The Perks of Being a Wallflower

[baumer]

Discuss

[JackO]

Perks is a movie about a loner named Charlie played by Logan Lerman who is just starting high school. He is having major trouble fitting in till he meets Patrick (Ezra Miller) and his friend Sam(Emma Watson). The movie follows his coming of age both internally and externally.

I was pretty weirded out by the first trailer. It made the movie look like pretty much every single indie film ever made. But what came out is quite possibly the best adaption of high school life put to screen. I would say the previous rank was for Superbad, but this does it so much better.

Emma Watson. Wow. She is amazing. Finally out of Harry Potter's shadow, she will clearly be a tour de force on screens for a long while. From the Rocky Horror play within a movie to the tender moments with Charlie, she takes every moment and makes it bigger and better then what's written.

Another great thing about the story is the way it is edited. It is a somewhat breathless pace. One door shuts, another opens. A light goes off, another comes on. It worked pretty well especially when dealing with some of the heavy subject matter later in the film.

I am actually kind of glad I did not read it because I had no idea about the twists that were coming. Like I was slackjawed at the real of his aunt. The movie was so grounded that I couldn't even believe that sort of thing happening. The film did a great job keeping it's cards close to it's chest till the time was right.

A-

[baumer]

bump

[Travod]

Friends went to see this today but I had a lot of AP Bio homework so I didn't go.

[JohnnyBravo69]

FINALLY got to see it!Loved every main character, Didn't read the book but loved the movie. AWill be seeing again!

[Heretic]

This is just another film about the cruelties of high school. But it's not the same. In this, Charlie isn't seeking popularity, he doesn't want to lose his virginity to any random girl at a party and he's not trying to get all the attention. He just wants to be apart of something, be able to communicate with people, and leave high school to become a writer. The film is often heart-breaking, but at the same time, it's charming, funny, and inspiring.

I absolutely loved Patrick. He's so flamboyant and infectious, with a bucket-load of charisma, but behind all the silliness, there a sweet, more serious person, dealing with his own problems in high school. He in himself was a powerful and very inspiring person. The particular scene where Brad called him a ---- and then his friends beat him up was particularly uncomfortable to watch, but at the same time, it was fulfilling to see Patrick stand up for himself, and accept the fact he is gay, unlike Brad, who was embarrassed and ashamed of what others may think of him. My favourite moment was when Patrick almost knocked Brad out with that banging face pound.

And then Emma. Although at times her accent was a little off, I got used to it. She played her role beautifully. Any doubt that she can't play any other character apart from Hermione just flies out the window. She's lovely, aching, alive, spot-on, and she dominated the screen with her maturity and wisdom.

Charlie was brilliant. His posture, walk, and pattern of speech all serve to underscore his youthful vulnerability. This makes you root for him to become the creative being you know he can be.The last 10 minutes of the film alone showcase just how good of an actor he really is.

The cinematography was stunning, and the 80s modern rock soundtrack suited the movie well. It was almost like a mix-tape in itself.

Overall, it's a fantastic film. It's a film adaptation that replaces the cliche mainstream swagger with some painful realities and simply lets the audience understand the whole point of it.

A

Edited October 3, 2012 by Heretic

[RyneOh1040]

This was everything I needed it to be. The book was a game changer for me at 19. I had never identified with a character more than I identified with Charlie. And never have I loved the movie as much as the book, until now. I think Chbosky writing and directing was the only way this would have worked and the only way the feel and heart of the book could have been transitioned to the big screen. I opted to see this alone (I had an extra pass) but for some reason just wanted to see it by myself for the first time and I can say it was the right decision. It's all I've thought about since last night. Just like the book, it broke my heart in the best of ways. Logan, Emma and Ezra are unreal in this. I've always liked Lerman, Watson always has been Sam for me and Miller truly is a force of nature in this. Mae Whitman was another standout for me as Mary Elizabeth. I knew if they did the book justice I would get upset in several parts and I did. The scene with Sam and Charlie in the bedroom was really touching and the last 10 minutes or so destroyed me. Easily my favorite of the year and will probably become an all-time favorite that I, like the novel, rediscover as the years go by.

Also, one of, if not THE best soundtrack to a film I've ever heard.

Can't wait to see this again this weekend.

A.

