Social Suicide (film)

Social Suicide
Directed by Bruce Webb
Produced by Janet Wells
Written by Robert Klecha
Janet Wells
Story by Janet Wells
Starring
Cinematography Oona Menges
Edited by Christopher C. F. Chow
Release date
 October 1, 2015
Running time
 92 minutes
Country United Kingdom
Language English

Social Suicide is a 2015 British romantic drama psychological thriller starring India Eisley and Jackson Bews. Inspired by William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet,[1] the film reunited Olivia Hussey (Eisley's real life mother) and Leonard Whiting for the first time since the 1968 film adaptation.[2]

Social Suicide is a teen thriller loosely based on Romeo and Juliet examining the extreme lengths teenagers will go to get noticed on the internet today. After two teenagers die and one is in a coma, police interrogate Balthazar while seeking their prime suspect. But while the police wade through masses of footage: CCTV, Jackass style stunts, vlogs, vines, memes, snapchats and mobile uploads, Balthazar plots to escape from custody so he rescue his best friend before it's too late. Social Suicide serves up suspense, thrills, drama and romance while the audience is kept guessing until the very end. But more importantly, Social Suicide is a film with heart and gives this classic tragedy a very modern twist.[3]

Plot

The film is about a group of teenage friends who are regular viners, post their videos on internet with a hope of becoming popular. Main characters are Balthazar, Reese, Marc, Julia, and Julia's cousin Ty. Other chief characters are Detective Dalton, his staff of investigators including IT experts and a Psychologist, Laurence Emerson.

Balthazar is an obsessed guy who is always carrying a camera with hopes of getting a chance to make a video which can fetch him 1 million views/likes. He is taking medicines for anxiety and anger. His friend Reese is in love with Julia who came close with intent to make videos together. Both are popular tubers and people like them for what they post. However, Balthazar is submissive and socially awkward and is jealous of this couple.

The movie begins when Marc and Ty are found dead and a team of investigators take Balthazar into custody for interrogation. He seems scared and confused to the psychologist but deceptive to Detective Dalton from the beginning. One of the reasons Dalton is suspecting Balthazar to be the chief suspect because of his obsession with making videos. She has a teenage daughter who makes fitness videos in bikini to become popular and Dalton is upset by that. So probably she is taking out her anger at Bal when she suspects him without any evidence. But Balthazar too lies on several occasions and changes his version of the whole incident when he is scared. At these times, psychologist comes to his rescue. The film revolves around finding proof from a prime piece of evidence in the form of a memory card which has true version of what happened that night, filmed by Balthazar. The detectives have to see how much Balthazar is speaking the truth and whether there is something more to the story. To the viewer's surprize, the film takes a horrifying turn when the truth is finally revealed from the memory card video.

Most of these teenagers in the film are shown disturbed, lack family connection and are lonely. They take decisions which are misinformed and risky. They don't understand the consequences of their behaviors and interests. While leaving police custody, when the psychologist Emerson suggests Balthazar to stop making videos and go for participatory activities in the real social world, Balthazar seems totally ignorant of the message in his words and tells him that now he is going to make the video that deserves 1 million views. Psychologist supported Balthazar throughout the film with a hope of giving him warmth and understand his condition, but all went to waste as Bal was so occupied with his upcoming popularity. Bal seems to have no awareness of what harm this video craze has done to him and brought his friends in a trouble. This scenario can be found in everyday life too where parents and mental health experts struggle to make kids understand the consequences of their risky actions and unfortunately the hormonal rush of adolescence makes this difficult to achieve. The movie shows very closely the delicate make-up of the teenage mind and how things can go wrong if parents don't pay much attention and do not connect with them emotionally.

Cast

  • India Eisley as Julia Coulson
  • Olivia Hussey as Mrs. Coulson
  • Neve McIntosh as Detective Dalton
  • Leonard Whiting as Mr. Coulson
  • Aymen Hamdouchi as Hughie
  • Richard Cordery as Laurence Emerson
  • Shaquille Ali-Yebuah as Marc
  • Georgia Lock as Rozi
  • Jackson Bews as Balthazar
  • Rollo Skinner as Reese Mattson
  • Zac Fox as Junior Tech
  • Barney White as Ty
  • Gio Fonseca as Justin
  • Luke Mordue as Young Cop
  • Christian Di Sciullo as Cop
  • Meg McNaughton as Family Friend
  • Jurgen Schwarz as Custody Officer
  • Eleanor Thorn as Sarah
  • Katy Helps as Police Woman
  • Millie Mason as Millie
  • Alistair Donegan as O'Rourke
  • Vicky Peirson as Registrar
  • Bethan Williams-James as Baked Bean Girl

References

  1. ↑ Ford, Rebecca (23 September 2014). "'Romeo and Juliet' Stars Leonard Whiting, Olivia Hussey Reuniting for 'Social Suicide'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  2. ↑ Wise, Damon (27 September 2015). "Raindance: Bruce Webb on Directing Teen Web-Media Thriller 'Social Suicide'". Variety. Retrieved 26 February 2017.
  3. ↑ Social Suicide (2015), retrieved 2018-05-03
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