@SuicideRoom is the story of high school student Dominik whose life is turned upside down after a dare gone wrong. After a night of partying with his friends the gang begin fooling around by having two of his female friends make-out with each other. After all the hooting and hollering is concluded the friends dare him to make-out with his male friend Alex. No big deal. They do and their rich and privileged lives move forward.

The next few days turn turbulent, as the people who he thought were his friends post the clip of him making out with Alex on the internet for the whole world to see. Dominik remains unphased, because it really isn't a big deal. It all culminates with a wrestling match between he and Alex. The events that transpire are what send Dominik into a world of personal oblivion that he isn't so sure he will make it out from in tact.

It also doesn't help matters much that his extremely wealthy parents are too focused on their own problems and careers to care about what Dominik is going through. He retreats to the internet where he discovers (or is discovered) by the beautiful Sylwia who spends her time as an avatar in a website chat room known as the Suicide Room. It's a place where other teens can share their experiences without judgment or persecution. It's a safe haven. They actually have power beyond imagination there.

@SuicideRoom has a lot going for the production mainly that the live action sequences are filmed really well and even the semi-low budget of the animated virtual worlds look fun and neat. I have nothing but praise for that aspect of the film. And now to what really did it in for me: Dominik. Yes, he's the protagonist or our hero-tour guide through the downward spiral that is his life. Boo-freakin-hoo. Am I supposed to sympathize with this kid who has everything in life? He has his very own personal driver that takes him to school everyday! Really? I had to take the bus until I was 25! End rant. It's stuff like this that gets sprinkled throughout the film that made me kind of not care about his plight.

I understand that depression is a disease, but considering that he's very wealthy, I don't buy that he wouldn't get top of the line help for his problems even if his parents have blinders to the world and don't want to face reality. I do think the scenes spent in the virtual world have deep meaning and they're filmed really well, but what turns into a place to vent turns into a place of co-dependency where everyone has tons of problems no matter what they're station in life is. Dramarama.

We're also given insight to his school life after the kissing incident and we get to see how far the mighty have fallen. He was once the popular kid with the prettiest girl, and his status is reduced to being bullied and shunned by those that used to be his best friends. Yes, that part sucks, but that's how it goes. I wish the film showed more solutions than what it hinted at. It's a very bleak and hopeless film, but what I can't shake is the fact that I really didn't empathize with Dominik at all. He's a jerk, whiner, and petty person at times. The fact that he's also rich as hell doesn't help matters much, because very few people (present company included) can identify with that. Maybe if he were more likable then that may have changed my perspective.

There are a few scenes that elevate the film a bit, but for the most part I really didn't care. I can say that it's worth a rental, but just a rental.

The DVD

Video:

@SuicideRoom is presented in 480p (upscaled to 1080p) - 2.35:1 widescreen. The image looks great. It's very dark and gloomy at times, but add an overall stylishness to it. Flesh tones look natural, and never flush. The only problems with the picture come into play during the scenes in the virtual world. Banding, edge enhancement are abundant. It's okay, because the filmmakers obviously didn't have the funds to make it look much better. It is what it is.

Audio:

@SuicideRoom is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1. The audio track is in Polish with English subtitles. This is a pretty aggressive track that also features lots of musical cues and numbers. Lots of emo music is played throughout which give the speaker system a workout and so does the trance music sprinkled here and there. Dialogue is easy to understand (yes, it's still subtitled) and remains centered. Directional effects are pretty realistic especially in the virtual world scenes. Not bad for a standard DD 5.1 track.

• Trailer

Final Thoughts:

@SuicideRoom is bookended with a PSA announcement about suicide and the numbers to call if you're having trouble coping with life. I wish they had a number to call for trying to cope with the movie. I get the feeling that the film will only reach out to the younger demographic.