[forg]

Coming of age stories are dime a dozen from books to TV shows and most especially movies. With a plethora of growing up stories out there, it really is a tall order for one to stand out. One might dismiss The Perks of Being a Wallflower as one of those generic tales but this movie takes a familiar story to a whole new direction thanks to strong characterization and heartfelt commitment to the material.

Set in the early 90s, Charlie (Logan Lerman) is a troubled kid entering his first day in high school. He never stood out before and he believes that things will stay the same that is until he meets seniors Patrick (Ezra Miller) and Sam (Emma Watson). Together with Patrick and Sam, Charlie discovers the joys and pains of growing up and at the same time wrestling with the memories of his haunted past.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is adapted to the big screen by the novel's author Stephen Chbosky and one can see how this material is very important to him. He handles the adaptation with so much care and eye for detail which I believe will please most fans of the book. The novel is written in epistolary form wherein Charlie tells his story through writing letters to an anonymous person. Adapting that format to the big screen made it look like it's just a gimmick to have a voice over narration but the script and Lerman's performance carries it through. Still, there are in things in the novel that were left out (For example, Charlie's sister has a smaller role) but overall the movie fully captures the novel's tone and atmosphere.

The story is very accessible even for those who haven't read the source material. The structure is basically simple and something that most people could relate to. It really is all about growing up and the pain and pleasure that comes along with it. What makes The Perks of Being a Wallflower special is that the movie does not pass judgment and just lets you in to the world of these kids who are young, adventurous and full of potential yet so unfocused and fragile. It does not escape the cliches known to this genre but the characters are fascinating and genuine that watching their journey is so engrossing to watch.

Committed performances from the cast strengthen the movie even more. Lerman, in particular, fully embodied Charlie delivering a nuanced but knockout performance. He fully captures the vulnerability of a troubled teen like Charlie. He gets the small details right, making Charlie a well-developed character that you just couldn't help but be draw on to. Watson is a playing a totally different character from the role that made her famous and she nails it. Miller is so charismatic, funny and sweet that one would not think that he played a terrifying character in We Need to Talk About Kevin so effectively a year ago.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower does not tell anything new or groundbreaking about youth issues but what it does best is showing the serious side of being a teenager with so much sensibility and sincerity. It's a journey that one has seen (and experienced in one way or another) but this movie reminds us that no matter how crazy those years have been, it's all worth it. 9/10

[Ezen Baklattan]

This movie was just a wonderful experience.

I can't remember the last time I connected with a character more than Charlie, who was brilliantly portrayed by Logan Lerman. (Hard to believe he went from Lightning Thief to this.) Watson and Miller were also really great, especially the latter. I have some friends like those two. The performances were all around fantastic.

The real secret of success in this movie was the story. Perks is a poignant, funny, and emotionally effective look at high school life, one that doesn't resort to most high school cliches. Having Chbosky direct the movie from his book was an excellent idea, and I'd like to see more people do this.

Please see this movie.

A-

[Gopher]

It works because it respects the darker undertones of the story and the performances are really darn strong. Watson is pretty great but Lerman and Miller are given some really difficult material to pull of and they pass with flying colors. I highly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone, high schooler or otherwise.

[Noctis]

I needed a few days to think about this film before I wrote this review. It's just been on my mind the moment I stepped out of the theater. Coming of age films have a tendency to be extremely cliched with their messages thrust down your throat, and the characters lack truth to them.

Which is why Perks of Being a Wallflower is an immense revelation. It is the most profound and emotionally resonant coming of age film I've ever seen in my life, and this will undoubtedly become a classic in the genre. The great thing about Perks is that it never undermines the underlying darkness of the story. It's there and it's palpable.

The three leads are all outstanding and deliver powerful performances. Logan Lerman truly surprised me and delivers an exceptionally nuanced performance. He was just perfect to play Charlie, and embodied him without any problems. Emma Watson is spectacular, and dominates the film whenever she's on screen. Her charisma is radiant. Her accent is far from flawless, but much better than expected after watching the trailers. She was a great Sam. Ezra Miller as Patrick is probably one of the most inspired castings in a while. Transitioning flawlessly from Kevin to Perks is amazing, and his performance by far delivers the most laughs but it carries a touching sadness to it.

These characters feel real, and you end up deeply feeling for them. My favorite scene this year has to be the part with the typewriter between Sam and Charlie. I started crying when I saw "You can write about us," on the screen. It's filled with laughs, but it also deals with very heavy issues such as mental illness, molestation, homophobia, and suicide. I'm thrilled with this adaptation.

