Movie Review: The Drama

3.5 stars out of 5

Dear Hollywood:

I demand bigger roles for Alana Haim. She was so good in Licorice Pizza! But then in One Battle After Another, Alana didn’t have much more than a cameo, and in The Mastermind she just stood around looking disappointed. I know, I know, acting is a secondary career for her; maybe she’s choosing smaller roles to allow herself time to record and tour with her sisters. But at least give her a starring role in-between album promotion cycles; we don’t want to waste these opportunities!

The Drama is a step in the right direction for Alana Haim. It is clearly a co-starring, supporting actress role: the female in the best-friend couple of engaged Zendaya and Robert Pattinson. They had met cute and are in the home stretch toward their wedding, when some information comes forward that sheds new light on their relationship and whether they should get married at all. Now, I’m not going to ruin the twist for you though apparently, just like with Project Spoil Mary, the most recent trailer tells you way too much! Dear Hollywood, STOP DOING THIS!!

The movie is also a step in the right direction for writer/director Kristoffer Borgli. I had had high hopes for his Dream Scenario (starring Nicolas Cage) yet found it merely OK. Here, he crafts a story that is dark, funny, and uncomfortable. It does feel a little bit undercooked, holding it back from being a really good movie, but The Drama is enjoyable throughout.

Credit also goes to the actors, of course. Zendaya continues to blossom as an actress. Here she gets to freak out a bit while trying to hold her upcoming nuptials together, Robert Pattinson is believably awkward and may be this generation’s Hugh Grant. Alana Haim has fun being judgmental and a little vindictive and nasty – she’s your friend’s significant other who never really buys in to the couples-friends dynamic. And Mamoudou Athie as the best man is very good as a supportive friend and peacemaker and does some very funny wordless physical work trying to get Pattinson to STOP TALKING.

Music plays a small but key role, and it was cool to hear New York legend Moondog on the soundtrack.

So if you’re in the mood for a cringey comedy, head to The Drama.