-by Mayank Pana BA(JMC) II
Adolescence:
In today’s digital age, children are exposed to the internet at an early age, where they have access to anything and everything. This raises a haunting question: Are parents still the biggest teachers of their children, or has the screen taken over that role? How much control can a parent really have over what their child consumes online?
These are some of the uncomfortable but necessary questions that bubble underneath Adolescence, a gripping and unsettling mini-series streaming on Netflix.
Directed by the brilliant Philip Barantini, known for his signature one-shot filmmaking style. Every one of its four episodes is shot in a single, unbroken take, while that’s an impressive technical achievement, it’s not the show’s biggest strength. What truly sets it apart is its writing. It doesn’t just tell you the events, it explores the psychology behind them. It’s not a crime thriller obsessed with “who did it” — it’s a psychological drama that dares to ask why something happened in the first place.
The story begins with a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering a classmate. The first episode unflods to answer the question, Did he do it? But that’s only the surface. The remaining episodes shift focus, not on solving a mystery, but on exposing the effects of the incident. We see how one moment shatters lives, the accused, his family, his friends. Each episode gives us a different perspective, digging into how trauma, guilt, confusion, and silence travel through a community.
Of course, the one-shot style has its drawbacks. Some scenes feel unnecessarily stretched — like one where the boy scans each of his fingers at a police station. Without cuts, these moments can feel sluggish. But strangely, this also adds realism, as if you’re a silent observer trapped inside the situation.
Adolescence doesn’t spoon-feed answers or tie things up neatly. It leaves you with questions, discomfort, and reflection. It’s one of those shows that lingers long after the credits roll, in you thought and even in reality.
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