The Drama

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⭐ 9/10

This movie was advertised super well, mainly in that there is a twist, and I sadly spoiled it for myself. When Zendaya is asked what the worst thing she has ever done is, and her response is shocking to everyone that hears it, I thought, I bet it won't be that shocking. But it is, and her past sin is something I have always been really fascinated by, so I was really kicking myself for doing that.

This twist happens fairly early, after a beautiful meet-cute and relationship montage that really had me believing in these two. The acting throughout by both of them is phenomenal, and I thought Pattinson in particular was incredible. Anyways, they are engaged and planning a wedding when this new information comes out and it throws everything into question. And rightly so! I think the best compliment I can give a movie now is that me and my wife talked a bunch about it after, and her reactions to how it affected them were very different from my own. And I think that's kind of the point of the movie, what is the extent someone's love can reach, is there any prior sin that can completely change how you think or feel about someone.

The supporting cast is also great, a wedding DJ stole the show for me in a couple hilarious moments. But again this is a movie that is carried by its stars, and these two have so much charisma. Zendaya kind of shrinks, ashamed of her past but wanting to move on, and Pattinson completely unravels. This movie is mostly about him trying to comprehend how the person he loves could have done something like that, and it eats away at him. There are lots of really genius spliced up images we see, even interactions with a younger version of Zendaya, and I thought it was not only great film making but also an insightful look at the psyche of young people in the same situation she was in. Empathetic and heart breaking, to see how little things can lead to such nightmare choices, but encouraging that other small acts can steer them away!

I've been trying to avoid spoilers, but the content of her prior actions is really what hooked me here. I did think the movie lost a bit of steam in the final section, when the emotions really boil up, and that the tamped down version of Pattinson was what compelled me most. I love that the two of them made this smaller movie, and I hope I can see some of this chemistry in Dune 3!

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