Film Review: 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'

Hi all!

The other week when I was in ASDA with some friends, I saw that they were selling this film on DVD for £5 and I was in the mood for an impulse treat! So I bought it, but I've been too busy (or tired!) to watch it... until Friday just past!

I came home from Orchestra rehearsals and just wanted my bed but I decided to sit up a while and watch this film! I read the book by Stephen Chbosky (who also directs the film!) in July 2013, but it has taken me until now to finally watch the film! My friend had told me that it was one of her favourite films, AND Emma Watson is probably my favourite actress, so I was extremely keen to watch it for numerous reasons!

It was worth the wait! I was tired, so I plan to re-watch it when I can focus a bit better... well I'm sure I'll re-watch it several times since I now own the DVD! I think I might even re-read it since I own the book too.

It was bizarre seeing Emma Watson play this character, as it is so different from anything I've ever seen her in before. Although she was as perfect as always (ok, I may have a teeny tiny girl crush on her haha!) I'll be honest and say I don't think the role of Sam, as was in the film, gave her the opportunity to achieve her full potential and it isn't my favourite performance of hers.

Logan Lerman (Charlie)

But that was sort of the magic of the film: it was simple, but at the same time meaningful. Yes, it was another 'growing up' story, but I'd argue it was unique, and all the while I was thinking that Chbosky had taken a totally different angle from the likes of John Green.

I adored Logan Lerman's (pictured left) portrayal of principal character Charlie. He achieved the perfect level of awkward and he is very cute (in my opinion!).

The character of Charlie had experienced trauma as a child that left him very mentally unwell, but aside from this his experiences were relatable- feeling low, feeling lonely and just trying to get through the days sometimes. His integration into a welcoming friendship group made me glow inside, and I genuinely felt that there is hope for everyone, for every outsider. I personally am lucky to have a wonderful group of friends, but I sometimes find new company awkward and 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' addressed the 'fitting in issue' fantastically.

Perhaps my favourite character was Patrick, played by Ezra Miller. He was just so individual a character that you can imagine him being a real person, not a stereotype put in to every story to keep it going, if you know what I mean!? Another issue dealt with was finding your feet with homosexuality, because Patrick is gay and in a secret relationship that leaves him later feeling embarrassed and ridiculed. Although I think that the book I recently reviewed 'Will Grayson, Will Grayson.' was a superior addressee of homosexuality and the difficulties for young boys particularly, I think that the result of its presence in this film was less about the homosexuality itself but the humiliation present between peers in every high school in the world.

On the topic of relationships and love, TPOBAW also successfully deals with uncertainties of romantic feelings. Sam wants to be loved, but has made her fair share of mistakes along the way. In Charlie she sees a friend, a brother... and the ideal love? Or not? Charlie is undeniably devoted to her from the start, but Chbosky doesn't try and pretend its as easy as happily ever after. Charlie is a newbie to the dating scene and his first kiss, for example, is a central scene.

Admittedly, the luck of Chbosky's character's is still immensely better in terms of romance than I, for example, am yet to experience, but at least he doesn't try and pretend it's as easy as boy meets girl, or boy meets boy or girl meets girl!

I could, surprisingly, say much more about this film. In some ways, I think it tries to cover too many issues, but mostly I feel that every element finds a slot and the viewer can easily accept that none will be explored in detail. As the DVD blurb says:

 "THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER is a modern classic that captures the dizzying highs and crushing lows of growing up."

"THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER is a moving tale of love, loss, fear and hope- and the unforgettable friends that help us through life."

Now I'm off out to meet some of my friends.. xx

Was it really 'meant to be'?

So, back at the beginning of the January, I produced a post I was proud of and I was fairly devastated when it didn't save. I've got over it now but, at the time, it did get me thinking.... maybe that post just wasn't meant to be?

When we say 'meant to be', we presumably refer to fate. As though the right thing to happen is pre-decided, and when things don't go the way we want or expect them to, it's because some greater being or pull within the universe hasn't planned it that way.

For some people, this being is a God or holy figure of some description, for others stars or angels or intergalactic pixies, I don't know. The question that has me puzzled isn't one of the validity of religion, because that's not something I feel in the right place to write about yet, but about the validity of believing that things can be meant, or not, to happen, in general.

If we are decided that what is supposed to happen always will and that everything therefore has a happy ending, we can optimistically navigate our way through life and can theoretically take every blow with a smile because, it wasn't 'meant to be'. OR: perhaps what is meant to be for some people isn't always happy, perhaps some people are 'meant' to have bad things happen to them. In which case, why?

Or perhaps we use 'meant to be' as an excuse or, more realistically, an explanation and motivation to keep our heads held high.

That's really all I had to say on that for now. Maybe people will read this, maybe that's not the outcome of this post which is 'meant to be'.

I doubt I'll stop using the phrase, but it'll accompany a whole train of thought from now on!

Let me know what you think about fate and the idea of things happening because they're 'supposed to', in the comments below!

Catriona xx