Adolescence Review: Unnerving and Disturbing In So Many Ways

In Netflix’s Adolescence, a young boy’s life turns upside down when he is accused of murdering his classmate. As his family, friends and even the detective are left questioning the reason behind it, murky truths come to the surface that leave everyone shocked.

The British crime-drama series has 4 episodes, each with a runtime of around 60 minutes.

Adolescence Review

Shot in one take, British series Adolescence showcases the arrest of 13-year-old Jamie Miller one fine morning from his house, throwing his and his family’s life into disarray. The series, in short, is absolutely fantastic and arresting from the moment that it starts, not just because of the way that it is shot but also because of the fantastic performances from everyone in it.

The one shot takes are just fascinating and arresting to watch. From the moment it starts, it follows every person on the show from one room and situation to another, flowing in and out of different emotions. From the parents to the officers to Jamie himself, the series follows every person and as the emotions change, we get more and more hooked. Adolescence showcases these feelings without over dramatic additions and simply showcases the facts as and when they appear. This makes it all the more horrifying and believable, so much so that pausing the show feels like the wrong thing to do, as if you might miss out on something vital.

Of course, the challenges that come with something like this is there are hardly any chance of making a mistake. And boy, oh boy are the actors fantastic in every scene. So vulnerable and relatable, every scene feels like a heartache and a half. You especially feel for the parents, who have no idea about what is happening and are just left scrambling playing catch up and trying to help their young son. Owen Cooper, playing Jamie, is just so good in every scene. He’s so young but his performance is so nuanced that you sometimes forget that he’s acting. Playing his father, Stephen Graham is just so vulnerable and raw — it’s hard to feel anything but heartbroken for him.

Coming to the story, it’s just so devastating and shocking and comes out of nowhere. I mean, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing and the series does a fantastic job of building that suspense and intrigue and destroying us little by little. It’s shocking how much of a punch it packs within 4 episodes and at just 4 hours, paints a story like no other. I couldn’t get my eyes off what was happening on-screen, as the series weaves in and out of a complicated and nuanced story that took the strangest turn. I am not going to spoil anything, of course, but it gets very uncomfortable and unnerving very fast.

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In the end, the series brings forth its different perspective so well and blends thriller and drama exceptionally. The emotions hit you out of the blue and, as I mentioned previously, it wouldn’t have been possible without the fantastic performances. Special kudos to Owen Cooper, who moved me in the third episode. It’s just such a devastating watch and to come to terms with the people you love going through something like this is just nothing short of heartbreaking. I loved the nuanced messaging of the film and how they presented these opinions and facts. It’s so subtle yet so hard-hitting in every way.

Final Thoughts

Adolescence is heartbreaking, unnerving, and uncomfortable. It’s very difficult to understand where the story is truly going in the first two episodes, but soon enough, it starts to unravel a very disturbing story that will stay with you long after it’s over. This one’s a must-watch.

Also Read: Adolescence Ending Explained: Did Jamie Commit the Crime? What Happens in the End?