The Drama

·1 hr 41 min·5 clips

Zendaya's character stuns her friends by admitting she planned a school shooting, unraveling her engagement and exposing deep-seated biases.

The episode begins with the hosts—Jonathan Braylock, Jerah Milligan, and James III—sharing personal stories about the worst things they've done, setting a confessional tone. They then introduce the film 'The Drama,' an A24 release directed by Christopher Borgli, starring Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, and Mamadou Athie. The plot follows an engaged couple whose wedding plans implode after a dark secret is revealed. The hosts provide initial box office figures and critical scores. A major portion of the review focuses on a key dinner scene where the characters play a game of sharing their worst deeds. This leads to Zendaya's character admitting she planned a school shooting as a teenager. The hosts dissect the reactions of the other characters, particularly the white characters' self-righteousness and lack of empathy. They explore the film's themes of bullying, race, trauma, and the difference between having violent thoughts and acting on them. The conversation touches on Zendaya's filmography and the rarity of her interacting with Black women on screen. The hosts critique Robert Pattinson's character for his poor handling of the revelation and his eventual public breakdown at the wedding. They analyze supporting performances, the film's New York sensibility, and its use of surrealist flashbacks. The episode concludes with reflections on the film's effectiveness as a conversation starter about morality and forgiveness.

As heard by us

A funny, uneasy discussion about Mamadou, Rachel, and who gets pushed into telling a story when race is in the room.

The episode is strongest when it stays with Mamadou's discomfort and Rachel's refusal to let it sit untouched. A strange, funny opening about dreams of having killed someone gives way to a tighter question about the movie's treatment of Mamadou, who keeps saying he does not want…

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Why you'd press play

Press play for a movie argument about a partner pushing past discomfort until the scene opens onto race, silence, and what couples do not say out loud.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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