The Perks of Being a Wallflower

I had the pleasure of seeing Perks Of Being A Wallflower at Arclight Cinemas in LA yesterday and it was definitely worth the one hour drive.

The story is very simple yet complicated because of how much goes on. But the way it unfolds is beautiful and sad, sometimes all at once. While it has its funny moments, it also manages to go through dark topics as well such as homosexuality, drugs and death. Stephen Chbosky handles his story very well, never feeling like it's being forced but rather it flowed nicely and carefully.

Directing wise, it was shot very well. The cinematography is gorgeous, especially the scenes where the camera overlooks the skyline of Pittsburgh and during intimate scenes between the characters. You could not get anyone better to direct it other than the author himself because this is his book. This is his vision so he knows exactly how it goes in his head and we can see throughout the film, just how much his vision has truly come alive. The result is both engaging and satisfying.

Same thing with the writing. The dialogue is very honest and beautifully well written. It was very fun to quote along with the movie. Not just the writing but the overall tone of the film reminds me a little bit of John Hughes' work. Adapting a epistolary book into a film is incredibly challenging but Mr. Chbosky did a fine job of translating it into a film.

The musical score is done by Michael Brook who's also responsible for Into The Wild, another favorite of mine, and he did a very good job. In fact, one of the scores made me cry because of how it emotionally resonated with the scene it was fitting in. The soundtrack is awesome. Along with Mr. Chbosky, Alexandra Patsavas, who's also the music supervisor for The OC, did a great job of picking out the songs and treated it as if it were a mix tape.

Logan Lerman, my god, he did a masterful job as Charlie. The character literally jumped out of the book and made its way onto the big screen. Logan's performance blew me away. He did such an amazing job portraying the embodiment of Charlie through his expressions, his emotions, his movements, everything! So perfectly cast. The last 10 minutes of the movie alone is awards worthy because it really shows how talented he really is. I fell in love with his performance. So perfect in every way.

Emma Watson did a great job playing as Sam. She is very beautiful and charming. As for her American accent, I thought she did an okay job. There were times where you can kind of hear her British accent slip in and even though you notice it, it's nothing distracting and it didn't really bother me. But you have to give her credit for trying her best and she truly did. I enjoyed her performance very much.

The second standout of the film is Ezra Miller! He plays Patrick, a gay character who's not afraid of who he is and Ezra portrays him amazingly well. I've seen almost all of his work, and he's becoming a great actor who's very rare in the sense that he's brave and daring in contrast to the roles he has previously played. He steals every line and scene he's in, becoming the comic relief. But even so, Patrick has his own personal problem and this is where Ezra Miller proves once again just how great of an actor he is.

Everyone else in their supporting roles all have their moments. Nina Dobrev, who plays Candance aka Charlie's sister, did a good job. Mae Whitman as Mary Elizabeth was hilarious. Adam Hagenbuch as Bob was great. Erin Wilhelmi as Alice, Johnny Simmons as Brad and Nicholas Braun as Derek were all fine.

The rest of the cast: Kate Walsh and Dylan McDermott who play the parents as well as Joan Cusack who plays Charlie's Doctor were all good, despite having little screen time. Melanie Lynskey did a very good job as Aunt Helen. Paul Rudd as Mr. Anderson is awesome. He's also a standout. Paul Rudd in general is a very likable actor and again, he doesn't have a lot of screen time either but he still manages to play his part memorably.

What makes the cast so special is the chemistry. Everyone got along so well and you can tell that they're very comfortable with each other and you feel convinced that these people are really friends. It was absolutely perfect.

I love this movie. It's amazing. And I'm not just saying this because I'm a die-hard fan of the book. It has a great script, great cast, it's well directed, awesome soundtrack and undeniable strong performances. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower may not be the most faithful adaptation but the spirit of the story is still there and it does great justice to the book. This is one of the best coming of age movies I've ever seen.

The Perks…as it were, was a bit of a marvel when discussing what teenagers have to contend with. Anyone that decides to see this film expecting a run of the mill high school drama or teenage angst tale will be pleasantly surprised at the depth with which this story delves. This adaptation of Stephen Chbosky's novel seemed to take the difficulties facing one young man embarking on his high school journey through one extreme situation after another. I could visualize a totally different version of this tale of misfit toys being played out where all is right with the world and Charlie (Logan Lerman) is the most popular freshman in school for the simple fact that all his friends are seniors. The immediate infatuation that Charlie had with Sam (Emma Watson) was no surprise, what did surprise me was the challenges that she and her step brother Patrick/Nothing (Ezra Miller) had to endure. Even I started to get annoyed as the school year progressed and the running 'Nothing' joke persisted. It's always surprising when a story focuses on well to do young people whose lives would be expected to mimic a fairytale. This story gives insight into the fact that some young people have the same if not even more struggles than others and having money can't really fix that. I found it interesting that there was no clear indication in the story as to the school year, even at graduation there was none of the typical 'Class of '92' or whatever to show how proud of their time graduates are. It may be that Mr. Chbosky wanted to steer clear of associating the story with a specific year, but it was obviously the early 90's when the primary mode of sharing and exchanging music was via cassette. I recall so very clearly the good old days when the 'mix tape' ruled. I have to say that I liked Emma Watson as an American teenager, she can cross the pond and put it down any time. Yes there were a few moments in her dialog that she sounded like Hermione, but this role did a great deal to paint her in a different and mature light. I am not drawn to tales of the human condition unless there is a deep truth to be gleaned from the story, so if I had to say the moral of the story is… It would be 'you gotta have friends'. This story worked because of what the three key characters gained from getting to know each other. I give it a green light.

