Robert Pattinson and Zendaya's 'The Drama' Fails to Impress

The film's attempt to blend a romantic comedy with a school shooting plot falls flat, say critics.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 11:33pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

An extreme close-up photograph of shattered glass and glittering sequins, using dramatic lighting to create a high-contrast, abstract image that conveys the glamour and high-stakes drama of the film industry.The glitz and tension of Hollywood's latest controversial film release are captured in this abstract, high-fashion texture study.Boston Today

The new film 'The Drama' starring Robert Pattinson and Zendaya is being panned by critics for its poorly executed attempt to blend a romantic comedy with a dark plot point involving a planned school shooting. The movie follows a young engaged couple in Boston whose relationship is upended when the woman reveals a dark secret from her past, shaking her fiancé's love for her and prompting him to spiral out of control.

Why it matters

The decision to use a school shooting as a plot point in what is billed as a 'sexy, contemporary romantic comedy' has been widely criticized as being in poor taste and an inappropriate subject matter for the genre. The film's failure to balance the comedic and dramatic elements effectively has also been noted.

The details

In 'The Drama,' Pattinson and Zendaya play Charlie and Emma, a young engaged couple in Boston. When Emma reveals that as a bullied 15-year-old, she had planned a school shooting with her father's shotgun but never went through with it, it shakes Charlie's love for her and prompts him to spiral out of control. The film attempts to mine humor from the couple's experiences navigating the wedding industry, but critics say the on-screen chemistry between the two leads feels more 'sibling-like' than romantic, and the attempted school shooting plot point is too dark and inappropriate for the genre.

  • The film is set to hit movie theaters on Friday, April 4, 2026.

The players

Robert Pattinson

An English actor known for his roles in films such as the 'Twilight' saga, 'The Batman,' and 'Tenet.'

Zendaya

An American actress and singer who has starred in films like 'Spider-Man: Homecoming,' 'Dune,' and the HBO series 'Euphoria.'

Kristoffer Borgli

The Norwegian writer and director of 'The Drama.'

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The on-screen chemistry between Pattinson and Zendaya is more sibling-like — even before the revelation — and this is nowhere near a ha-ha rom-com like 'Anyone But You.' Not many romantic comedies have projectile vomiting and bloody wounds.”

— Mark Kennedy, WRAL.com Movie Critic

“How well you really know someone is legitimate grounds to explore in a romantic drama, but writer-director Borgli has stumbled by making a wedding satire while putting a finger into a societal raw gash that's never something to use as a relationship test, which here is — spoiler alert — a school shooting.”

— Mark Kennedy, WRAL.com Movie Critic

The takeaway

The film's attempt to blend a romantic comedy with a dark plot point involving a planned school shooting has been widely criticized as being in poor taste and an inappropriate subject matter for the genre. The movie's failure to balance the comedic and dramatic elements effectively has also been noted by reviewers.