The Drama – Budget of $28 million – 1 hour and 45 minutes
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Charlie mulls over his wedding speech with his friend, Mike. Charlie writes about his and Emma’s meet-cute, first date, and first kiss. On the other side of town, Emma is unsure about what to write because Charlie is her first love and crush. This fact stuns Emma’s friends. Charlie and Emma meet Mike and his wife, Rachel, for a menu tasting. Emma and Charlie are unsure about how to proceed after seeing their wedding DJ smoking heroin in an alley. Some say it’s a private matter, while others believe it will impact her job performance. They joke that it’s not the worst thing in the world. The two couples laugh and drink until Rachel mentions kicking a dog. Charlie and Emma want to hear more. Rachel and Mike reveal that they exposed the worst things they did before they got married. And they shockingly admit them to Charlie and Emma. After some prodding, Charlie confesses his secret, and they chuckle over frontal-lobe excuses. However, the mood changes when Emma blurts out her secret. Rachel thinks it’s unforgivable after witnessing the aftereffects. Emma begs for understanding and forgiveness, but Rachel won’t budge. Emma gets sick at the table, and the two couples part for the evening. Charlie and Emma return home, but he doesn’t look at her the same. Can they continue with the wedding next week as the drama about Emma’s past unfolds?
This film isn’t a typical romantic drama. Emma’s secret adds a darker edge. And no, it’s not what you think. While some are willing to forgive, others push her away without recourse. However, the audience witnesses Charlie’s breakdown with compelling edits. The first set of edits introduces the viewer to their love story. Charlie beams with pride as he remembers their first meeting, date, and kiss in his wedding toast. When Emma unearths her past, his speech changes. Then, you see the next set of edits as he comes to grips with his new reality. He thinks back to her outbursts, jokes, and crude behavior and wonders if they were red flags. He also imagines if she’s the woman he knows or the teen she hides from him. Everything around him becomes a potential warning or a trigger. While the edits tell an intriguing story, the morbid comedy shines. Their meeting with the photographer is the funniest, yet cringiest, moment of the film. This movie glimmers with awkwardness and thought-provoking conversation that lead to an acceptable conclusion.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars
Do you want to start over – Emma
Well, your dreams are about to come true – Charlie
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Categories: In The Theater, movie, review, Robert Pattinson, The Drama, Zendaya
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