The Netflix Series Adolescence stars the actor Own Miller as Jaime. Jamie is a young boy living in the UK. It takes place in a modern-day setting where social media takes over the lives of every young teen. We glimpse Jamie’s mind and his behavior. He’s been accused of murdering a classmate, Katie. So, did he murder her or not?
From the beginning, there’s almost little to no background music, making the scenes all the more dramatic and uncomfortable. The camera angles stay hyper-focused on a character as they speak. There are no dramatic booms or dramatized emotional breakdowns. Many online have voiced their opinion about these raw-like scenes. It all portrays a narrative; young men and women are being failed in today’s world.
Many watches in the UK have labeled this series as “perfection” and “masterful”, according to the BBC. The show highlights the world of misogyny growing in young boys as social media takes over their lives. Jamie is a victim of the online issue, and it leaks into his school life. There are a lot of scenes where he’s acting in a way that hides his true feelings, just so he won’t receive the consequences.
The impact of this story and the way it’s told dives into the very real issue today. Not only does Jamie act indifferent towards the whole situation, but the one scene with the psychologist highlights the self-hatred he feels. His mental health is one of the main factors in why he acts the way he does. Jaime even yells and tries to intimidate the psychologist, and the scene is unnerving to watch.
Jaime’s whole school is full of misbehaving students, and the teachers try their best to control that behavior. The whole show consists of teenagers who seem to be heading down the wrong path. Boys are full of disrespect, misogyny, and indifference. Those affected have no support or simply don’t have the right guidance. Jaime’s parents are the sweetest people, but they, too, don’t know how to help him with his mental health problems. It is an uncomfortable and emotional story with a message. Young teens struggling with their mental health should get the help they need and engage in beneficial activities. Social media is giving some teens a certain notion that is more harmful than helpful.
