As cinemas across the Philippines reopen today, Black Saturday, following mall closures during Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, the romantic dark comedy “The Drama” is among the first films back in theaters.
Distributed locally by Pioneer Films Philippines, the film stars Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, and is directed by Kristoffer Borgli, known for “Sick of Myself” and “Dream Scenario.”
“The Drama” follows British expat and museum curator Charlie Thompson (Pattinson) and literary editor Emma Harwood (Zendaya), who meet in a Cambridge café and begin a fast-moving romance that leads to an engagement. As they prepare for their wedding, an unexpected development disrupts what appears to be a stable relationship.
The turning point comes during a gathering with friends Rachel (Alana Haim) and Mike (Mamoudou Athie), when a confession during a game prompts tension between the couple. The revelation raises questions about trust and complicates their relationship in the days leading up to their wedding.
Pattinson described the moment as a shift in perception. “You think you know someone, and they can say literally one sentence that maybe they don’t even realize they are saying,” he said. “Suddenly everything has changed, and you can’t put the genie back in the bottle.”
Zendaya said the film examines the limits of acceptance in relationships. “This is Kristoffer Borgli’s version of the romantic comedy, asking us how much we’re willing to accept from another person in the name of love,” she said. “When everything is out on the table between two people, what’s left over in a relationship on the eve of saying ‘I do’?”
Borgli said the film centers on emotional transparency. “In your closest relationships, you should be able to share everything,” he said, as the story explores how that idea is tested between two people confronting the realities of each other’s past.
“The Drama” opens in Philippine cinemas today, April 4.
