Rating: 4.0
Whoever said that the writer was dead?
Stephen Chbosky proves that statement wrong in the film that he not only wrote, but also directed and executively produced The Perks of Being a Wallflower, a novel which he himself penned down.
Perks is the story of a troubled young man named Charlie and his story as he goes on to his first year in high school, and tries to figure out what everyone asks themselves at least once in their lives. Who am I? Why am I here? Will anyone ever love me?
Beautiful, poignant, and deeply true to the essence of the book – the film explored the many truths and themes of adolescent life (or even just life in general) that Chbosky originally presented in his debut novel. Logan Lerman, who plays the role of Charlie, shows a commendable performance in mixing up Charlie’s quirky personality while his co-stars Emma Watson and Ezra Miller provided a perfect portrayal of Sam and Patrick (respectively), making the film feel much more genuine and more than just another movie where audiences would giggle at cute romantic parts.
No, Perks of Being a Wallflower was definitely more than that. It showed audiences one of the most romanticised sides of being young – that the hero is not always a strapping young man who takes off his glasses and suddenly becomes the ruling class. It showed audiences that even heroes break, and that sometimes, our worst villain could very well be just lurking in our own minds. Despite there being holes in the plotline, such as the bullying girls and Ponytail Derek, as a whole – the story was well-structured and well presented.
In a coming of age film unlike any other in current Hollywood cinema, Perks of Being a Wallflower definitely measured up to par with the hype it generated. It is something you can enjoy by yourself, with your friends and family – either way; the picture will have you beside yourself with raw emotion. Because when those credits roll, you will swear, in that moment, that film you saw was infinite.