A+

Edited October 31, 2012 by Noctis

[The Toymaker]

Hated this film. Emotionally flat, terribly acted, and visually redundant.

[Webslinger]

It's a shame that The Perks of Being a Wallflower has been relegated to flying under the radar in its theatrical release, as it is easily one of the hardest-hitting and most poignant films about high school in recent memory. Despite being set two decades in the past, it's so in touch with the euphoric highs and grim lows of being a teenager that it's bound to connect with a good many viewers of the characters' ages - not to mention older viewers looking back on their teenage years. Despite altering the format of the story to make a conventional movie, it successfully retains the spirit of its source material, and connects about as strongly. Despite the fact that most of the actors look a little too old to be convincing as high school students, the performances are right on target. Logan Lerman is charming in a very low-key fashion (enough so that we can understand why others would want to associate with him despite his emotional problems) and handles his character's roller-coaster emotional journey effectively; Emma Watson is convincing in a performance that calls on her to be at turns incredibly kind and subtly heartbreaking; and Ezra Miller's brashness and lack on inhibition are a perfect fit for his character. This is the rare movie about teenagers that doesn't pull its punches, and that's what makes it such a winner.

A-

[baumer]

I just rambled on to Noctis for about 15 minutes about the brilliance and beauty of this film. I was moved int his film more than I have been since perhaps American Beauty. This is a story that all of u can relate to and all three of the major characters in here could be a part of all of us. Each of them is dealing with real emotions and real issues that we have all dealt with. Not the truly personal ones like rape and incest and being gay, those were specific to those characters. But the feelings of loneliness, wanting to be accepted, your first love, yearning, the heartache of knowing that what you so desperately want and desire can't be had. We've all been through that. And it's all part of life. But it's how you handle it and how it shapes you that counts. I was very emotional in several scenes in the movie. For those of you who have seen it, I will describe a few scenes that got to me, for those of you who haven't, I will try to keep the detail to a minimum.

 

The first scene that resonated with me was when Charlie watches Sam standing in the tunnel. You can see it in his eyes. He's hooked. Everything about her is new and fresh to him and at that moment, he has fallen in love with her.The magic brownie scene was funny but because the writing is so good here, it turns into more than just comic relief as Sam and Patrick feel for him and grow to like him and respect him all at once. Patrick because Charlie can keep a secret and Sam because maybe she feels pity and sorrow for him but also because there is a genuine goodness to him. It turns so beautifully from comedy to poignancy.

 

The best scene in the film imo is when Sam gives Charlie the typewriter. I got choked up and at that moment it brought me back to my youth. As I said, I can relate to these characters and that scene was beautiful. There's more to Sam and Charlie than sexual attraction, there is an honest love. I've always believed that there is no love like your first real high school love. It's raw, surreal and more passionate than any love you have as an adult. Your yearning is like hot coals in the pit of your stomach. Charlie feels that and in some ways I think Sam does too. The typewriter scene shows that.

 

The last one I'll mention is the cafeteria scene where Charlie saves Patrick. There is very little visual to the scene, but there doesn't need to be. You know what has happened and you're glad it did. The threesome feel strongly for one another and it hits its apex for Charlie and Patrick in this scene. Later in the film when the two of them share a "moment" it doesn't even feel out of place because it just seemed like a natural thing to happen. This is a film that epitomizes why I love movies. It is perfect on every level and it hits every note and every beat beautifully. The soundtrack is excellent as it really expresses the notes from the early 90's. I don't think I've quite seen a film like Perks of Being a Wallflower. It gets inside you and for me, it made me feel so many emotions. I'm going to have a hard time deciding which is the best film of the year, this or Argo. Two completely different films but both perfect in their own way.I think I want to say more but right now I'll leave it at that. For those of you who haven't bother to see it, just do it. It is that good a movie.10/10

[baumer]

And those of you giving it an F, I know you haven't seen it.

[Heretic]

Wow Baumer! Glad you loved like everyone else.

[The Toymaker]

Oh baumer. How could you?! Grow a minge while you're at it.

[Noctis]

Emma, Ezra, and Logan deserve a standing ovation for their performances in the film. They were brilliant.

[Ezen Baklattan]

And those of you giving it an F, I know you haven't seen it.

HINT:

He's talking to Algren.

[Noctis]

I've never seen someone more immature and sad than Algren.