#33: THE DRAMA

 

STARRING: Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Alana Haim, Mamoudou Athie and Hailey Gates. Written and directed by Kristoffer Borgli. Budget $28 million. Running time 105 minutes.

On the verge of their wedding, very much in love museum director Charlie Thompson (Robert Pattinson) and fiancee bookshop clerk Emma Harwood (Zendaya) go out with their friends, Rachel, Emma's Maid of Honour (Alana Haim) and Best Man, Mike (Mamoudou Athie) for a evening of wine tasting and while all are merrily imbued with fine wines and alcohol they all decide to play a game of 'What's the worst thing you've ever done?' For Charlie, Rachel and Mike their revelations reveal pranking a retarded kid, cyber-bullying a class mate, and using a girlfriend as a shield during a dog attack. However Emma's admission is so shocking and unexpected it triggers a series of terrible events that puts the whole marriage to be in jeopardy.

And that's enough of the plot, I wouldn't want to spoil it for you. This is a grown up, very well acted (very well acted indeed) with outstanding performances from both Pattinson and Zendaya. Pattinson gets the lion share of the screentime the film more intrigued with how Charlie reacts to Emma's 'truth', and its impact on their entire relationship is clearly deeply profound, as we see his mental struggles with it leading to a series of increasingly cringe-worthy events that build until you're squirming in your seat and watching through your fingers. They share a powerful chemistry which helps to make the conceit work, you believe these two love each other and are in a real relationship and the film takes its time to show how it all began, developed and then what happens next...

Because I don't want to spoil the reveal of the film I'm somewhat hamstrung by what I can say. So I'll get the superlatives out of the way first. I loved the look of the film, it all seems to have been shot on location and that gives the film a really intimate feel, from the homely feel of the couple's New York home, to their work places and finally the wedding venue. It sounds an odd thing to point out, but it really helps, I've seen so many TV dramas using hideous IKEA based sets that completely kills the sense of reality, not so here. Borgli directs brilliantly, he grants us access to the mental anguish Pattinson struggles with clever visual imaginings and editing, and flash backs to Emma's childhood help to sell the shocking revelation.     

The odd thing about this is that the 'shocking' reveal doesn't really feel that shocking for a UK audience, I can see how American audiences would be more impacted by it, but to me, whilst the reveal is surprising, when you find out what happened next one find yourself admiring her for her truth and puzzled why no one else can see it, or perhaps that's just me. 

Anyway, it has a fantastically funny impact and the wedding unravels spectacularly and unexpectedly.  

I enjoyed this greatly, it's bloody well acted, with great direction and an excellent script, it's filled with shocks, surprises and cringe worthy incident a plenty. Try and avoid any mentions or discussions of this and see it as soon as possible before someone spoils it for you. The great thing is that once again, this film will generate much discussion afterwards. 

After this, Splitsville and Sentimental Value relationship based films might just have become my new favourite genre.

9/10