Social Media Buzz Fuels Ticket Sales for “The Drama”

“The Drama” is the kind of film best enjoyed when you don’t know the twist of the story. In theaters, viewers laughed through a lot of the first half of the film, but that laughter died out once they got to a scene that marked the shift in the film’s tone. Online discussion mostly avoids the reveal, and that’s a good thing because if you have a general idea about what happens, that twist won’t hit as hard. Yet, the scene that I won’t reveal became the talk of social media, including TikTok reactions and YouTube reviews.

“I saw the trailer on TikTok and it was a video of the scene at the dinner when they were saying the worst thing they’ve done and it cut out Emma’s part,” said Veronica Klein, who first found out about the film through social media. “And it showed their reactions to what she said. So then I Googled what she said, because I didn’t care about spoilers.”

Despite already knowing the twist, Klein still wanted to experience the film with an audience. “I went with my mom, and I didn’t tell her that I knew what the movie was about, and she was going blind,” she said. “So I knew what was going to happen and I was seeing her reactions. My mom was like everyone else, she was laughing, up until that point where Emma revealed what she almost did.”

While some viewers were drawn in through social media clips, others only gave the movie a shot because theater memberships offer tickets on a regular basis. Cecilia Dietrich, an AMC Stubs A-List member, said the subscription service made her more willing to watch a film she otherwise would have skipped.

“Because I’m an A-List member and I’m only spending $27.99, I can take a chance on movies that I would normally not watch,” she said. “To be honest, I would not have gone out to see ‘The Drama” if I had to pay for an individual ticket.”

The stark contrast between their opinions gives a film like “The Drama” a buzz and lasting presence. Some viewers praised the film’s unpredictability and uncomfortable themes, while others walked away annoyed by its characters and tone.

The film opens with Emma, played by Zendaya, and Charlie, played by Robert Pattinson, meeting for the first time in a cafe. Charlie attempts to flirt with Emma, only to realize she’s deaf in one ear and couldn’t hear his come-on. The rest of the film follows the couple’s relationship up to their engagement. Then the story changes tone during a dinner scene with  two of their friends. Emma reveals something from her past that instantly alters the way the people around her see her. This revelation leads to things getting more and more out of control.

The social media talk likely helped the box office. During its opening weekend, “The Drama,” opened the beginning of April and by the end of May earned more than  $128, 262 million worldwide.

Even though the film was a success, not every viewer enjoyed their time in the theater. Dietrich said she found most of the main cast difficult to tolerate. “Of the four main characters, three of them are very dislikable… self-righteous, judgmental, and downright annoying,” she said. Rather than sympathize with the characters, she was frustrated by what she believed was hypocrisy throughout the film.

“The Drama,” keeps drawing in an audience because some fans like the actors. Gabriel Rosa hasn’t seen it yet, but plans to go to the movie. “I saw one of the posters and a description about the film,” he said. “I was mainly interested because I’m a fan of Robert Pattinson,” he said. Fans like Rosa and the controversy seem likely to keep the movie filling theater seats.