Today, Stan drops its next Australian original in the form of a book adaptation of Bad Behaviour.
When we begin, we are introduced to 25-year-old Jo Mackenzie (Jana McKinnon), an aspiring writer working in hospitality, who receives a blast from the past when she bumps into Alice Kana (Yerin Ha), a world-renowned cellist who she hasn’t seen in 10 years since their time at the rural all-girls boarding school Silver Creek. And it’s not long before all the memories start flooding back.
Jo arrives at Silver Creek after being dropped off by her parents Keith (Dan Speilman) and Caroline (Diana Glenn), excited for the year ahead on an academic scholarship. Things start off great as she quickly befriends fellow scholar-student Alice, with both of them living in the same dormitory: Red House. It’s living in Red House that Jo is forced to confront who she is and where she belongs.
Drawn to the charismatic Portia (Markella Kavenagh), who users her temper to wield power over those living in Red House, and her untouchable sidekicks Ronnie (Erana James) and Briohny (Melissa Kahraman), Jo soon earns the reputation as a bad girl, putting her scholarship at risk. But having Portia’s approval is worth it. If Jo wants to fit in and survive, she might just have to lose herself in the process.
And when Portia turns up in the present time, it becomes obvious that Jo must face her past and the consequences of the decisions made by her 15-year-old self.
Based on Rebecca Starford’s novel and written by Pip Karmel and Magda Wozniak, the four-part series hooks within the opening minutes, and offers a look at the role of peer pressure and the universal concept of waning to fit in with the popular crowd.
Thanks to captivating performances from its mostly fresh cast who all shine in their roles, Bad Behaviour demands your attention this weekend.
4 Stars
Bad Behaviour is now streaming on Stan.
