User reviews

Adolescence is a bold and ambitious miniseries that tries something different with how it's filmed. The entire show is shot in one long, continuous take, which creates a tense and immersive feeling, pulling viewers into the emotional struggles of the characters.

The standout performance comes from Owen Cooper, who plays Jamie-a 13-year-old accused of murder. His acting is powerful and emotional, bringing some much-needed depth to a character we don't learn much about. Stephen Graham also gives a strong performance, adding weight to the scenes he's in, although they both do not appear in every episode.

However, despite how impressive it looks, the show has some clear problems. The characters aren't fully developed, and the story doesn't move forward in a satisfying way. We don't get much insight into Jamie's thoughts or reasons behind his actions, which makes it hard to connect with him. Key parts of the plot, like what happens to the murder weapon or how the investigation unfolds, are left hanging.

The single-take filming style, while interesting, also leads to some scenes dragging on too long, making the pacing feel slow. The show tries to explore big issues like teenage trauma, social media pressure, and family problems-but it doesn't go deep enough, leaving its message unclear.

All in all, Adolescence is visually impressive and emotionally intense, especially for those who enjoy unique storytelling. But if you prefer a strong plot and fully developed characters, you might come away feeling let down.

Performances: 9 points, story: 7 points.

Everyone is praising the acting, cinematography, and the astonishing technical achievement of filming an entire episode in a single continuous shot. And rightfully so. But in the end, what moved me the most in this real-time drama was something far more intimate-the heartbreaking realization of a father who comes to understand that he doesn't truly know his own son.

What can we really do as parents? How much control do we have over the people our children become? Are we responsible for both their virtues and their failings? These are the profound and unsettling questions at the heart of this masterfully crafted slow-burn drama. Every element-its pacing, its visual language, its raw performances-works in perfect harmony to confront us with this timeless, universal dilemma.

What an amazing performance from a newcomer. Single, continuous shots, and he hold his own for 50+ minutes an episode. Owen Cooper is a prodigy.

Owen Cooper is the breakout star of Netflix's "Adolescence," a gripping drama featuring Stephen Graham. This 15-year-old from Manchester makes his on-screen debut as Jamie Miller, a young boy accused of a shocking crime. His performance is drawing considerable attention, with many predicting a bright future for the young actor. The series delves into the intense turmoil faced by Jamie and his family, and Cooper's portrayal captures the complexities of a teenager caught in a harrowing situation. He has gone from a normal school boy, to the lead in a high profile netflix drama.

Did we love him enough, or love him wrong?

Were we too strict, or not strong?

Did we push him too far, expect too much?

Or did we not push him enough?

Did he hide his pain behind a smile?

Were we blind to it all the while?

Did we listen, or just assume?

Did he feel safe in his own room?

Was it the school, the friends he had?

Was it us, were we just bad?

Did we fail him, let him down?

Did he drown while we weren't around?

Was it the screens, the world online?

Did it tell him, "You're not fine"?

Did words on a phone cut too deep?

Did they steal his right to weep?

Could we have stopped it, if we knew?

If we had held him, pulled him through?

If we had said, "We're here, just talk," Would he have stayed, taken one more walk?

Who do we blame? The world? Ourselves?

Do we lock the past on dusty shelves?

Or do we ask, do we learn, So no more Jamies fail to return?

"Adolescence" is a wound so real, A story that makes you stop and feel.

A parent's grief, a lesson told, A tale too heavy to let go cold.

I didn't expect it to be this gutting... really great writing! Jezus especially episode 3 with the psychologist!!

Really amazing acting..

and the topic is SO important.. i am recommending this to everyone i know..

this technology has been overwhelming us.. making victims of whole generations of kids and young adults, not to mention their unsuspecting parents.. and freaking Zuckerberg and the other tech bros wanna go on like they have no responsibility.. yeah, well, watch this series to understand that ALL of us bear a responsibility AND we're SO INTERCONNECTED that we cannot possibly deny it.

I don't normally write a review but I decided to write this because EVERYONE should watch Adolescence. It is a rollercoaster of a show. Every episode takes you down a different rabbit hole. The writing is impeccable. The characters are perfectly executed by the actors. Episode one was heartbreaking, episode two had me holding my breath as I watched it, episode three was shocking and unexpected and episode four was heartbreaking all over again. I am most certainly going to sit and watch this again as I feel that there is such complexity and depth that I will see even more next time round. Congrats to everyone involved in this project- it is flawless!

I'm surprised by all the high ratings Adolescence is getting. Don't get me wrong-it's a well-directed and beautifully shot series, and the acting is strong across the board. But in terms of plot and character development, it falls short.

The series is structured into four episodes, each from a different point of view: the police, the school, the psychiatrist, and the family. It's a clever narrative device, but we never truly get to see Jamie's point of view. For a story built around his actions, that's a major absence. We're left watching others try to explain him instead of hearing from him directly.

There are hints at trauma, neglect, and bullying, but nothing is explored in enough depth to justify what happens. His parents come off more as out-of-touch than harmful. The bullying is there, but not portrayed as relentless. Online comments and peer pressure seem to trigger Jamie's violent outburst, but it feels sudden and underdeveloped.

Then there's the subplot with the father being harassed, which also felt unclear and undeserved. Was it a misunderstanding? Was the town just lashing out? The series never explains.

I did appreciate the structure and artistic ambition, and I actually think it could've been brilliant-if there was a fifth episode from Jamie's perspective. That could've tied the story together and helped the audience understand what was going on inside his mind, even if we didn't agree with it.

As it stands, Adolescence is good, even thought-provoking-but not the masterpiece some make it out to be. It delivers atmosphere and emotion through style, but not always through substance.

