Words on Bathroom Walls is a 2020 American coming-of-age[3] romantic drama film directed by Thor Freudenthal and written by Nick Naveda, based on the novel of the same name by Julia Walton. The film stars Charlie Plummer, Andy García, Taylor Russell, AnnaSophia Robb, Beth Grant, Molly Parker and Walton Goggins. Words on Bathroom Walls was released on August 21, 2020, by Roadside Attractions. It received generally positive reviews from critics.
Adam Petrazelli is a high school senior who experiences an apparent psychotic break at school, is diagnosed with schizophrenia and enters a medical trial to treat his condition. Throughout the film, he is accompanied by the visions of Rebecca (new age hippie), Joaquin (the best friend) and “The Bodyguard”, as well as a deep threatening voice.
Adam starts taking his new medication after transferring to St. Agatha’s Catholic School. He begins to experience side effects such as muscle twitching. He makes a new friend, Maya, who tutors him, but doesn’t tell her about his condition. After having another psychotic break during a dinner with his mom, Adam stops taking the new pills.
Adam takes Maya to an outdoor screening of her favorite movie, Never Been Kissed, where Rebecca and Joaquin try to encourage Adam to express feelings to Maya but a deep voice starts to prey on his insecurity. He admits to having insecurity over his mother having another kid with Paul, but after he apologizes, he asks Maya to prom, even though she’s against the idea of it. She accepts, and they have their first kiss. His work gets so much better that he writes an essay that is accepted to be read at graduation.
His mother finds out Adam has stopped taking his medication, and berates him for this. At school, Sister Catherine has been told about this and of the incident at his last school by his mom and stepdad and she announces that the school will be suspending him temporarily, instead of expulsion, for the safety of other students. Adam lashes out at Paul for writing the email to Sister Catherine the previous night, which Adam finds suspicious. The suspension also means he can’t go to prom, but he defies everyone’s orders and goes anyway. Arriving at the prom, he picks up Maya but as they dance together, Adam is plagued by the deep voice while Sister Catherine tries to kick him out. As his vision goes erratic, Adam pushes the nun to the ground and runs away. He runs to the top bleachers and falls over the ledge.
