struggles-to-justify) ## Variety — Owen Gleiberman 31 March 2026. The critic views the film as a half-funny, half-baked squirm comedy of marital jitters that fails to convince due to its central premise. Pattinson's twitchy performance and Borgli's distinctive, jumpy directorial style are highlighted amid the tonal mix. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2026/film/reviews/the-drama-review-robert-pattinson-zendaya-1236701583/) ## Deadline — Pete Hammond Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 31 March 2026. The critic calls the film a darkly funny and explosively honest anti-romcom that upends wedding tropes with a shocking pre-wedding revelation about the couple's past. He highlights Borgli's original direction and especially praises Robert Pattinson's career-best performance alongside Zendaya's strong work. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2026/03/the-drama-review-zendaya-robert-pattinson-wedding-problems-1236769484/) ## Collider — Ross Bonaime Rating 8/10. 31 March 2026. Borgli delivers his most satisfying and structurally impressive film yet with a gripping story that blends romance and nightmare in equal measure. Pattinson and Zendaya deliver two of the year's best performances as a couple whose wedding week unravels after a dark revelation from the past. [Read the review](https://collider.com/the-drama-review-zendaya-robert-pattinson-a24/) ## /Film — Bill Bria Rating 8/10. 31 March 2026. The critic finds the film a discomfiting yet subtle dramedy that probes moral ambiguity in relationships and social performativity without easy judgments. They single out the strong performances by Zendaya and Robert Pattinson for effectively conveying their characters' unraveling after a shocking revelation. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/2135266/the-drama-movie-review-zendaya-robert-pattinson/) ## NME — Matt Maytum Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 1 April 2026. The critic describes a pitch-black comedy that uses a shocking early revelation to explore perception, facades, and moral quandaries in relationships, maximising discomfort while delivering laughs and post-film debate. Performances by Zendaya and Pattinson anchor the material effectively, though the film does not quite stick the landing after a strong setup. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/the-drama-review-zendaya-robert-pattinson-trigger-warning-3938011) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 31 March 2026. The review describes the film as a dark, Woody Allen-esque comedy about a couple whose perfect lives unravel after a disturbing revelation during a pre-wedding game with friends. It praises the lead performances by Zendaya and Pattinson while noting the unsettling tone and empathy for flawed characters that makes it riveting yet disquieting. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/reviews/the-drama-review-zendaya-robert-pattinson/) ## Digital Spy — Ian Sandwell Rating 3/5. 31 March 2026. The review calls the film an often-uncomfortable and provocative drama laced with pitch-black humour that sparks debate, crediting strong performances by Zendaya and Pattinson for keeping viewers engaged despite narrative lulls and a somewhat conventional final act. It leaves no easy answers but rewards discussion. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a70881859/the-drama-review-zendaya-robert-pattinson/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-drama.md