There is a lot to take from Stephen Graham‘s co-created original miniseries, Adolescence. From the first scene, we are introduced to a suspenseful event that keeps us curious throughout the film. What could a 13-year-old have done? How could a 13-year-old be accused of murder? Why would a 13-year-old, who still wets his bed, be involved in a murder? Before one gets fascinated by the camera movements and theatrical performances of the actors, as a Nigerian, what piques one's interest in the film are those questions.
The miniseries has four episodes, and each explores phases that form or influence who we become: home, school, social media, and individual identity. Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) is a 13-year-old boy who grows up in a family of four, attends a decent school and has a smartphone that gives him access to social media (Instagram). These three shape who he eventually becomes. While he is not explicitly declared the murderer of Katie in the film, the dialogues and instances reveal why he is responsible for her death.
The first question I asked myself when it was revealed that Jamie stabbed Katie—the Nigerian in me, judging from my experience—was, where did a 13-year-old find the courage to do such a thing? But the movie is not based in Nigeria, so that's just how it is.
When Jamie requests his father to be beside him, I initially thought it was because they shared a natural closeness—as it is often assumed: the boy goes with the father, the girl goes with the mother. But from the moment Jamie makes the request, the dialogue reveals that the father doesn't share much with his son. “But why does he request you?” the mother, who knows all about Jamie's allergies, surprisingly asks. These short dialogues—little words embossed and wrapped in various meanings—are what make Adolescence an adolescent film, mature enough to be understood by all.
Through the dialogues, we also realise that the child absorbs more from the father than the father is aware of—the little jabs, the subtle anger and the furious dismissals all shape Jamie's behaviour. We often underestimate how much our small actions become a significant chunk of information in children's minds. They quietly pick from our day-to-day activities and form their habits around them, totally unknown to us.
What Adolescence essentially wants to capture in Episode 2 is how social media and school build character. While it might not reflect the entire picture of all modern-day schools, it gives us a glimpse into what educational environments have become—students talking back at teachers, teachers walking in and out of the classroom carelessly, and the constant shouts and fury from teachers attempting to maintain decorum. And then there is the pervasive use of smartphones, intended to aid learning, which has now become an avenue for children to be exposed to things they are not mature enough to handle.
Today, people on the internet forget that millions of children consume their banter, misinformed posts and banger tweets. These posts unconsciously settle in children and shape their thinking as they grow. For instance, the 80-20 rule. The detective in Adolescence, Bascombe, has never heard of the rule, and this blinds him from seeing the case clearly. According to incels, the rule states that 80 per cent of women are attracted to the top 20 per cent of men. This means that the majority of women seek men from the top quartile, while other men often do not receive any attention. The rule has become so pervasive that it influences a young mind like Jamie's, making him aggressive and ultimately murderous when a girl rejects him, even at her lowest.
Episode 3 allows us to unpack these layers.
Yet, why does Jamie want his father beside him? The consequence of this choice becomes clear in Episode 4, where Eddie struggles to hold his family together, struggles to understand why his son did what he did, and struggles to reconcile how he and his wife raised a daughter so perfect while their son became so broken. The weight Eddie carries throughout the final episode comes from his son choosing him to bear it all. This is evident when Jamie calls Eddie to say he is going to confess. Jamie thinks he is alone and hesitates when he realises Eddie is with everyone. Jamie absorbs his father's habits and eventually shifts the emotional burden onto him.
Jamie's decision to request his father as his guardian reflects a deeper need for validation and understanding. Despite their strained relationship, he sees his father as the only one capable of carrying his burden. It is not closeness he seeks but recognition. Jamie's actions, though extreme, are a consequence of absorbing unspoken anger and subtle indifference. His father, by being present, is forced to confront the reality that even in his absence, his influence on Jamie is profound and irreversible.
