Netflix’s “Adolescence” is a social critique that forces parents to confront their worst nightmares

A 13-year-old child, a murder case, and a deafening silence that feels all too familiar. Nothing is more intensely heartbreaking to force parents to confront their worst nightmare.

Do parents really know their children? How is society raising our boys? Are children really who we think they are these days? Can a teenager really be heartless to murder another? These endless questions linger even after the film’s credit rolls.

In “Adolescence,” 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) is portrayed like every normal kid. He is soft-spoken. He is kind to his friends. He plays video games like most teenage boys. Most significantly, he is brilliant and loves history.

However, when this ‘normal boy’ is suspected of stabbing his female classmate, Katie, seven times, and to death, this raises hard questions about his true identity.

“Adolescence” begins with the police bursting into Jamie’s family home and arresting him on suspicion of murdering Katie the night before.

The first two episodes take viewers on an immersive journey into the world of the police station, and how the detectives’ build up the case against Jamie.

When asked who his appropriate adult will be, Jamie chooses his dad, Eddie (Stephen Graham). This is a significant choice because Jamie knows that as an absent father Eddie is more likely to believe him.

Eddie could have sworn with his life that his son was innocent. There’s no way he was capable of murder at 13. He was certain that it was a mistake.

However, we see Eddie’s trust in Jamie turn to disbelief and then, unfathomable grief over the period of the story. He was left to confront his nightmares about how Jamie was raised.

“How did we make her,” he had asked his wife Manda Miller (Christine Tremarco) about their older daughter, Lisa. He thought she was totally different from Jamie. “The same way we made him,” Manda replied.

This powerful dialogue towards the end of the series proves that sometimes, as a parent, you can give so much to raise a good child and they still decide to turn bad.

In the end, we realise that Jamie was a victim of mygonism and incel culture. With no systems of support around him, he was a product of everything parents sometimes refuse to teach; about sex, empathy, emotions and power.

From Director Philip Barantini known for his roles in “Band of Brothers” and “Chernobyl” comes “Adolescence,” which leaves you tense, emotional and angry all at once.

The four-episodic series, which is a must-watch, touches on such a sensitive and global issue. With its audacious storytelling and brilliant performances, it captures the complex world parents and their children live in today.

The direction of “Adolescence” is made with such passion and care I haven’t seen in recent times. For a fiction, the attention to detail, makes you forget it is one and it feels like watching a documentary.

The one-continuous shot style of the film lures you deeper into the world of the characters, evoking emotional investment and character development.

In each episode, the cinematography wanders from one character to another and we follow them continuously until the end. This style elevates each episode and leaves you gasping for air. The Standout moment of “Adolescence” is in  episode three–capturing the characters of Jamie and the psychologist (Erin Doherty). The synergy between their characters was flawless and deep.

Personally , the most crucial part of the series, was where the audience realized that society failed Jamie. His parents maybe could have done more. His father was absent. His mother gave him his freedom. Jamie doesn’t even realize he did anything wrong.

As a lost boy, he didn’t think he could ask his parents. He turns to social media to find boys like him.  It’s been ingrained in him that women must be tricked, dominated, and controlled by men. That’s what he’s learned. Little wonder, he feels proud for having resisted sex with Katie but feels indifferent that he killed her.

Performances especially that stood out for me is the lead child actor Owen Cooper. Playing Jamie, Cooper is one to look out for in the future. His performance felt believable and emotional.

As an absent father, Stephen Graham’s emotional rollercoaster performance is one that stands out too. His raw and heart wrenching acting is something to look out for to secure an award, maybe.

If there’s anything, “Adolescence” is a series about grief, compassion and forgiveness. The series mirrors the modern reality of what teenagers face and many parents shy away from.

“Adolescence” using Jamie’s story is concerned with the ‘why’ as we are led into a teenage world that is lived primarily online. A world where adults are incapable of properly monitoring or understanding what they do.

From absent fathers to shut out emotions, to the dark shadows of social media, this series is a wake-up call to all parents to pay more attention to their children. Parenting is not just about providing food, clothing and shelter. There’s a lot more we don’t talk about.

Jamie was bullied, excluded and humiliated in school. He was mocked by friends including the deceased Katie for not being manly enough. His parents never knew this. The only community that embraced him was an Instagram community of boys like himself.

Beyond fiction, “Adolescence” reflects the consequence of leaving children to learn from the shadows—unsure and lost. When we fail to teach them how to embrace their emotions and how to navigate life, it is where violence is born.

Release Date: March 13, 2025

Runtime: Approximately 1 hour per Episode

Episodes: 4

Streaming Service: Netflix

Director: Philip Barantini

Cast: Stephen Graham, Ashley Walters, Faye Marsay, Mark Stanley, Christine Tremarco, Owen Cooper, Amelie Pease, Hannah Walters, Jo Hartley, Fatima Bojang, Kaine Davis, Amari Bacchus and Erin Doherty.