''Social Suicide'' is a 2015 British

romantic drama Romance films or movies involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typically their journey ...

and

psychological thriller Psychological thriller is a genre combining the thriller and psychological fiction genres. It is commonly used to describe literature or films that deal with psychological narratives in a thriller or thrilling setting. In terms of context and co ...

film starring

India Eisley India Joy Eisley (born October 29, 1993) is an American actress. She is known for her role as Ashley Juergens in the ABC Family television series ''The Secret Life of the American Teenager'', Eve in the 2012 film '' Underworld: Awakening'', Sawa ...

and Jackson Bews. Inspired by

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

's ''

Romeo and Juliet ''Romeo and Juliet'' is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare early in his career about the romance between two Italian youths from feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetim ...

'', the film reunited

Olivia Hussey Olivia Hussey (born Olivia Osuna; 17 April 1951) is an English film, stage, and television actress. Her awards include a Golden Globe Award and a David di Donatello Award. The daughter of Argentine opera singer Andrés Osuna, Hussey was born in ...

(Eisley's real-life mother) and

Leonard Whiting Leonard Whiting (born 30 June 1950) is a British retired actor and singer widely known for his role as Romeo in the 1968 Zeffirelli film version of ''Romeo and Juliet'', a role which earned him the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year � ...

for the first time since the 1968 film adaptation.

Plot

The film is about a group of teenage friends who are regular viners, posting their videos on the internet with the 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 obsessive guy who always carries a camera in the hopes of achieving internet virality. He is taking medicines for anxiety and anger. His friend Reese is in love with Julia, who came close with the intent to make videos together. Both are popular YouTubers, and people like them for what they post. However, Balthazar is submissive and socially awkward and is jealous of this couple. Marc and Ty are found dead, and a team of investigators takes 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 suspects Balthazar to be the chief suspect because of his obsession with making videos. She has a teenage daughter who makes fitness videos in bikinis to become popular, and Dalton is upset by that. So she presumably takes 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, a psychologist comes to his rescue. The film revolves around finding proof from a prime piece of evidence in the form of a memory card with a 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 as disturbed, lack family connections, and are lonely. They make decisions that 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 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. Psychologists supported Balthazar throughout the film with the hope of giving him warmth and understanding of his condition. Still, all went to waste as Bal was so occupied with his upcoming popularity. Bal seems unaware of what harm this video craze has done to him and brought his friends into 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

as Julia Coulson *

as Mrs. Coulson *

Neve McIntosh Neve McIntosh (born Carol McIntosh; 9 April 1972) is a Scottish actress. Early life Born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, McIntosh grew up in Edinburgh, where she attended Boroughmuir High School. She was a member of Edinburgh Youth Theatre in the l ...

as Detective Dalton *

as Mr. Coulson *Aymen Hamdouchi as Hughie *

Richard Cordery Richard Cordery is a character actor of film, television, and stage. Career Film and television Cordery's television credits include ''Rumpole of the Bailey'', as a prosecution Barrister (Series 5 Episode 6 - 1988), ''Doc Martin'' as Dennis Dod ...

as Laurence Emerson *

Shaquille Ali-Yebuah Shaquille Ali-Yebuah (born 26 May 1995) is a British actor. Early life Ali-Yebuah is from London. He trained with Identity School of Acting. Career In 2013, Ali-Yebuah was cast to play a young Steven K Amos in BBC Radio 4's ''What Does the K S ...

as Marc *

Georgia Lock Georgia Nathalie Lock (born 25 October 1996) is an English actress and Television presenter, presenter. She starred in the children's series ''Sadie J'', ''The Evermoor Chronicles'', and presented the CBBC magazine show ''Friday Download''. Earl ...

as Rozi *Jackson Bews as Balthazar *Rollo Skinner as Reese Mattson *

Zac Fox Zac is a masculine given name, often a short form (hypocorism) of Zachary or Zechariah. It may refer to: People: * Zac Alexander (born 1989), Australian professional squash player * Zac Brooks (born 1993), American National Football League play ...

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

External links

* * *{{Official website, http://www.socialsuicidethefilm.com/ 2015 films British romantic drama films British thriller drama films British thriller films Films based on Romeo and Juliet 2010s English-language films 2010s British films