Released: 13th March 2025
Number of Episodes: 4
Certificate: 15
Director: Phillip Barantini
Starring: Stephen Graham, Owen Cooper, Ashley Walters, Erin Doherty, Faye Marsay, Christine Tremarco and Mark Stanley
The UK small-screen has often played host to emotional stories that plant the audience in the heart of downtrodden communities or individuals with deep personal problems. Director Phillip Barantini created Boiling Point and Jack Thorne took on This Is England with actor Stephen Graham in a leading role. Shifting into a highly contemporary problem, the trio brings us Adolescence, an excellent series in every way.
In an unnamed English town, the Miller family is horrified when armed police break into their house and arrest the thirteen-year-old Jamie (Owen Cooper). He is the prime suspect in the murder of fellow schoolmate Katie Leonard and his parents Eddie (Stephen Graham) and Manda (Christine Tremarco) are thrust into turmoil. For years, Jamie appeared just like any other teenager, but all the signs they missed from his isolated room are slowly brought to the forefront. First by a trip to the police station, then a forensic analysis. Adolescence is only four hours long, but every minute is paced and presented brilliantly. The characters and dialogue are right at the centre, the interactions authentic and realistic. The series does examine what led Jamie to commit the crime, but the focus is placed on the greater impact. A damaging ripple effect takes hold, one that spreads to Jamie’s schoolmates and the local neighbourhoods. When you take in the full story and how it ties into real world events, the series leaves a grim and intentional aftertaste. You’ll be stunned by the extreme online influences and what they have done to our society. The way they twist the minds of both boys and girls, mutating the way they grow up and form friendships. Adolescence confronts this social degradation head-on and never becomes outlandish or unbelievable.
The performances throughout the series are brutally effective; they are filled to burst with poignancy and depth. Stephan Graham is the master of creating intense emotions and his work in Adolescence could be the best he’s ever done. He swings between raging anger and tearful release so seamlessly. He’s matched by Christine Tremarco who desperately tries to hold things together, but struggles every step of the way. The weight of the event and questioning their actions as parents will strike home for many viewers. On the other side of the line, we have Ashley Walters and Faye Marsay who convey the deep frustrations of the police as they root out the finer details. For his first time in a major role, Owen Cooper is superb; Jamie’s conflicted mind has so much nuance. His world view is deeply warped, but you can see the boy underneath who just wants to be accepted by his peers. Even the smaller performers like the secondary students who gang up on those humiliated during the lunch break are very well-portrayed. The series has a perfect balance with each character placed with precision before moving to the next episode. We see them being professional one moment and switching to casual conversation; it’s all very believable.
To top it all off, the four episodes are filmed in one continuous take that never takes the viewer out of the story. It transitions in and out of buildings, entering and exiting vehicles and even pans all the way over rooftops to other areas of the town. Every episode has its own highlight; the opening police raid in episode 1, a school in chaos in episode 2, a single extended conversation in episode 3 and a family journey gone wrong in episode 4. By eliminating all cuts and scene transitions, we bear witness to every detail of the actor’s performances. The way the series creates so much tension and changing tones in a single room and only two participants is astounding.
Every last bit of Adolescence is utterly exceptional. It’s a gut-wrenching but necessary story that says so much about our modern connected lives and the young people caught up in a web of peer pressure, social alienation and radicalisation. The performances will move many to tears and the production mastery is unparalleled; check it out as soon as you can.
Rating: 5/5 Stars (Exceptional)
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