As of the time I am writing this review, there are two main problems that teenagers are facing: questioning their sexuality and the feelings of depression. From what I have seen in my almost eighteen years of life, it is quite sad a depressing to think about those that are left alone,… More
As of the time I am writing this review, there are two main problems that teenagers are facing: questioning their sexuality and the feelings of depression. From what I have seen in my almost eighteen years of life, it is quite sad a depressing to think about those that are left alone, isolated from the world because they feel that no one understands them, that no one can be their for them. If a teenager is questioning his sexuality, then he/ she feels even more alone if the parents try to tell him that he is just confused, doesnâ(TM)t know what it is that he/ she is talking about. So, what do people do when they feel like they are not wanted? They either tend to get depressed and/or suicidal or find others like them so that they donâ(TM)t feel alone. Suicide Room is a film that handles these themes and offers one of the most bleak looks into the life of a homosexual teenager that is stuck in a world where he is not wanted and the addiction to a false reality that consumes him.
Dommink was, at first, like any other teenager: friends, popularity, parents, name it. His parents are always working, so there is that huge wall that separates them and to make him feel loved, he is allowed to get everything he has ever wanted. Thus creating a spoiled brat. Now, go to his schoolâ(TM)s prom set one hundred days before their final exams. While having a few drinks and smoking a bit, he does this dare in which he has to make out with one of his friends. However, while doing so, he starts to realize that he is actually gay. And once footage of the two of them kissing hitâ(TM)s the internet, it is safe to say that all hell breaks wide open in his mind as he starts this downward spiral of hatred and isolation. His parents? Donâ(TM)t care. His friends? Rejected him. Alone and confused, he learns of a game called â~Suicide Roomâ(TM) where there are teenagers like him that are wanting an escape. The rest of the film only gets darker and darker from that point on.
One thing about the film in general that I must applaud on is how serious and bleak director Jan Komasa takes the material. From viewing this film, it is clear that he does have a deep understanding of the themes, knows how serious the situations are, and is never afraid to show how things really are. As a bisexual teenager and someone who knows people that are beyond similar to Dommink, regardless if it is with sexuality and/or internet addiction, this is heavily appreciated. He is not afraid to show how teenagers are treated in todayâ(TM)s society and this is something that the world needs to see.
Now, for Jakub Gierszalâ(TM)s performance in this film as Dommink, I am pretty much glad to say that he does his job well and with dignity with a touch of realism. I personally feel that he captures the mental mindset of how teenagers work in these situations and presents a clear picture of all of this. Being the first time I have seen him perform, I am beyond thrilled by this performance.
I donâ(TM)t really have much to say other then: this is probably one of the most important films in recent years that involves teenagers. Films rarely touch down into this dark of subject matter (teenage isolation and insanity), and for a film that also adds the themes of sexuality confusion and addiction, this film just captures it all perfectly.
