Marriage can be a spur-of-the-moment act. Had it not been for the impulse, many people might have remained single. After 35, people are likely hesitant to marry because they have settled lifestyles and thoughts. They may be more unwilling to compromise or change their established routines.

Fear of marriage, also termed gamophobia, is often due to a number of factors, like concern about losing personal freedom, financial insecurity, and incompatibility of personalities.

The Drama (戲劇性婚禮)is an interesting and thought-provoking movie on the topic of marriage. It is a 2026 American romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Kristoffer Borgli. It stars Zendaya and Robert Pattinson as a happily engaged couple whose relationship is tested by an unexpected revelation during the week before their wedding. The bride Emma reveals to her husband-to-be Charlie that when she was 15, she planned to commit a school shooting and partially lost her hearing when she held a rifle too close to her ear, though she previously told Charlie that she was born deaf. The revelation shocks him, and Charlie begins reconsidering how well he knows Emma, and fears whether he should go ahead to marry this woman…

Friends told me similar stories about cancelled wedding. They all happened in Hong Kong.

A man was ready to marry in September. Despite the planned marriage, he still engaged himself in sleeping with other women. The wife-to-be discovered his reckless behaviour and was seriously upset. The deepest pain that a woman can suffer from the betrayal by someone that she has put her trust in. The girl called off the wedding immediately. She did not mind losing face as the man should be the one ashamed of himself.

Another couple was ready to marry in Canada in a year. Before that, they moved into a new flat in Hong Kong to try living together. The young man and woman were both spoiled brats and none of them agreed to take up cleaning and household chores. Neither did they want a live-in helper nor could they afford a part-time assistant. Each accused the other of being selfish. The cohabitation lasted for 10 months and the couple decided to cancel the planned wedding.

Does a marriage involve accepting a partner’s quirks, imperfections or past history, rather than trying to reject them? On the other hand, may the unconditional acceptance of bad things bring trouble or unhappiness to the future marriage? While the needs and opinions of the couple are different, how can they be resolved? Under what circumstances can cancelling a wedding for marriage be justified? Why do many people have a lot of reservations, if not fears, about marriage?

We often talk about sacrifice in marriage. Are we really ready to prioritize the well-being or feelings of a spouse above one’s own self-interest in order to strengthen the relationship? It is a difficult thing to balance and decide what is right or wrong in a partnership. Some said, “You can never win if you give up!” Some said, “For marriage, the easiest solution lies in giving up!”

Although The Drama invites audiences to initiate a thought-provoking process about marriage, the movie itself is too slow-paced and dull. The director tries to sugarcoat the plot with a lot of intellectual discussions among the characters about life, love and marriage. Such talks are excessive and repetitive. The drama of The Drama does not consist of highs and lows, and the story just meanders and flows sluggishly without any energetic twisty course. Overall, the movie looks more like a stage play.

If you look for a movie more for mental stimulation instead of fun, this movie will certainly spark your critical thinking and reflection on marriage.

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