The Drama: Controversial Film Stirs Up School Shooting Debate

0:00On March 25th, a new movie called The Drama is stirring up controversy before its release. It's a dark romantic comedy written and directed by Norwegian filmmaker Kristoffer Borgley, starring Robert Pattinson and Zendaya as a couple-facing, wedding troubles. The father of a student killed in the Columbine school shootings has spoken out against it. The plot hinges on Zendaya's character admitting during a game with friends that she once planned a school shooting, but decided not to go through with. It. This revelation shakes up her relationship with Pattinson's character. Tom Mauser, whose son Daniel died at Columbine, argues that putting a popular star at Zendaya in this role humanizes people who consider such acts and makes school shootings feel more normal, even though no violence happens in the film. Studio A24 has kept screenings limited, likely to dodge spoilers, but early feedback from select critics in the US this week has been mostly positive. Full reviews won't drop until March 31st. Films touching on school shootings have a mixed history at award shows,

1:03from Gus Van Sands' Elephant Winning Big A Can in 2003 to A. Recent documentary short about victims' empty bedrooms taking home an Oscar this month, showing the topic still resonates deeply.