Words on Bathroom Walls

I have a soft spot for adaptations based on YA literature (although I have not read the book upon which Words on Bathroom Walls is based) and I am becoming more and more impressed with Charlie Plummer (go here and here) so I decided to see this movie last night.  Adam Petrizelli (Plummer) is a high school senior who begins hearing voices and having hallucinations in the form of Rebecca (AnnaSophia Robb), Joaquin (Devon Bostick), and The Bodyguard (Lobo Sebastian).  After a psychotic break in his chemistry class which injures his friend, he is diagnosed with schizophrenia and expelled from school.  He is eventually accepted in a trial for a new medication but is hesitant to take it because he doesn't know what the side effects will be.  He begins attending a Catholic school where no one knows him and decides to take the medication to be more normal so he doesn't end up like the people who are written about on the bathroom wall.  He meets Maya Arnez (Taylor Russell) and hides his condition from her because he really likes her and doesn't want to lose her. When he decides to stop taking the medication because he doesn't like the side effects, it becomes harder and harder to hide his condition.  After another psychotic break while at the prom with Maya he must decide if he will be defined by his illness.  I liked the dynamic between Adam and Maya because she also has a secret that she is keeping from him and they both must become vulnerable enough to share their secrets with each other to be happy.  The ending is a little bit cheesy but it does have a really great message about having the courage to be yourself.  I also really appreciated that the story goes beyond the typical teenage romantic comedy to explore the realities of mental illness and I found it to be very affecting, especially a scene where Adam talks about how kids with cancer get their wishes fulfilled while kids with mental illness get hidden away.  Plummer gives a highly nuanced and sympathetic performance that very cleverly puts the audience inside the head of someone with schizophrenia.  The rest of the cast is also excellent including Russell who is absolutely luminous as Maya and has great chemistry with Plummer, Molly Parker who is compelling as a mother willing to do anything to save her son, and Andy Garcia who is charming as a supportive priest.  This is a poignant coming of age story that shines a light on a little known mental illness that I highly recommend!