Words on Bathroom Walls – An Engaging Mature YA Entry

Based off of the 2017 novel of the same name, Words on Bathroom Walls is a successful entry in the ‘Young Adult book to film adaptation’ catalogue. Director Thor Freudenthal is no stranger to adapting popular YA stories into films as his body of work includes Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters. Freudenthal manages to tackle a more mature subject matter while still keeping the story wholesome and level headed. While studios continue to churn out similar stories that come and go, Words on Bathroom Walls is able to break the mold thanks to an imaginative script and the acting ensemble involved.

Words on Bathroom Walls tells the story of Adam Petrizelli (Plummer), a high school senior who suffers a psychotic break at school and is eventually expelled. Adam begins to envision characters living inside his head, manipulating his own thoughts and causing him to step out of line. Petrizelli is diagnosed with schizophrenia and put on a medical trial to combat the disorder. At the request of his mother Beth (Molly Parker) and her partner Paul (Walton Goggins), Adam is relocated to a Catholic school to finish the remainder of his senior year. There he meets Maya (Russell), the most intelligent student at the school and the class valedictorian. The two strike a friendship thanks to Maya tutoring Adam and serve as a voice of reason for each other. At school, administration is made aware of Adam’s condition, resulting in a series of events causing Adam to spiral out of control. Adam is left having to come to terms with who he is if he wants to have any chance of pursuing a life outside of high school.

Words on Bathroom Walls boasts an impressive cast including the likes of Plummer, Russell, Parker, Goggins, and Garcia as Father Patrick. We’ve seen Plummer showcase his talent in films such as Lean on Pete and All the Money in the World but his work here might be his most prominent as he depicts a character in the midst of a tug of war match with his own demons inside his head. Through the performance of Plummer we’re able to experience the commotion inside Adam’s mind, making for a cerebral viewing experience. Meanwhile, Russell, the breakout star of Waves, radiates so much charisma on-screen as Maya, the love interest of Adam. The chemistry between Plummer and Russell is genuine and is a major reason why this film works.

Thanks to the talent in front and behind the camera, Words on Bathroom Walls offers an honest depiction of mental illness on screen without sugarcoating the repercussions. Though the film can feel a little long at times, it manages to tiptoe around the usual YA tropes, resulting in a rewarding watch. For both Charlie Plummer and Taylor Russell the film serves as another notch in their belts as they continue to carve out impressive performances in their young careers.

still courtesy of VVS Films

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mattprazak