Is the phenomenon series additional?

Carried by the name of the creator of the original version ofEuphoria, Bad Boy was immediately propelled into the category of series-events. Eight under tension episodes, inspired by the delinquent youth of the Israeli actor Daniel Chen, now a recognized humorist.

Co-directed by Hagar Ben-Aashe and Ron Leshem, this production immerses us in the prison universe of a minor center in Israel. Two months after the tidal wave Adolescenceit stands out as another immersion in the flaws of a broken youth.

Hell of bars

It all starts with the brutal arrest of Dean, 13, denounced by his own mother. Transferred to the prison center for OKEF minors, he got to know Zion Zoro, a fellow prisoner. Between violent detention scenes, complex relationships with adults in charge and recurring returns on the adult Dean that has become Daniel, the series deploys an original staging and a fragmented narration. The Parisian salute “The quality of the actors and the play of the actors [qui] bring a real depth to the story ”.

Raw realism, directly inspired by Daniel Chen’s youth, gives Bad Boy An intensity rarely affected in prison dramas. For Martin Cid Magazinethe work manages to mix “Humor, realism” and a “Cinematographic quality” which captures attention.

Correctness and singularity

The link between Dean and Zoro, built on ambiguity, is one of the emotional pillars of the story. The Time recognize that “The series is much better when it retraces the relationship of the young Dean with her cell companion”embodied by Havtamo Farda. Movie Jawn evokes for its part a “Beautifully illustrated friendship” And notes the rare accuracy in the interpretation of roles.

Another underlined asset: the artistic direction. Despite a sometimes dissonant aesthetic, some criticisms note the originality of the approach. Martin Cid Magazine sees in the alternation between past and present “A complex portrait of its protagonist”where the stand-up is not only used as a comment, but becomes a form of catharsis.

The quest for balance

And Bad Boy can seduce, it is not unanimous. Starting with its inevitable comparison with Adolescenceanother Success of Netflix released a few weeks earlier. For The Timethe Israeli show suffers from the apparent proximity between the two intrigues – the same age of the protagonist, same context of adolescent violence – while lacking a “Precise and insightful approach”. The magazine criticizes an unequal tone and a confused narration, marked by “An unnecessarily elliptical narrative structure”.

Humor, however supposed to play a counterpoint role, divides. The American newspaper deplores “Superficial jokes”. The balance between satire and gravity remains fragile, disturbed by elements of staging deemed incongruous, like a soundtrack oscillating between folk and electronic beats or brief animated sequences. Movie Jawn Also note that by dint of wanting to kiss several registers, the series sometimes ends up getting lost.

Thematic gaps

Finally, certain crucial subjects – racism, religious conflict, role of institutions – are barely sketched. Where Adolescence drawn up an incisive social observation, Bad Boy seems to be scattered, without giving these issues the place they deserve. The character of Zoro, for example, is marked by his Ethiopian origin, but this prism remains under-exploited. The tensions between Jewish and Muslims prisoners are mentioned, then quickly abandoned. Movie Jawn regret that “The emotional heart [de l’œuvre] seems perpetual movement “.

Despite these shortcomings, Bad Boy There remains a rare proposition by its subject, its origin and its anchoring in the lived experience. The project is ambitious, sincere, visceral. But as pointed out The Timehe sometimes misses “Something essential” To be one with the expectations aroused.