Netflix loves churning out mediocre crime dramas. Each time, they vaguely vary the same gory, dramatic mystery and end it with some punchy, unrealistic revelation- but Adolescence breaks this pattern.
The four episode limited series is about Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper), a thirteen-year-old boy, who we meet at the very start of episode one when a swarm of armed police barge into his bedroom to arrest him for murder.
Initially, no crime is shown on camera. The audience are given the chance to theorise his guilt or his innocence.
Adolescence is not your basic crime drama. Each of its four episodes is filmed in an unbroken take- meaning the camera never switches off or cuts away. The technical feat of filming four hour-long episodes is brilliant, but the efforts would fall flat if the plot, cast annd execution weren’t strong enough to hold the show up.
Luckily for T.V. fans, everything about Adolescence is perfect.
Spotlighting femicide, gender-based violence, the warping perception of masculinity and the terrifying toxicity of the U.K’s young boys, Adolescence makes a commentary on very real problems without relying on cliches.
The plot with the continuous shots makes the drama beautifully, uncomfortably immersive, driving the plot even closer to home.
Adolescence is a reflection of real life, and the dangers young girls and women face.
Playing Jamie’s father, Stephen Graham (This is England, Boiling Point) is, as always, a wonder to watch on screen. His rage at the situation, fear for his son and confusion at the crime are all so clearly, emotionally, and powerfully portrayed.
Similarly, Cooper’s performance as Jamie is captivating. A scared little boy with a big, dark cloud of mystery looming over his head, he has the audience pitying, doubting and hating him in every moment. His simultaneous aloofness and emotion is beautifully well acted.
Each cast member does their bit to make this show worth watching. The score bleeding in and out to add perfectly timed tension, the smooth camera work and real, gritty filming locations all had to the heart of this show.
A lot of crime dramas on Netflix are boring, repetitive and forgettable- Adolescence defies the trend.
Featured image credit: Netflix
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