In Kristoffer Borgli’s The Drama, editor Joshua Raymond Lee was brought on early to help shape a narrative that mirrors the couple’s tangled inner life. The result is a kinetic, thought‑driven ride that pulls you into their chaos rather than laying out a straightforward sequence.
Lee describes the editing goal as moving at the pace of thought, aiming to surface roughly ten ideas in every minute. This philosophy underpins a non‑linear structure that blurs memory, present action, and fantasy, matching the film’s obsession with the psyche of its leads.
From the opening, the wedding‑prep energy is sliced with sharp cuts, and the pre‑credits montage is treated as a single, evolving thread. The film later intercuts scenes of a DJ confrontation about drug use with Emma’s recounting of her story, creating tension by leaping between moments and points of view without tidy signposts.
For a pivotal sequence with Emma, Mike, and Rachel, Borgli and Lee drew on restrained, intimate language inspired by Michael Haneke’s The Piano Teacher. Two long shooting days and lots of coverage yielded close‑ups and tightly framed exchanges that feel mature and deeply revealing.
Overall, the editing approach invites the audience to stay ahead of the narrative by trusting their intelligence and following the emotional through‑line rather than a strict timeline. The Drama is now playing in theaters.
Source: Original article
