The Drama unfolds like a wound that refuses to close. Beneath the central conflict, the film is ultimately about feelings–how they accumulate, how they fracture relationships, and how forgiveness, when it appears, is never simple, clean, or complete.
Starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson as the lead couple, you would almost certainly believe it was just a romantic comedy. Instead, director Kristoffer Borgli takes viewers on a wild emotional rollercoaster, and the A24 production quality gives it a campy vibe. I will not lie, you will either love the artistry of the movie or feel so uncomfortable you will want to walk out of the theater–I felt both.
Zendaya describes the film as having “aspects of romance,” but it’s “an emotionally vulnerable ride,” along with the characters until the end of the film. She has hope that the film will spark healthy discussions. (TheTonightShow)
It begins as a meet-cute between Charlie (Pattinson) and Emma (Zendaya); he approaches her in a coffee shop, and pretends to have read the book she is reading. She doesn’t hear him, because she has an Airpod in her left ear and, as she shares later in the film, is deaf in the right ear.
Charlie's awkwardness persists, leading to a reset, as Emma asks “Should we start over?”
It’s a charming moment, but it holds deeper value. The idea of starting over becomes a recurring motif, evolving from flirtation into something far more unsettling as the narrative progresses.
The drama begins at a rehearsal dinner, with Mike (Mamoudou Athie, a coward if you ask me) and Rachel (Alana Haim, playing a character that I interpreted as a strawberry stain on a white t-shirt). The two are also married, and good friends with Charlie and Emm. They also serve as the best man and maid of honor, despite them both being Charlie’s friends first.
The four drunkenly play a “What’s the Worst Thing You’ve Ever Done?” game, with the revelation designed to destroy the facade of a “perfect relationship.” The game begins to make the audience question the morals of our once-beloved characters, Charlie, Mike and Rachel.
In a podcast with The New York Times, Pattinson brings up a compelling point that “you want an idealized relationship,” but no one’s perfect. It’s a profound and addictive feeling when you think you’ve found a perfect person and a perfect relationship. This brings up a debate, where Pattinson argues, “If you’re expecting chaos and surprises, you’ll probably be happier in the long run.”
In the same podcast Zendaya notes, “In life we’re going to grow and we’re going to change.” She suggests that it’s important to empathize with your partner while you grow through life.
This point is challenged by the perception–of not only the characters but the audience–as Emma shares her secret, it’s like a scratch in the metaphorical record. The scene plays out in an outrage, Rachel yelling, Mike trying to calm her down, Charlie backing away from the table, and Emma so sick she pukes. The immediate cut to an awkward aftermath leaves the audience in an uncomfortable skin.
Nevermind that Charlie and Emma’s wedding is just days away. As the film persists we see how their relationship strains and from then on the story follows Charlie, and how he explores this new information about Emma’s past. I can agree with Robert Daniels from rogerebert.com that Borgli approaches Emma’s character flatly and doesn’t fully explore the psychological, gendered, and racial complexities surrounding her situation.
Through insecurity and masking, Charlie and Emma’s paranoia against one another spiral out of control. This story unfolds in such an awkward and raw manner that the audience grasps at the heartfelt, romantic moments. Alas, not everything is resolved within the 1 hour, 46 minute duration. Mirroring the very first scene, there is a reset. Leaving me in my seat frustrated, confused, and ultimately empathetic. If you truly love someone, you will find the strength to forgive their past.
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