Adolescence: the big slap of this beginning of the year (critic)

Dressing and chilling family drama, Stephen Graham’s mini-series will haunt you for a long time.

It is already one of the best series of the year, which arrives today on Netflix. The kind of story that marks you with a hot iron.

Is it guilty? Is he innocent? This is not the question.

Before signing a thriller that is cold in the back, Stephen Graham (Awesome actor of Peaky Blinders Or Boardwalk Empire) and its author Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the cursed child) sought to paint a raw family tragedy, within the ordinary British middle class. Because behind his title of generic drama, Adolescence is a poignant life story. Of those who take you to the guts and do not let go of you. The Jamie Miller case may prevent you from sleeping for a while …

It all starts one morning, when the English police arrived at dawn in a small house in the suburbs of northern England. Jamie, an ordinary 13 -year -old teenager sleeps under his stuffed animals and the posters of his favorite football players, when he is taken from the bed by the police, arrested without managing and led to the post. Jamie is suspected of having committed the unthinkable: according to the police, he is the main suspect of the murder of Cassie, a college student in his class. An unbearable accusation for his family, who does not want to believe it. While his father attends the interrogation, Jamie swears that he did nothing …

It is the beginning of a terribly real nightmare for the Miller family. The mini-series does not give in the justice spectacle (as in Defending Jacob For example). She enters the heart of the drama, to tell the unspeakable pain of parents confronted with the worst. How could their nice little boy be a murderer? What is happening behind the scenes of the local college where he goes every morning? It is obviously the universal scope of the prism which borders on this harmless thriller an extraordinary human power.

The process towards understanding is described carefully over four episodes which reach a rare level of truth thanks to an exceptional immersive staging. Philip Barantinthe director, directed each episode in a single continuous catch. A sequence plan by episode, which is not just a round effect: this gives the spectator an impression of total veracity, while adding a crazy intensity to the narration. You always feel like you are on a thread, fascinated by the moment. Without ever giving the impression of making docu-fiction, Adolescence Assumes its share of tragedy and this perfectly integrated camera subtly accompanies the development of revelations, while capturing the emotional resonance of each of the characters. Around revelation Owen CooperAmazing kid on the hot seat, the casting is absolutely perfect.

Never tempted by a form of miserabilism that would have made the work unbearable, they manage to transmit an incredibly strong emotion, starting with Stephen Grahamoverwhelming dad exceeded. The violence of the moment for parents, for the big sister, their world that collapses in a few seconds, all this is brilliantly told in this visceral series, which remains with you long after the final scene. You are not ready.

Adolescence, in 4 episodes, to be seen on Netflix from March 13, 2025.