This film is an adaption of a book written by Stephen Chbosky. I have not read the book so cannot compare it, but when I saw the trailer I knew I wanted to watch it. Without knowing too much about the film it made me curious, but I did not really have high expectations of it which I think is what made the film even better for me. The author of the book actually directed this film and wrote the script which I think helps make it refreshing and wonderful. As I haven't read the book myself I cannot compare, but it feels like the characters, camera work and direction are all perfect. The way the actors manage to portray the emotions is fantastic. Some of the camera work is beautifully done capturing the mood perfectly. Each and every scene seems well thought out and the whole movie is done to a very high standard. It does not jump out as a typical high school movie which I think is a hard thing to break.

Plot

This story is about 15-year-old Charlie (Logan Lerman), who is a freshman taken under the wings of two seniors, Sam (Emma Watson) and Patrick (Ezra Miller ). They welcome him to the real world and show him how to survive in high school. From the beginning we are shown there is something different about Charlie and this makes him an outsider, but we do not find out what until later in the film. We follow Charlie as he starts to learn things about the world, while at the same time he is still finding out who he is. It covers a range of emotions from first love, to depression and many other subjects, but the film shines a light on it in a brand new way. What you think is going to be a typical coming of age film quickly escalates in to a stunning film. Each main character has their own problems, and by working together they support each other and help each other get on.

My opinion

The only actress I really knew in this film is Emma Watson and she was one of the things that pulled me in. I like her as an actress, and I was interested to see if she could break the Hermione Granger image she played for so many years. I have to say I thought she was fantastic. Her acting made me forget all about her previous role, and pulled me into her character easily. I was not overly keen on her American accent at time it was a little shaky. Her charisma and charming acting covered this well I believe but it could have been better and hope it improves for future films.

Again Logan Lerman as Charlie was fantastic. This is the first time I have seen this actor but he held his part extremely well. I was interested in his character and finding out about him. I enjoyed watching as the puzzles and drama unfolded, and he did a great job at holding his main role in the film. There are so many other strong actors in this film he could have easily of been overshadowed, but he managed to keep the audience interested. The range of emotions he managed to portray was fantastic, and empathy for him began pouring. He really did put on an award winning performance and I feel he was the perfect person for the role.

Patrick (Ezra Miller) is another strong character that is perfect in his role. The class clown and all round fun going guy that just wants to have fun. He nearly steals the limelight with the perfect one liner, and strong scenes he is in but I absolutely loved his character. He adds humour to the film which when mixed with the darker themes is very refreshing. The only other time I have watched him that I can remember is in We need to talk about Kevin. The character he plays in this film is so far away from that I did not even notice it was him at first. He is a fantastic actor and I will definitely be watching out for future movies with him in it. There are a number of other characters in the film but I feel they are just there to add numbers and set the scene. The film really does focus on the three main characters, and they do very well to carry it all themselves as do the supporting acts even with little screen time.

Music is not something that usually jumps out at me. In this film you just cannot help but notice it. They choose the perfect songs to match the feel of the scenes and it really does help push the emotions through to viewers. I love that they manage to merge the three characters lives so effortlessly. They all work perfect together on screen, but still push their own stories and troubles through. This is a coming of age film. At the same time the twists and turns make it so much more than just a typical film. Rather than having the usual goals of being popular we see a young boy who is clearly troubled, and wants to make it through high school as quick as he can to get it over and done with. Although the story is fairly simple there are enough twists to keep the audience happy. I thought I knew how a few things would work out, but then something happens and makes me question it. While it is a fairly light and easy watch there is still enough depth to keep you watching the screen. Rather than concentrating on the happy ending of a story, it shows the dark cold world that can be high school. I really like this as it portrays a real life scenario rather than the typical boy wants to be popular, wins over friends and lives happily ever after.

It covers a lot of darker topics and so it has a rating of 12A. I think this is a fair guide as there is nothing overly shocking in it so it just safe guards younger viewers. It manages to make me feel the emotions the characters are, sometimes happy sometimes sad, and sometimes a range of emotions at the same time. It never made me want to cry, but I did laugh out loud and I did find myself smiling. I felt the pain of the characters at difficult times, and sometimes I was just completely shocked at the way things unfolded.

Summary

The more adult themes shine through taking over the film, but still leaving a lot of other emotions so it is not all dark and sad. I would say it is aimed at a young adult audience. It could be enjoyed by older viewers, but I just feel that it is best suited to teens and young adults as they can relate most. Would I recommend this film, absolutely! I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would, and I could easily watch it again. It is something I will add to my film collection and could watch a few times before I become bored of it. It is a simple story, but they focus on different emotions and story lines than your typical coming of age film. It steps away from the usual by focusing on the darker emotions of being adolescence, and by doing this it had me glued to the screen. It is still a light watch and not something you really have to pay attention to follow but still has enough substance to keep interested. I have purchased the book and plan to read it very soon as I have high hopes for it.