Absolute Beginners (Absolutni Debiutanci) is a Polish teen romantic drama series released on Netflix on October 26, 2023. It is directed by Kamila Tarabura and Katarzyna Warzecha. The script is co-written by Tarabura, Nina Lewandowska and Jędrzej Napiecek. There are 6 episodes of the show with a duration of between 40 and 45 minutes.
The cast of the series includes Martyna Byczkowska as Lena, Bartłomiej Deklewa as Niko, Jan Salasinski as Igor, Paulina Krzyzanska as Malwina, Kefas Brand as Enzo, Katarzyna Warnke as Tamara, Anna Krotoska as Bogusia, Piotr Witkowski as Dawid, Andrzej Konopka as Paweł, Julian Świeżewski as Marcin and others.
Creators: Nina Lewandowska, Kamila Tarabura
Stars: Martyna Byczkowska, Bartlomiej Deklewa, Jan Salasinski
The series begins in a rather strange way, where you see Lena and Niko running to the beach, wearing Victorian-era clothing, and jumping into the water. Then you realize that they are actually running to save a child who is drowning in the water. The scene jumps to the past, where Lena and Niko are trying to make a movie to apply to film school. We don't really know what it is about, but Lena hints that it's about love.
On the other hand, Lena's parents, Tamara and Dawid, move to Italy and put their house up for sale. They had planned to move to a hotel for the time being, but Lena completely refuses since she has to work with Niko on the movie. Thus, the two families end up living in Niko's house. Lena and Niko have been best friends since childhood and are "too close" as they call it. However, Lena is on the autism spectrum and finds it difficult to process subtle emotions and express herself correctly, without appearing self-centered and single-minded.
Even while making the movie, she comes up with an intimate scene between her and Niko. Not understanding that Niko might not be interested in that, she persistently asks him to have sex with her and often imposes herself on him. That is until they save Igor from drowning on the beach and even then, Lena tries to film the vulnerable moment. Watching Niko resurrect Igor, she realizes that he could become the male lead.
Igor, on the other hand, is a basketball player trying to get a spot on well-established teams. Although he is the captain of his regional team, his coach always scolds him for drinking and partying during his free time, instead of seriously concentrating on the game. Through his friendship with Lena and Niko, he slowly begins to question his own life choices and what he really wants to achieve.
Almost every character in the series has a story that shapes the world in which they live. Whether it's the parents, the coach or estranged friends, each of them is going through a difficult situation and looking for a way out. Love is the central theme throughout, whether it is Bogusia's dilemma over her extramarital affair or Pawalek's attempt to win her back, Tamara's desire to move out or Lena's insistence on having an intimate scene to satisfy her curiosity. It's all quite complicated but it shows itself subtly. Initially, one might even feel confused about the events that happen because we don't have any context about the story or the characters.
We get to know them through the events that come their way and how they deal with them. Lena's eccentricity could be the biggest misunderstanding until her autism is revealed. Through Lena, Niko, Igor and even Malwina, we can see the world through the eyes of these young adults who want to build a better future but are trapped in a routine that makes them insecure. As they strive to break out of that continuous cycle, they meet new people, realize their true selves, and experience some of their first experiences together.
What makes this series different is the subtlety with which they portray the emotions that are built. Especially with Lena's character, it's unique to see a person on a spectrum who isn't presented as a practical emotional disaster and who has a typical crisis as a redemption arc. Something that Polish cinema does best is bring creative stories or new perspectives that you would never have thought of. Overall, it's a beautiful story that everyone from different walks of life can enjoy.
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