Borgli is quickly becoming one of my favorite up and coming filmmakers. He always brings an edge and a dark cynicism to each film that is a breath of fresh air to anyone that craves dark humor (like myself).
Whether intentional or not, all three of his recent films (‘The Drama’, ‘Dream Scenario’, and ‘Sick of Myself’) pair as a nice trilogy. All three address (and poke fun at) the performative nature of our current world. All three protagonists are utterly obsessed with how they are perceived by the world. And each film tackles that idea through a different aspect of culture.
While ‘Sick of Myself’ is the most on the nose of the three (since it literalizes the idea by commenting on influencer culture), ‘The Drama’ is by far his most complete film to date. One you could clearly see him building towards over the past two films.
It doesn’t hurt that it’s a subject matter ripe with things you could poke fun at - modern relationships & the marriage industrial complex.
The first time you watch the film there is a shock factor element that keeps you locked in until the closing credits. But if you watch the film a second time, it becomes even more clear the message Borgli is trying to get across.
The film is much less about the confession Emma shares & much more about who it is shared with. Upon hearing the news initially, Charlie’s gut reaction is to laugh about it. Those laughs only change the second he looks across the table and see his friends furious and terrified at the news that was shared. The more he talks with his “friends” about it, the more concerned he becomes throughout the film & the stronger his language gets towards Emma.
This matches almost identically what happens earlier in the film when Emma and Charlie find their wedding DJ smoking heroin on the side of the street. They are both thinking they will just forget about it and move on, but that changes the second they hear their “friends” demanding they do otherwise.
It all makes you wonder what would have happened had Emma’s confession been shared in the safe confines of their relationship. Would it have still been hard news to swallow? I am sure it would be. But in theory, there should be no one that knows Emma better than Charlie. He would know better than anyone that she is not the person she was as a kid and has experienced tremendous personal growth. If anyone could accept the news, it should be Charlie.
What unfolds over the course of the rest of the film is such a wonderful jab at what our society has become. We already let the whole world into far too many parts of our life with social media, but now we even do that with our relationships. Even those have become performative in the worst ways. Our constant need for validation from others instead of actually having closed door conversations is literally driving us insane. Our relationships should be the most sacred and private aspects of our life, yet they often get reduced to nothing but a big show being put on for others.
I also love the Alana Haim character as a stand in for the modern internet & outrage culture. She perfectly encapsulates the performative outrage that so many shout about constantly on Twitter or other corners of the internet. There is no room for nuance, everything is pure evil no matter what. No room for grey or any grace, just straight to jail don’t pass go & don’t collect $200. The funny thing is that the people who like to get outraged for no good reason, are most often the truly evil people (which is clearly the case with Haim’s character).
Charlie’s journey through the film is not really about if he thinks it’s okay to still marry Emma. It’s almost entirely about what he thinks others will think of him if he goes through with it. Every action he takes is constantly seeking validation from others that it’s okay to still marry her. He just wants someone to tell him that he’s not a bad person for going through with it. Even his rambling with Hailey Benton Gates is really all about him just trying to get her to tell him it’s okay to go through with it. And it leads to driving him absolutely crazy to the point that he starts doing crazy things, like making out with his coworker.
Just like Signe in ‘Sick of Myself’ & Paul Mathews in Dream Scenario, Charlie is a clear picture of what happens when you spend your whole life seeking validation from those around you. It literally drives you mad. You hallucinate things. You do things you otherwise never would have. You are utterly miserable. You can’t even think for yourself.
You end up in a diner on your wedding night all by yourself. Imagining that the girl of your dreams is sitting across from you & you had one more crack at it.
And if you aren’t convinced the ending isn’t real, watch it again & listen for the sound to cut out the way it does every other time a character is imagining things in the film (and Borgli’s other films). Watch the way the camera switches to handheld the way it does every other time a character is imagining things.
If that isn’t enough, just consider how the movie starts. Emma is reading a book that she later describes having, “An ambiguous ending where what is reality & what isn’t is questioned”.
Perfect bookmark ending to my favorite film of 2026 so far.
