Robert Pattinson and Zendaya paired for the first time in dark rom-com

“The Drama” may be a common and cryptic title for a play, a book, a series or a film. One can hardly distinguish it right away upon mere mention of the title.

In the case of writer-director Kristoffer Borgli, “The Drama” is a black romantic-comedy that he wrote and directed, now showing in local theaters. As early as 2024, Hollywood actors Robert Pattinson and Zendaya were paired for the first time to star as altar-bound lovers after two years of romance.

The two protagonists did not readily attract viewers to their debut pairing. As Charlie and Emma — he as British museum director and she as bookstore clerk — they were a manic pair. But as the plot progressed, so did the chemistry of the actors.

“The Drama” apparently explored morally complex themes with misfits, especially in the character of Emma, although Charlie stood out with his character. Yet, unraveling their respective roles were not a tall order for the stars in the course of the film.

Understandably, as they played the happily engaged couple, their relationship was put to test as they did have their quirks that surprised them occasionally, but nothing that went over the top. Like when Emma entered the room while holding a knife that jilted Charlie as he was tying his leather shoes.

Rated R-13, “The Drama” showed Pattinson and Zendaya in quick but intense love scenes, uttering dialogue while respectively lashing out “f..king” and the young Emma holding a rifle. She once dauntlessly planned a school shooting when she was a teenager (played by Jordyn Curet), the reason she was deaf in her left ear, a dark episode of her past.

The story dragged in the first part, especially after Charlie stalked Emma in a coffee shop in Cambridge, Massachusetts while she was reading a pocket book, just the opening scene. That started with a tight shot of her right ear with her tiny earring.

However, as the couple went on to prepare for their altar date, in the latter half where the twist was interestingly revealed, the viewers were in for an unexpected revelation.

One night, as they were planning for their wedding, Charlie and Emma went wine-drinking with friends Mike (Mamoudou Athie), his best man and wife Rachel (Alana Haim), the maid of honor.

The conversation turned out to be a revelation of sorts when they answered the question, “What’s the worst thing you have ever done?” It turned out Emma had a jarring past as a young girl, told in a series of backstories, most were even quite disturbing.

Her revelation turned out to be a shocker to her friends and fiancé, but what she did during her childhood and teenage years were not something that the director condoned or condemned in the narrative.

Charlie and Emma were compelled to rethink their relationship and push through with tying the knot, not knowing another revelation awaited them. Their wedding preparations had all the trappings, from the music, the reception to the dance.

The gorgeous couple wrestled with questions of trust and forgiveness, but those virtues were what kept the couple together until the very end. Pattinson and Zendaya displayed their chemistry which wasn’t so hard to achieve even in their first pairing. The story delivered positive reviews that were favorable to the lean cast, who delivered convincing performances.

Pattinson acted more credibly here, with a few crying scenes that admirably displayed “the drama” of the brilliant thespian in him. Sure, viewers easily remember him in memorable, past films, from the “Twilight” series (2008 to 2012) to “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” (2005) and “The Batman” (2022), but “The Drama” brought out Pattinson’s range as an actor. No overacting needed.

Norwegian director Borgli displayed his remarkable touch in delivering “The Drama.” He opted for Boston (Massachusetts) as the shooting locale, with additional scenes filmed in Los Angeles, New York and even New Orleans, Louisiana, where shots of the teenage Emma were taken.

Charlie and Emma’s apartment was distinguished with its lofty, spiral staircase, reportedly the choice of their director and that apparently figured in a number of scenes in the story.

Sydney Lemmon, the granddaughter of actor Jack Lemmon, played the reception DJ Pauline who was made to quit and leave her job a day before the wedding, as she was seen smoking heroin in the public park.

“The Drama” had very few jump scare scenes, but it managed to surprise viewers, too.

After the disclosure was made following the wedding, one would perhaps envision a sad ending for the dramedy, with the main stars not living happily together. But Borgli brilliantly ended the story, no matter how abrupt, without disappointing viewers.

After “The Drama,” Pattinson and Zendaya will return onscreen in Christopher Nolan’s period fantasy film, “The Odyssey,” this July, an adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic, “Odyssey.”

Both actors will be seen, too, in the finale of Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” this December.

Borgli’s earlier films — “Dream Scenario” (2023), starring Nicolas Cage, which is said to be dark but hilarious, while “Sick of Myself” (2022), a black comedy with Norwegian stars — are apparently worth revisiting.