by Josh Sewell
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| Courtesy of Roadside Attractions |
It feels strange to type this after five months of streaming and VOD reviews, but there are new movies hitting theaters this weekend. Granted, I’m not sure if that’s a wise idea from a public health standpoint, but I get the business perspective. Some states have a better handle on the COVID situation than others, so why should areas that have their act together be punished because of the behavior of people thousands of miles away?
Regardless, several metro Atlanta theaters will reopen in the coming days for audiences willing to risk seeing movies on the big screen again. One of the films they’ll be showing is Words on Bathroom Walls, a poignant drama based on Julia Walton’s best-selling young adult novel. It’s a coming-of-age weepie in the tradition of old favorites like A Walk to Remember and The Perks of Being a Wallflower, as well as more recent “sick kids fall in love” fare like The Fault in Our Stars and Five Feet Apart.
Words on Bathroom Walls tells the story of Adam (Charlie Plummer), a typical, somewhat socially awkward teenage boy with dreams of becoming a chef. However, his future becomes uncertain following a terrifying incident that ends with his best friend seriously hurt and Adam getting expelled halfway through his senior year.
Soon, he’s diagnosed with schizophrenia, which manifests itself through various forms of hallucinations. Sometimes he sees phantom graffiti, other times he hears scary voices, and he’s frequently visited by imaginary people (played by AnnaSophia Robb, Devon Bostick and Lobo Sebastian) who represent different aspects of his personality.
Thanks to some persuasion from his protective, dedicated mother (Molly Parker) and her new boyfriend (Walton Goggins), a nearby Catholic private school agrees to let Adam finish the semester there, as long as he takes his medication and stays out of trouble. That’s where he meets the blunt and brilliant Maya (Taylor Russell), who he falls for almost instantly. As they grow closer, he hides his illness because he’s scared of how she will react. But when the challenge becomes too overwhelming, he must take a chance and trust her.
It's unlikely that any viewers will be surprised by what transpires in Words on Bathroom Walls. (Well, unless this is their first experience with sappy melodrama.) However, there’s something to be said for a familiar story told well. These days, I have a hard time judging anyone’s taste in cinematic comfort food.
It helps that director Thor Freudenthal (who previously helmed kid flicks like Hotel for Dogs and Diary of a Wimpy Kid) adds some creative visual flair to the proceedings. He depicts Adam’s hallucinations in a lot of different ways depending on how they affect the character. Some are frightening, others are funny, and a few convey his confusion and anxiety.
Freudenthal also picked some terrific actors to elevate the material. Plummer is solid, though he seems interchangeable with many other modern teen heartthrobs. Where the cast truly shines is in the supporting roles.
Russell, who exploded onto many critics’ radars last year with Waves (and also stars in Netflix’s recent Lost in Space reboot), is simply phenomenal. The actress radiates charisma and seems destined for a long, successful career. She grabbed my attention from the first second she appeared on screen, and when the story pivoted to other subplots, I found myself wondering when we were getting back to the far more interesting Maya.
Parker (Russell’s Lost in Space co-star, but probably best remembered for her work on Deadwood) is strong as well. So are Andy Garcia and renowned character actress Beth Grant, in brief but crucial roles as a priest and nun at Adam’s new school. However, Goggins proves why he’s one of my favorite actors with his quiet, nuanced work as the new man spending most of his time in Adam’s home.
Words on Bathroom Walls clearly knows that viewers are familiar with the “mom’s new boyfriend” trope, so they anticipate we expect his relationship with Adam to go one of two ways. It plays up that suspense for a while, letting us assume what his often-silent character is thinking, only to turn those assumptions around on both the audience and the characters in a key moment. It’s my favorite part of the film and Freudenthal – along with screenwriter Nick Naveda – definitely earn the emotional payoff.
While the film might have trouble finding a big audience during its upcoming theatrical release (who the heck knows what “the new normal” is going to look like at multiplexes?), I have a feeling it will find a passionate fanbase once it eventually hits Netflix or another streaming service. Pretty teenagers with problems falling in love? Key segments of the young adult demo are gonna love it.