We watched all 4 episodes back to back and without spoiling it for others, we were totally immersed in the story. The acting is outstanding from both Adults and Children, they are definitely worthy of an accolade or few. Best TV drama we have seen in a long time.

The storyline is allowed to simply unfold in real time which may sound dull but you are taken on a complete emotional roller coaster ride and really feel the pain and agony of the principal characters, the parents. And you, if you watch carefully, see every twitch, every facial expression as the Actors draw you in to their performances. And yes I cried more than once!

I note there are many from the belittling, 'if you don't agree with me you're wrong' brigade on here, happy to wave around their right-on credentials, whilst putting others down, well I'm sorry to buck the trend. I'm a parent and a time-served police officer, whilst I can get past the long list of procedural errors (just who did the advising?) and sympathise with Stephen Graham's father figure, I just found it a bit far-fetched and boring. The young lad deserves credit for some brilliant acting and I hope he gets it but whilst others are saying 'gut-wrenching' and 'hard-hitting' I'm thinking 'get on with it'. Sorry but it just didn't hit home for me.

As a parent, I found it to be an eye-opening watch-scary, puzzling, and deeply psychological. It felt genuine and painfully realistic as the motive behind the crime slowly revealed itself. The pacing of the scenes and the camera work were exceptionally well done. The dialogue was well-written, with just enough silent moments to encourage introspection and allow us to reflect on the issues raised in our own lives and experiences.

Not to mention the incredible acting-the performances were outstanding. I even went back and rewatched some parts after realizing that the young actor had never performed on screen before. What a talent-natural, captivating, and truly remarkable. An amazing start to what will hopefully be a long and successful career on screen.

Thank you!

I've just finished Ep 1 and I'm blown away. I'd forgotton that this is filmed in 1 continous show and noticed about half a hour in. Its so fabulously acted and the new kid, Owen Cooper is fantastic. Stephen Graham is his usual flawless self and I found myself fast breathing on more than one occasion because the drama is so intense. The whole cast is really good, including the school kids and i really hope they do stuff like this more often

I need 60 more characters so here's a sentence that means nothing at all :)

It really is one of the best things I've ever seen. Well done to everyone and thank you.

I've been anticipating this limited series for a while now and it hasn't disappointed. The opening scenes are like a sucker punch - visceral in fact. The acting is superb, I would say it's akin to the realism of Ken Loach and of course the one shot - it's quite simply brilliant!!! It's terrifying to know there are adolescent boys being influenced by the incel rhetoric of Andrew Tate et al, how social media is almost like a (albeit twisted) surrogate teacher because the real educators don't get the respect from their pupils. It's brutal and heartbreaking in equal measure but it needs to be watched by adults and teenagers alike, and more importantly it needs to be talked about. I'll finish off by saying that Stephen Graham is THE finest actor of his generation and of course a special mention to Owen Cooper who makes you want grab his character for a hug but at the same time repel him. I can see a bright future for this young man.

As a parent, this film just cuts through every nerve. Its a real wake up call to realize what the young generation go through. It makes you think how social media has destroyed our youth. I personally believe its done more harm than good in this world. But you cannot turn back the clock. I do not see it getting better. The innocence of our youth is fading fast and in more areas than others. But in this film, its superb acting by all, especially the young Owen Cooper, he should get a Bafta, what talent!!. The father Stephen Graham and the psychologist Erin Doherty were just superb in their roles. Score 10!

There's no doubt that the idea of having one shot throughout an entire episode could be used as a gimmick to get views, but it's actually a really effective tool. It's so intense and an absolutely heartbreaking show at times. The acting is superb. Not one actor or actress fails. Cinematography is stellar, and everything about it is just really good.

The first episode is basically a perfect one. Showing the inner workings of a police station and how situations are handled is extremely detailed and nerve-wracking. Every worry I had going into the show was alleviated because they did a stellar job using the short 4 episode length. Overall, outstanding.

Although the technical aspect of each episode being one long scene is certainly a noteworthy achievement, what makes Adolescence great is the story and the acting. In fact, the story and acting is so gripping, that you sometimes forget that you're watching one uncut scene!

It was interesting to see the aftermath of a crime through the eyes of the perpetrator, and the impact it had on the people closest to him. By shifting the focus from the victim to the perpetrator we see another side of a tragedy, one that is not usually explored in such dramatic detail,

A truly gripping story with superb acting from everyone involved.

It's a hard watch, absolutely haunting. One episode in and I'm already struggling. Acting is Oscar worthy. You find yourself torn between compassion for the accused, and the desire for justice. Being British and living in Texas I'm very proud of this production, genuine art in motion.

Some have said this is boring, and as a hater of boring, I can tell you, it's not boring. Every scene carries trauma, emotion, desperation, confusion and love. It's a hodgepodge of horror and hope.

This is not my normal fair, but I found myself transfixed throughout. It doesn't matter if you're an action fan, horror, sci fi, thriller or drama, this show will have you on the edge.

The concept of shooting every episode in one single take is totally amazing, not just for the superficial effect of it, but for fully transporting the deeper layers of the story, with all it's implications.

Eroding family bonds, loss of communication and social values and, what most people pointed out already, the topic of toxic masculinity.

But above all, what the so called Social Network does to our society, and especially to our children, unable to protect themselves against the nonstop hate, the lies and the stupidity, bringing out the worst and toxic parts in all of us, without ever stopping...raising this question in all it's deadly consequences was even more important for me.

All the actors, especially the amazing actor of the boy Jamie, are sensational. The end of the final episode left me in tears. Socially relevant, emotionally devastating, and a rare masterpiece of modern cinema.