The Perks of Being a Wallflower [2012]
Directed by: Stephen Chbosky
Written by: Stephen Chbosky (based on his novel)
Starring: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Paul Rudd, Johnny Simmons, Dylan McDermott, Melanie Lynskey, Kate Walsh, Nina Dobrev, Mae Whitman, Joan Cusack
This is proof that when a filmmaker shares a true connection with the story he’s portraying and the characters he’s giving life to, experience in the biz is secondary.
Stephen Chbosky adapts his own book to the screen, as well as directs it, and in his first foray behind the camera achieves something brilliant and poignant.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower has no place for bells and whistles. This is a very straightforward story and an incredibly sweet one, but not overwhelmingly so.
Some of the dialog doesn’t work as well as, I assume, it did on the written page, but it’s still one of the movie’s biggest strengths.
Chbosky hit a homerun with that cast; a plethora of young talent. Ezra Miller showed what he’s made of last year with his creepy role in We Need To Talk About Kevin and his flamboyant turn here could not be any more different.
After a pretty inconsequential part in My Week with Marilyn, the lovely and gifted Emma Watson finally lands a juicy post-Potter role and she shines in it.
Logan Lerman, reminiscent of a young Leo DiCaprio with his classic good looks and an uncanny ability to play vulnerable without seeming like a wuss, gives this part his all and renders one of the finest displays of acting I’ve had the honor to see all year.
Touching coming-of-age drama is one of the best films of the year that’s nearing a close.
Agh!!!! You saw it too!? I’m so envious. 😦
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Haha, it hasn’t opened near you yet?
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It did, but very briefly. I was at the movie theater with my friend back early in November…we’d planned on seeing PA4, but the guy there kicked us out. We had to go down and trade our tickets in. I thought of trading in for Perks, but my friend’s a sci-fi/action movie junkie–he’s a Pagan, and he takes that as far as the movies he watches and how he interprets them (i.e. he sees the demon from The Exorcist different than you or I would). VERY cool, but not when Perks is out. We ended up seeing Taken 2.
I’ll definitely see this one when it comes to Blu-Ray/DVD. When’s that, like, January, February? I can’t wait that long.
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Hope you get to see it soon. It comes out on DVD/BD in February, yes. Hopefully it gets a few Oscar nods and they re-release it.
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i really must check this out. Everybody has given very positive feedback so far.
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Yes, please do. It’s a very sweet, heartfelt film. Second best of the year so far, after Rust and Bone.
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I’m glad you enjoyed it. I gave it the same score and will definitely own it on Blu-ray in February. It certainly created a special feel that was easy to identify with. I’m betting that Chbosky understands the importance of music.
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Yeah, I bet he does. Glad that you loved this one. It’s one of the best I’ve seen all year.
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Really enjoyed this, probably one of my favourites of the year. I thought all three leads were great, particularly Miller and Lerman and I loved the soundtrack as well. Nice review man.
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Thanks, Chris. Everybody seems to be loving this one, and I love that. It’s certainly deserving of all the praise.
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I’m probably the only person who is not fond of this movie. I found it too pretentious and the weird twist at the end is just like bam-lets-have-this-bomb-here-and-leave-it-hanging-after. I really liked your post though because of your writing style! Nice job 🙂
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Thank you, glad you liked my review even if the movie wasn’t your cup of tea. About the twist, it’s quite abrupt but to be fair, they hinted at it throughout the movie so it wasn’t totally unexpected.
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I just came back form seeing this and in my email I was surprised to see your review. I had been hearing about this forever and was tired of listening to all the praise. It blew me away, easily in my top 10 for the year, I think top 5 actually. You could relate with the characters in some way and there was just something about it…
Especially great review.
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Thanks a lot. Glad you loved it as well. It’s in my top 5 so far, too.
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I gave it the exact same rating haha. Awesome review, glad you liked it.
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Thanks 😉
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I also reviewed it, check it out 🙂
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I will 🙂
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I just did. Great review. I agree that Chbosky was the perfect choice.
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Wasn’t expecting anything from this movie but it really surprised me, perfect mix of drama and comedy.
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Yes, it did balance those pretty well.
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One of the most touching, heartfelt odes to adolescence I have ever seen. This just might make the #1 position when I compile my Top 10 list for the year. Still haven’t decided where it will place.
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Right now it’s at #2 in mine. I loved it.
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I really liked it, entire cast was so amazing and the ending was just lovely. Terrific soundtrack too.
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Glad you liked it, Sati. Yes, the cast was superb and that ending was very powerful 🙂
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Nice review, I’m looking forward to seeing this.
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Thanks, Hipster 😉 Hope you enjoy it when you do.
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Loved this one, one of my top 3 of the year so I’m glad to see you enjoyed it just as much 🙂 Love the poster btw, as always 🙂
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It’s in my top 3 currently, as well. And thanks!
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Not as big a fan of this film. Loud and proud but not very realistic. Nice write up!
http://colincarman.com/2012/10/06/review-the-perks-of-being-a-wallflower/
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Thanks! Well, I guess it’s not for everyone.
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I could be in the minority here though as people who love the book seem to like the film adaptation. I just found it forced in a “LOOK AT US! WE’RE CRAZY KIDS!” sort of way.
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I can definitely see that but, I don’t know, I loved it. Couldn’t help it hehe
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It’s kind of lovable, yes – write on!
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Oh man, I didn’t realize Chbosky also wrote the screenplay AND directed this. That makes me a lot more interested in seeing it.
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That’s one of its biggest strengths.
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