Words on Bathroom Walls is rated PG-13 for mature thematic content involving mental illness, some sexual references, strong language and smoking.
Grade: B
Regardless, several metro Atlanta theaters will reopen in the coming days for audiences willing to risk seeing movies on the big screen again. One of the films they’ll be showing is Words on Bathroom Walls, a poignant drama based on Julia Walton’s best-selling young adult novel. It’s a coming-of-age weepie in the tradition of old favorites like A Walk to Remember and The Perks of Being a Wallflower, as well as more recent “sick kids fall in love” fare like The Fault in Our Stars and Five Feet Apart.
Words on Bathroom Walls tells the story of Adam (Charlie Plummer), a typical, somewhat socially awkward teenage boy with dreams of becoming a chef. However, his future becomes uncertain following a terrifying incident that ends with his best friend seriously hurt and Adam getting expelled halfway through his senior year.
Soon, he’s diagnosed with schizophrenia, which manifests itself through various forms of hallucinations. Sometimes he sees phantom graffiti, other times he hears scary voices, and he’s frequently visited by imaginary people (played by AnnaSophia Robb, Devon Bostick and Lobo Sebastian) who represent different aspects of his personality.
Thanks to some persuasion from his protective, dedicated mother (Molly Parker) and her new boyfriend (Walton Goggins), a nearby Catholic private school agrees to let Adam finish the semester there, as long as he takes his medication and stays out of trouble. That’s where he meets the blunt and brilliant Maya (Taylor Russell), who he falls for almost instantly. As they grow closer, he hides his illness because he’s scared of how she will react. But when the challenge becomes too overwhelming, he must take a chance and trust her.
It's unlikely that any viewers will be surprised by what transpires in Words on Bathroom Walls. (Well, unless this is their first experience with sappy melodrama.) However, there’s something to be said for a familiar story told well. These days, I have a hard time judging anyone’s taste in cinematic comfort food.
It helps that director Thor Freudenthal (who previously helmed kid flicks like Hotel for Dogs and Diary of a Wimpy Kid) adds some creative visual flair to the proceedings. He depicts Adam’s hallucinations in a lot of different ways depending on how they affect the character. Some are frightening, others are funny, and a few convey his confusion and anxiety.
Freudenthal also picked some terrific actors to elevate the material. Plummer is solid, though he seems interchangeable with many other modern teen heartthrobs. Where the cast truly shines is in the supporting roles.
Russell, who exploded onto many critics’ radars last year with Waves (and also stars in Netflix’s recent Lost in Space reboot), is simply phenomenal. The actress radiates charisma and seems destined for a long, successful career. She grabbed my attention from the first second she appeared on screen, and when the story pivoted to other subplots, I found myself wondering when we were getting back to the far more interesting Maya.
Parker (Russell’s Lost in Space co-star, but probably best remembered for her work on Deadwood) is strong as well. So are Andy Garcia and renowned character actress Beth Grant, in brief but crucial roles as a priest and nun at Adam’s new school. However, Goggins proves why he’s one of my favorite actors with his quiet, nuanced work as the new man spending most of his time in Adam’s home.
Words on Bathroom Walls clearly knows that viewers are familiar with the “mom’s new boyfriend” trope, so they anticipate we expect his relationship with Adam to go one of two ways. It plays up that suspense for a while, letting us assume what his often-silent character is thinking, only to turn those assumptions around on both the audience and the characters in a key moment. It’s my favorite part of the film and Freudenthal – along with screenwriter Nick Naveda – definitely earn the emotional payoff.
While the film might have trouble finding a big audience during its upcoming theatrical release (who the heck knows what “the new normal” is going to look like at multiplexes?), I have a feeling it will find a passionate fanbase once it eventually hits Netflix or another streaming service. Pretty teenagers with problems falling in love? Key segments of the young adult demo are gonna love it.
Words on Bathroom Walls is rated PG-13 for mature thematic content involving mental illness, some sexual references, strong language and smoking.
Grade: B
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