"1:54" intends to be a straight-shooting social drama about the multifaceted problem of bullying in the digital age, but it's out of touch with how real teenagers think and act and communicate. It's a modern film that feels like a relic.

A potentially meaningful movie that hands us a double dose of despair when a ray of hope was needed.

This timely Quebecois drama can sometimes creep too far into afterschool special territory, but the intense emotions on display give it a certain raw staying power.

Emotions are raw and vivid, and there are also moments of earthy humour and hopefulness to balance the story's bleak edges.