Adolescence (2024), Dir Philip Barantini, Netflix, 5☆☆☆☆☆. Review: Matthew Alicoon.

Adolescence (2024), Dir Philip Barantini, Netflix,

5☆☆☆☆☆. Review: Matthew Alicoon.

Television – Crime – Psychological Drama – Thriller

No. of Episodes: 4

“This is a show we will be talking about for the ages.”

Adolescence starts with the police breaking down the door of a family home and arresting Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper), on suspicion of murder of a classmate. The support system around Jamie including his family, therapist and detective is all left wondering what happened.

Adolescence can be best described as a why done it, rather than a who done it. The series is a show that steps into uncharted territory, asking a number of terrifying questions. The show is thought-provoking, intellectually rigorous and one of the most sharply audacious shows Netflix has produced, resounding in a piece of media that will linger with you.

Director Philip Barantini is best known for his experimental one take style with the film Boiling Point. Adolescence pushes the boundaries with a masterclass in execution. There is a meticulous precision Barantini brings with his jaw-dropping and tenacious shots. In episode 2, a camera seamlessly placed onto a drone shot, transitioning effortlessly into the action and soaring through the sky. In episode 3, the camera floats around the therapists office with a ghostly like presence making you feel like an active bystander.

The cinematography from Matthew Lewis is ambitious. It is a show that exuberates every move and every frame to pull you deeper into the world of these characters. It never feels like an overabundance for its own sake. Adolescence exceedingly dares to have the conversations that people would be afraid of having, with an episode structure that configures itself in a way, where you can understand all of the perspectives.

Episode 1 focuses on the arrest of the crime with a major dynamism that thrusts you into the case immediately, resounding in a gut-wrenching conclusion. Episode 2 is a procedural school mystery, handled with precision along with a stellar showcase of diverse young talent. Episode 3 takes place in a youth detention facility with a climatic pulse-pounding stand-off, that you cannot take your eyes off. Episode 4 deals with the aftermath of the events with a subtextual weight that is truly felt.

Adolescence takes it time with its complex subject matter, emotions and moral conundrums at the heart of the drama. Writers Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham, utilise an array of perspectives, seeing the full impact of what this has done to everyone around Jamie. There is a delicate balance that strikes, as the show handles the subject with a sensitive and compassionate lens, never having to glamourise the subject matters.

The cast in this series are absolutely career-defining. Stephen Graham (Eddie Miller) brings a trauma infused psychological distress that manifests itself in a heartbreakingly authentic portrayal of rawness. This was Owen Cooper’s first ever acting role, (take a big bow), as Owen Cooper carries such a dominative demand in his performance, being able to juxtapose a sickening malicious side along with deeply humanistic sides to his character initially. Erin Doherty has a challenging demand as the psychologist (Briony Ashton), as she has to play the role with a steely calm edge that is about to crack. The rivalry between Doherty and Cooper is masterfully played, resulting in a nail-biting inducing climax. Ashley Walters balances morality and emulates an extreme pursuit of the truth.

Adolescence resounds in a viscerally, emotional charged experience with an ending that makes you consider accountability of an event like this, daringly questioning who can be truly held accountable for a crime like this. The show is an emotionally draining experience, with a technical seamless feat of each episode being filmed in one shot. The end result is an uncompromising piece of television.

This is a show we will be talking about for the ages.

Cast

Stephen Graham as Eddie Miller

Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller

Ashley Walters as DI Luke Bascombe

Erin Doherty as Briony Ariston

Faye Marsay as DS Misha Frank

Christine Tremarco as Manda Miller

Amélie Pease as Lisa Miller

Crew

Director – Philip Barantini

Screenwriters – Jack Thorne & Stephen Graham

Executive Producers - Mark Herbert, Emily Feller, Stephen Graham, Hannah Walters, Jack Thorne, Philip Barantini, Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Nina Wolarsky

Cinematography – Matthew Lewis

Music – Aaron May & David Ridley