WORDS ON BATHROOM WALLS

Stunningly edifying is director Thor Freudenthal’s “Words on Bathroom Walls” based on the book by Julia Walton; brilliantly depicts the horrifying challenges of living, adapting, coping in a “normal” world, with schizophrenia; this film, which should be universally viewed, will strip any preconceived ideas about the affliction, clarify the exacting demands visited upon its victim: we see the “unseen people” whose voices threaten sanity, alter behavior, ruin relationships and propel one to suicide. Understanding, is the key ingredient we take away from this exceptional, innovative movie.

Charlie Plummer presciently, empathetically characterizes “Adam Petrazelli” a high school senior, given a last chance to graduate and enter culinary school; tutored by the high school valedictorian “Maya”  (gifted Taylor Russell) he desperately struggles to keep secret, with the aid of medication, his psychosis; underlying issues are the prescriptions that both help and damage Adam; experimentation between doctor and patient seems to be forever in the embryonic stages.

Words on bathroom walls are ubiquitous, random, minus authorship; vandals in their insecurity leave a testimony of viability; ephemeral anonymity, expunged by coat of paint or Black & Decker sander; here we witness the randomness, the roulette of chance, the precariousness of schizophrenia, striking at whim, but not always felling its candidates.

FOUR STARS!!!!

Peneflix