Saw this movie at TIFF and after watching the trailer was thinking I was going to enjoy this movie. Those expectations now are so very low, this movie is amazing. It speaks on many different levels of being a teenager, dealing with death, loneliness, and how awkward it can be trying to fit in. I haven't seen a move like this in a very long time and was very refreshing. The highlight of the film for me at least from a acting stand point is Ezra Miller really funny, but very heartfelt at the same time. Don't get me wrong the whole case is amazing (Emma Watson was perfect for this after HP) but Ezra really stands out. Stephen Chbosky really cared about this book, and it really shows in this film. Him Directing and writing his own book was a amazing idea.

It's going to get many comparisons to a John Hughes film, and rightfully so this movie is heart felt and just amazing.

I will definitely being seeing this film again.

Stephen Chbosky's 1990s-set very young adult-oriented book is brilliant, being funny, touching, insightful, thought-provoking and relatable. Hearing that Chbosky also directed and screenplay-adapted, as well as being attracted by the involvement of Paul Rudd and Joan Cusack, expectations were high...and although the book has more depth to the characters and situations those expectations were met.

'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' may not break new ground and it may be clichéd, which may be reasons enough for people to hate it, but considering the main target audience and being based around coming-of-age, teenage angst and high school life these were inevitable. Nonetheless, 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' did a great job making an emotionally varied film that will resonate with most people of all ages and gender.

It is much more than just another high school/teenage angst film, and is a believable depiction of coming-of-age, friendship and hidden torment that makes one nostalgic and remember the fun and difficulties of school life. It's not flawless, some scenes and transitions like the blackouts end rather abruptly, it occasionally descends into schmaltz like with the past flashbacks and the Charlie and Mary Elizabeth relationship while charming is rushed and makes Mary Elizabeth less likable compared to the rest of the film.

However, 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' is beautifully shot and clearly loves the scenery. The music is suitably melancholic and the choice of songs infectious and nostalgia-inducing especially David Bowie and an excerpt of 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' in one of 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower's' most entertaining scenes, that made me love that film all over again and captured the immense fun, wildness and danger of seeing it in theatres with an audience.

Chbosky adapts his book admirably, not everything is included which is not unexpected due to it being an adaptation and not every detail can translate to a just over an hour and a half film. The spirit however is there, there are funny moments, thoughtful moments, insightful moments, inspirational moments and poignant moments balanced beautifully. For a film director debut, he also does a more than competent job, actually very impressive and puts directors who did it for years to wildly variable success to shame.

When it comes to the story, it is not perfect in execution but made me care for the characters and their situations and made me laugh, smile, cry and inspired in equal measure. The daring ending is shocking and brought tears to my eyes and credit is due tackling such mature themes with sensitivity and never preaching. The characters are compelling.

Logan Lerman has never been better and being a fellow shy introvert in school it was easy for me to relate to him, while Emma Watson (even with the variable accent) gives one of her better non-Hermione Granger performances and overall. Mae Whitman shows strong comedic chops and Ezra Miller is a real standout on a flamboyant and hilarious role.

Not that the adults are less good. A long way from that, even with less screen time. Paul Rudd is particularly great as the teacher that inspires Charlie the most, again having had an inspirational teacher in school and an even more inspirational head of department at music college that also resonated with me. Joan Cusack only appears at the end but she is very good at being sympathetic yet firm. Again Melanie Lynskey has very short screen time, but she also excels at making us hate her for being the catalyst for Charlie's torment. Kate Walsh and Dylan McDermott have very little to do but fare well too.

Overall, an excellent film that blossoms beautifully despite its faults. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Went to an advance screening expecting your usual "shy kid in high school learns to stick up for himself" sort of feel-good drama. This movie is so much more than that - I was truly blown away by the mature themes and moving characters. Mental illness, sexual abuse, drugs and alcohol... I think the writer/screenwriter/director said it best in the Q+A after when he said it was a film that looked at the emotional aspects of that point in life without being sentimental. I really cared about these three teens - Charlie, Sam, and Patrick - and their story never felt cheesy. Just real, and moving, and touching. Go see this movie!