Social Suicide (film)

Social Suicide
Social Suicide
Directed by	Bruce Webb
Written by	Robert Klecha; Janet Wells
Story by	Janet Wells
Produced by	Janet Wells
Starring	India Eisley; Olivia Hussey; Neve McIntosh; Leonard Whiting;
Cinematography	Oona Menges
Edited by	Christopher C. F. Chow
Release date	1 October 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]

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. The main characters are Balthazar, Reese, Marc, Julia, and Julia's cousin Ty. Other chief characters are Detective Dalton and 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 surprise, 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. 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
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[]

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

External links[]

[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.

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