Reviewed by Olana Osborn

Based off of the 2009 novel, Jasper Jones is a murder mystery film that recently debuted in cinemas. Charlie, the 14-year-old bookworm and main character, offers a fresh perspective of late 1960’s innocence as he is charged with helping Jasper Jones, the outcast mixed-race teen, find out who killed Jones’ true love.

Small town Western Australia is perfectly depicted with warm weather, cricket games, and the ‘everybody knows everything about everyone’ scene. I found the plot to be full and unpredictable, leaving me on the edge of my seat as the expected turnout of certain scenes took unexpected turns.

There were many times where I could feel the emotions of the characters as I saw them being forced into adulthood in their meager teenage years. Their future was never foreshadowed, but left to the imagination of the viewer, allowing one to project their own hopeful vision onto the characters.

The ending of the film left viewers with a good balance of resolved conflict and unforetold opportunity. Charlie’s dilemmas are the crux of the plot, yet this film unravels many layers of love, corruption, mystery, success, and erudition.

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