If you enjoyed the groundbreaking four-part Netflix series Adolescence, you should watch Primal Fear, which is one of Richard Gere’s best movies. One criticism of the crime genre is that it can be slow-moving and formulaic, but this does not apply to Adolescence or Primal Fear, which both shocked their audiences. The four episodes of Adolescence tell the story of Jamie, a 13-year-old boy who has been accused of murdering his classmate, Katie. The series looked into the terrifying world of the misogynistic incel subculture, with every episode delivering a new twist in the story.

Adolescence is a very self-contained series, with each episode being filmed in one continuous camera shot. This means that the show is driven by the exceptional acting performances of its cast rather than relying on explosive action scenes and fights. It is one of the most tense TV shows available to stream right now and currently has a 99% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes. If you enjoyed the suspense and characters in Adolescence, and are looking for something similar to watch in a shorter amount of time, you should watch Primal Fear next.

If You Liked Adolescence, You Should Watch The 1996 Drama, Primal Fear

Adolescence and Primal Fear Contain A Similar Twist At Different Times

Primal Fear stars Richard Gere as Martin Vail, a defense attorney who takes on the case of a young man, Aaron Stampler, who is accused of murder. Throughout the movie, as Aaron protests his innocence, Martin discovers that there is much more to the story. Primal Fear and Adolescence build their stories in similar ways, with each episode of Adolescence giving the characters and viewer a new and more frightening insight into the murder. That said, Primal Fear‘s ending took the movie from good to great, while Adolescence was consistently excellent from the first episode to the last.

The first episode of Adolescence sets up its characters and introduces Jamie as a terrified young boy.

Both Adolescence and Primal Fear feature a similar twist, but they each use this twist differently. The first episode of Adolescence sets up its characters and introduces Jamie as a terrified young boy, protesting his innocence. This is shattered at the end of the first episode when CCTV confirms Jamie to be the killer. The ending of Primal Fear reveals that Aaron, who had claimed to be suffering from Disassociative Identity Disorder was fully sane and responsible for the murder. Primal Fear‘s twist ending is a shock, while Adolescence uses the twist to intrigue viewers, leading into the second episode.

Adolescence & Primal Fear Both Have Remarkable Acting Debuts

Owen Cooper’s Next Casting Is Impressive (But Not Surprising)

In Adolescence, Jamie is played by 15-year-old Owen Cooper, in his acting debut. The terrifying third episode, which shows Jamie turning from a shy child into a violent young man, was the first episode of Adolescence to be filmed, and Cooper’s first time on set. Cooper’s portrayal of Jamie has attracted rave reviews, just like one of the Primal Fear actors. Primal Fear‘s Aaron is played by Edward Norton, who went on to star in Fight Club and American History X. Even after an impressive subsequent acting career, Primal Fear is one of Edward Norton’s best movies.

Owen Cooper has now been cast as Heathcliff in Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of the novel, Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff is one of the main characters and this is an impressive development for the career of Owen Cooper. That said, as Heathcliff is also a complex man, who, like Jamie, had fits of cruelty and rage, it is not surprising that the young actor was cast after his performance in Adolescence. It is currently too early to tell, but Cooper’s career may follow a similar path as Edward Norton’s, who also made his career playing troubled and angry men.