Review: The Perks of Being A Wallflower

                                                  The 'Perks' Of Being A Movie Lover

                      It is movies like The Perks of Being A Wallflower where I really appreciate films that are portrayed as an art form and are not just about market value, and have stories to tell.

                     Story:
                    The Perks of Being A Wallflower is based on a novel by Stephen Chdosky (who wrote and directed the film) about a high school freshman named Charlie (Logan Lerman) who is struggling with the recent suicide of his best friend and trying to feel like he belongs. That is until he meets two seniors, Sam (Emma Watson) and her stepbrother Patrick (Ezra Miller) who let him into their social circle.

                     What I Liked About It:
                   Now, one thing I liked was how it was adapted for the big screen by the author himself, which is a rarity these days. He may have taken liberties on his own novel, but I don't expect all film adaptations to be 100% faithful to their respective source materials, so I wasn't disappointed in the slightest.

                   Another thing that I did like was the outstanding performances from the cast, especially from the three leads. Logan Lerman gives his best performance to date as Charlie. When I first read the book, I knew that he was a good choice for the role, but in the movie, he was just phenomenal, and he proves why he is one of the best younger acting talents out there. He even had me in tears at the very end. Emma Watson completely plays against type as Sam, who is almost the antithesis of Hermione Granger, and she does an outstanding job at it. But the actor that I felt truly shined was Ezra Miller, who plays Patrick, Sam's flamboyant stepbrother. He portrays the character as someone who is comical but to cover up the pain he is going through. Just like with the Lerman and Watson, I look forward to his future work very much. Even Paul Rudd delivers a strong supporting performance as Charlie's earnest and caring English teacher Mr. Anderson. Although I love seeing him do comedic films, it was nice to see Rudd pull off a dramatic role.

                 What really touched me about this film was that it shows the true ups and downs of adolescence and going to high schools. I feel that those who have been in high school who watch this film can easily find someone they can relate to. The character that I felt I could relate to the most was Charlie because of how I was an outsider slowly coming out of my shell. Plus, like Charlie, my aspirations are to become a writer, which is why I started this blog.

                 What I Didn't Like About It:
                 Absolutely nothing.

                 Consensus:
              Overall, The Perks of Being A Wallflower is a very touching coming-of-age drama about the dramas of adolescence. It's heartbreaking, gut-wrenchingly honest, and even slightly comedic. It is movies like this that make me appreciate movies that have humanistic stories to tell and I can only hope that we will see more just like it.

Rating: 5/5