For those who like to play those adult games with friends, you may want to think twice after watching A24’s, The Drama, starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson. While there are many things to unpack from this film, as stories are often layered, I want to focus on the tension of oversharing and under-sharing. Games like Sip or Spill, Never Have I Ever, and Cards Against Humanity are meant for people to connect, loosen up, engage, and let’s be honest, be nosey. Overall, it is supposed to be fun. But there’s nothing fun about baring your soul and risking the chance of losing relationships. Should relationships end based on a past experience? Is one a real friend if they judge and discard you for sharing something personal–after you were pressured to divulge?
Emma, portrayed by Zendaya, obviously could have lied–or better yet, sat out of the game (but let’s be frank, when trying to bond, this can be a harder choice than it seems depending on one’s personality type). Emma’s discomfort is palpable as she and Charlie (Robert Pattinson) play the game, initiated by Rachel (Alana Haim) and Mike (Mamadou Athie). Her smile is tight, she fidgets, the smile vanishes…as the viewer, you’re expecting her to reject the game or lie when it is her turn. She does neither, choosing to participate and put herself out there like never before. That’s when the the drama starts.
This whole idea raises many questions:
If these aforementioned games make you uneasy, should you sit them out altogether?
Should you play but with the expectation of a judgement-free zone?
What happens when someone’s past doesn’t sit right with you? Do you recognize that it was before you or do you hold it against them?
And even deeper, if something happened when the person was a minor, should that follow them into adulthood?
The Drama doesn’t give clean answers. It holds up a mirror. Depending on who you are and your beliefs, you may not like what you see.