Words On Bathroom Walls Review: A Riveting Showcase Of Love On The Heels Of Despair

Starring: Charlie Plummer, Taylor Russell, Molly Parker, Walton Goggins, Andy Garcia, Anna Sophia Robb, Devon Bostin, Lobo Sebastian

Directed by: Thor Freudental

Written by: Nick Naveda (screenplay), Julia Walton (novel)

Words On Bathroom Walls is a theatrical exploration into the mind of a bright young man troubled with Schizophrenia based on the novel of the same name. Although this was released in cinemas not too long ago you can find this on Video On Demand so need to worry.

The film chronicles the life of Adam Petrazelli (Charlie Plummer). Adam aspires to be a chef but he is thrust into an ‘obstacle course’ by life after being diagnosed with Schizophrenia in the midst of his high school senior year. He’s sent to a catholic school by his mother to complete his school year. There he falls in love with Maya (Taylor Russell) who he struggles to reveal his secrets due to insecurities and fears of the unknown.

Adam must learn to realize that he has a strong support system that will not let him go through this alone and that Maya is now a part of that system.

Names Written On Words on Bathroom Walls

If it wasn’t for Words On Bathroom Walls I’d have absolutely no idea who Charlie Plummer is and I must say this movie delivers a pleasant introduction to him. Charlie was a strong lead in his role as Adam, he embraced the role of a teenager with Schizophrenia and most certainly made it his own. At times he was monotonous and displayed a dry sense of humor and yet he delivered a captivating performance throughout the film as he showcased many layers of his character with great emotional depth.

Let’s talk about Taylor Russell, to say she was perfect for her portrayal of Maya would be a massive understatement, she can make the audience fall in love with her too. She had a wide emotional range as she was able to navigate through the strong and vulnerable sides of her. The chemistry between Taylor and Adam was astonishing to look at, they were completely synchronized with each other.

Words On Bathroom Walls scene with priest

The supporting cast was fantastic, each one of them had a strong presence. Some of them brought sorrow, concern, and joy, some even brought humor simultaneously with symbolism and one brought dread and horror.

Molly Parker and Walter Goggins played Adam’s parents, Beth and Paul. It’s clear they love Adam unconditionally and we can’t help but sympathize with them because they can’t escape this overwhelming feeling of helplessness knowing Adam may never have a normal life.

Andy Garcia played Father Patrick, a priest at Adam’s new school who cares for Adam. He surprised me because this is the first movie I’ve seen him in where he isn’t an antagonist, but his acting remains impeccable. He wasn’t a stereotypical priest, he was relatable, patient, honest, and very wise.

Words Uttered Through Bathroom Walls

These three characters; The Bodyguard, Rebecca, and Joaquin, played by Lobo Sebastian, AnnaSophia Robb, and Devon Bostick respectively were among this movie’s many highlights. They were beings Adam’s psyche conjured in his hallucinations. They provided some comic relief as well as symbolism as they are personifications of Adam’s innermost thoughts and emotions.

Each of them played a critical role in helping Adam in a manner of speaking. The Bodyguard as his name justly implies was basically a defense mechanism and personifies Adam’s need to feel safe and secure. Rebecca was like a loving little sister to Adam who just wants Adam to be happy and that’s why she personified his happiness. Then there’s Joaquin, he was just like this inappropriate horny best friend who wants Adam to “loosen up”, he personified Adam’s sex drive.

There’s a mysterious fourth persona who is unseen and has no name but has a deep haunting voice and when he does show up there is a dark looming cloud in the room that grows the more Adam is afraid. As opposed to other conjured beings who want to help Adam, he just wants to antagonize him. Each time he showed up the movie transforms into horror and it was truly horrifying each time. Without a shadow of a doubt, he is the villain of Words On Bathroom Walls as he personifies Adam’s darkest thoughts, fears, and insecurities.

The voice was a genius mechanism to use inner conflict to create a terrifying villain without a face or a body, and it’s nothing short of incredible.

The Names Behind Words On Bathroom Walls

Thor Freudenthal’s style of directing is something that ought to be commended. He took us on a fantastic exhibition of Adam’s mind throughout the film. The cinematography was stunning, the special effects were amazing and the narrative structure was nothing short of brilliant.

Nick Naveda transitioned Julia Walton’s novel to this movie and the story was consistently engaging with very written dialogue. I was totally oblivious to the novel before l learnt about this movie and I must say I’m so grateful I did, now I looking forward to reading it as well as Julia Walton’s other works.

Words On Bathroom Walls was a beautiful and socially relevant coming-of-age story that stands out from most teen romance dramas that precede it. I can guarantee you your emotions will feel like it’s riding a rollercoaster that dives into melancholy, goes up into anxiety, and spins in euphoria over and over again until you ultimately end up on catharsis. All in all, this movie was fantastic and I loved every minute of it. Great cast, a great director, great writers, and a great story, I strongly recommend this.

Words On Bathroom Walls is available to watch on Video On Demand or on Amazon Prime Video.

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