The Drama isn’t the first film to engage with high-school massacres: notable examples are Gus Van Sant’s Elephant (2003) and Lynne Ramsay’s We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011). The difference here is that Kristoffer Borgli, a Norwegian writer-director, puts the subject in a film which is fundamentally a comedy, the title notwithstanding. The Drama has a taboo-busting Scandinavian sensibility that recalls the provocative social satires of Ruben Östlund (Triangle of Sadness), Lukas Moodysson (Together), and Thomas Vinterberg (Another Round). But as that Scandi gallows humour has been applied to a film with a US setting and two glamorous blockbuster superstars, it’s no surprise that there have already been media reports of a backlash against The Drama, even before its release. The father of one of the victims of the Columbine High School massacre told TMZ that the plot point was “awful”.
More like this:
• 10 of the best films to watch this April
• Project Hail Mary is a ‘mind-stretching sci-fi’
• The most shocking win in Oscars history
Viewers will decide for themselves whether the backlash is justified, but the film’s risk-taking is a thrill, and it’s beautifully made. Some scenes in isolation – especially those before the opening credits – are the stuff of a sparkling, aspirational romcom: Pattinson’s character shares his first name, his messy fringe and his taste in eyewear with the hero of Four Weddings and a Funeral, and Pattinson himself has all the diffident English charm of a young Hugh Grant.
Other scenes are the stuff of searing black comedy, and in these it’s Haim who stands out, with her furious sarcasm and industrial-strength eye-rolls. Meanwhile, there are sensitive flashbacks that explore why the teenage Emma was drawn to murder, and these are reminiscent of Netflix’s award-winning drama on a similar subject, Adolescence.
The question is whether Borgli finds the perfect balance between these different tones. And the answer is: almost, but not quite. The Drama devotes more of its energies to awkward cringe comedy than to the reality of the characters and their feelings. It’s ultimately a series of toe-curling, albeit hilarious sketches rather than a wholly convincing narrative, so it’s more superficial than its traumatic scenario deserves. For one thing, it’s hard to believe that Emma and Charlie would confine themselves to a few faltering chats about her confession, instead of having a proper conversation about it. Still, most people who see The Drama will end up having in-depth debates, even if the characters themselves don’t manage it. The first great cinematic conversation-starter of 2026 is here.
The Drama is released in US and UK cinemas on 3 April.
—