Hollywood has long turned to young adult novels for inspiration for feature-length films, and new movie Words on Bathroom Walls is another such adaptation, based on Julia Walton's 2017 YA book of the same name. Though years past have seen Hollywood adapt a great deal of YA sci-fi, more recently there's been a particular focus on contemporary YA fiction, which is where Words on the Bathroom Walls falls. Directed by Thor Freudenthal (Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters) from a script by Nick Naveda (Say You Will), the movie follows a teenager diagnosed with schizophrenia as he struggles with his mental illness and trying to appear normal when starting at a new school. Words on Bathroom Walls deftly balances being part romcom and part mental illness drama, offering a uniquely compelling coming-of-age story.
Words on Bathroom Walls tells the story of Adam Petrazelli (Charlie Plummer), who's striving to become a chef when he's diagnosed with schizophrenia after a psychotic break at school, during which he accidentally injured a fellow student. Though resistant to many medications, Adam starts a new drug trial just as he's accepted to a Catholic school to finish out his senior year. There, he meets projected valedictorian Maya (Taylor Russell) and, as the medication begins to silence the voices in his head - who take the form of Rebecca (AnnaSophia Robb), the Bodyguard (Lobo Sebastian) and Joaquin (Devon Bostick) - Adam starts feeling some sense of normalcy. But when the side effects of the medication affect his ability to cook, Adam begins struggling, hiding it from his mom (Molly Parker) and her boyfriend Paul (Walton Goggins). Adam will do anything to keep his illness a secret from Maya and his new classmates, sending him on a self-destructive path, and he'll have to learn to accept help from those who love him in order to move forward.
It would've been very easy for Words on Bathroom Walls to slip into a narrative that depicted Adam's love for Maya as his "cure" for schizophrenia, or that a relationship with her was his only motivation for him to "get better," but both of those narratives would've been an oversimplification of mental illness. Instead, Naveda's script and Freudenthal's direction work hand in hand to dive as deep into Adam's brain as possible, allowing viewers to experience how Adam sees the world - and, often, showing how it's very different to the way people around him see it. Part of that story is Maya, but their budding romance isn't the sole focus of the movie, and Words on Bathroom Walls benefits from showing Adam's full life, rather than just parts of it. The result is that Words on Bathroom Walls is a thoughtful exploration of Adam's experience with schizophrenia, including his struggles to find medication that helps and how his way of dealing with his illness puts a strain on his relationships.
Since Words on Bathroom Walls is Adam's story, much of the film's success rests on the shoulders of Plummer, who carries it exceptionally well. Plummer has the necessary range to depict Adam in lighter moments, when he's a goofy teenager, and in the darkest moments of his story when he's distraught and struggling. Beyond Plummer, the cast of the film is well-rounded. Russell's Maya has a strong personality, complementing Plummer well and even though she doesn't have quite as much to work with, she stands out. The rest of the main cast works well, too, including Parker and Goggins as Adam's parents, as well as Robb, Sebastian and Bostick as Adam's voices, bringing some levity to the story at times. But perhaps the biggest standout aside from the two leads is Andy Garcia's turn as Father Patrick, the priest at Adam's school. Garcia brings gravitas to the role, which butts up against Adam's teenage angst in incredibly entertaining ways. Thanks to Plummer, Russell and Garcia, Words on Bathroom Walls is a joy to watch even as it tackles heavy subject matter.
Ultimately, Words on Bathroom Walls is an entertaining coming-of-age story delving deep into the world of a teenager with schizophrenia. Since such subject matter is rare in teen movies, Words on Bathroom Walls provides a mostly unique experience that avoids many of the trappings and cliches of stories about mental illness. There are still some cliches the movie does fall into, particularly in the latter half, but the character development up to that point largely justifies them. Still, Words on Bathroom Walls is a rare kind of teen film.
As such, it's worth checking out for those interested in the premise, or those looking for a well-done coming-of-age story. However, as Words on Bathroom Walls is only being released in theaters, it's perfectly fine for folks who don't feel safe - or who live in areas where theaters haven't reopened yet - to wait to catch this one on digital. While Words on Bathroom Walls is a compelling teen drama sure to hold the attention of viewers, it's not necessarily a must-see (and certainly isn't worth braving the theater during a pandemic). All that said, if it's safe to do so, fans of teen dramas would do well with checking out Words on Bathroom Walls.
Words on Bathroom Walls is now playing in theaters. It is 111 minutes long and rated PG-13 for mature thematic content involving mental illness, some sexual references, strong language and smoking.
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