Charlie Plummer delivers a performance in Words on Bathroom Walls that years from now, we’ll look back at as the film that lit the fuse of his career. His take on Adam, a teenager who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia is explosive, resonant, important, highly emotional, heartbreaking, and heartwarming. There are several reasons to see Words on Bathroom Walls, but the headline here is a star is born.
Thus far his treatment has involved therapy and pharmaceuticals, and with minimal success. He still hears voices and they’ve even manifested in the fully formed folks who talk and interact with him, including Rebecca (AnnaSophia Robb), an earthy, zen-centric soul, Lobo Sebastian as an aluminum-bat wielding bodyguard-type whose threats hold serious weight, and Aaron Dominguez as Todd—a suave lothario. There is also the stunning work by director Thor Freudenthal and cinematographer Michael Goi as they capture the POV scenes of Adam. From blurry vision to a dark mist that moves in a manner that is a cross between clouds and waves, visually, the film paid loads of attention to what a schizophrenic sufferer not only experiences psychologically and sonically but exists in their field of vision.
Mix that with an actor capturing the precise physical incarnation of schizophrenia and it all adds up to something that is a simultaneous tribute to those with the disease and those who care for them. The film is also a captivating teen-centric love story that feels fresh in a milieu that is well worn.
Molly Parker is pitch-perfect as Adam’s mom. The Deadwood actress portrays Molly, who has been raising her son solo until recently when Walton Goggins’ Paul moves in, practically at the beginning of the film. Goggins is largely seen and not heard for much of the first two acts and rightfully so as his character is entering a tough situation that is actively shifting with the introduction of a new drug treatment that, surprise, is working. But at what cost? The Justified star has much to say, but it is reserved for a reveal that is integral to the emotive power of Words on Bathroom Walls. Parker and Goggins are a solid pair, especially witnessing the actor let the actress command a majority of their scenes and put the supporting in supporting actor. She is clearly a woman who has been battling this psychological demon, all with the hope that there is the possibility of a better life for her child—despite many cases not having the happiest of conclusions.
Taylor Russell (Lost in Space, Waves) portrays Maya. When Adam needs a new school, you can imagine why, he finds himself at a Catholic school at the other end of town and one of the first people he meets is Maya. She’s a valedictorian and as he pursues her for tutoring, this being a YA story, yes, there is a romantic spark that is palpable. But it is complicated. Just as Adam’s meds are working, there are other side effects that he just cannot live with—most notably the aspiring chef loses his sense of taste. Russell’s Maya is not just a love interest, she is a fully developed, three-dimensional character that sadly—is rare. The actress digs into the role and matches her co-stars’ mettle. You truly get the sense that she is navigating her own rough seas, but it speaks volumes to her soul that Maya can be there for Adam in a way that no one has previously.
Even though Adam doesn’t believe in God, there is the most charming of relationships that is forged between Andy and Father Patrick (Andy Garcia). As part of his school week, the students must attend confession. From the get-go as Plummer lets his beliefs be known and Garcia responds in kind, but with understanding, not condescending. Over the course of the film, they develop the most charming of bonds. Between him and Goggins, the teenager has solid male influences surrounding him. How and when he hears their messages is the key to his character’s arc. It is handled extremely well, and it is easy to see how the source material is a book. Julia Walton’s words come alive, appropriately when first seeing Words on Bathroom Walls!
These are real situations that people with mental challenges cope with every day. That is why this feels so authentic and the attention to detail and that arena is what drives and makes the film something that grabs you and doesn’t let you go. There is one moment, though, and this is just nit-picking, that is so “Hollywood.” It doesn’t matter if it was in the book or not, there is this scene with Adam that just does not feel authentic. But that is just one scene out of a cornucopia of cinematic moments that couldn’t be a better YA romance and insight into a mental condition too often swept under the run.
Grade: B+