REVIEW - THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER
I saw this film around two months ago now and I still think about it a lot. See, this is what sets apart a good or bad film from an average film. The very good and the very bad haunt you: The Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Room respectively. Today I really want to try and get to the guts of what I like about the former. I'm sure we can address what I dislike about the other in another, much longer post!
ACTING: I'm not going to lie. The reason I paid to see this film was to find out if Emma Watson could portray anyone but Hermione Granger in front of a camera. I've always harboured this weird kind of love/hate relationship towards Watson. I think it is because she got to be Hermione, which was my one and only dream from the ages of about 11 through 16. She blew my expectations way out of the water. She did a truly fantastic job. Her portrayal of Sam was both believable and moving. Watson and Ezra Miller (Patrick) must have really clicked on set, as their characters really sparkled when on together. Leading man Logan Lerman, of Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief, fame, was really excellent too. It is not immediately obvious, when you're watching this film, that it is a film about mental illness and I think this is due to Lerman's fantastic acting. It deals with his anxiety and depression in a way that felt real. Too many movies shove a character's illness in your face, and make it their personality and all characteristics. Charlie was a real person, who just happened to be sick. All the supporting roles were filled by really strong actors too, which is important, because I think it only takes one bad actor in a film to make it difficult to suspend your disbelief for the sake of the film.
PLOT: Eight words! "We accept the love we think we deserve". I don't remember many quotes. But I know I'm going to remember this one. The drama was vivid and unpredictable. It was obvious that this film was based on a really great book.
PRODUCTION VALUES: To be honest, I was so drawn into the film's story and the drama of it all that I didn't really notice the shot types, camera angles et cetera. But I always think that the fact that you don't notice these things means that they were effective. I remember seeing some unconventional angles and the editing was really sleek and sharp. Nothing was shown that was unnecessary and at the same time you saw everything you could have needed to to understand and enjoy the film. To me that is great editing.
SOUNDTRACK: Not only were the choices of music in this film fitting and enjoyable, music was a really important part of the plot, and it helped convey the feel of the era within the film. I could tell from the music when the film was supposed to be, which I think was very clever, as it was never explicitly mentioned.
ACTING: I'm not going to lie. The reason I paid to see this film was to find out if Emma Watson could portray anyone but Hermione Granger in front of a camera. I've always harboured this weird kind of love/hate relationship towards Watson. I think it is because she got to be Hermione, which was my one and only dream from the ages of about 11 through 16. She blew my expectations way out of the water. She did a truly fantastic job. Her portrayal of Sam was both believable and moving. Watson and Ezra Miller (Patrick) must have really clicked on set, as their characters really sparkled when on together. Leading man Logan Lerman, of Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief, fame, was really excellent too. It is not immediately obvious, when you're watching this film, that it is a film about mental illness and I think this is due to Lerman's fantastic acting. It deals with his anxiety and depression in a way that felt real. Too many movies shove a character's illness in your face, and make it their personality and all characteristics. Charlie was a real person, who just happened to be sick. All the supporting roles were filled by really strong actors too, which is important, because I think it only takes one bad actor in a film to make it difficult to suspend your disbelief for the sake of the film.
PLOT: Eight words! "We accept the love we think we deserve". I don't remember many quotes. But I know I'm going to remember this one. The drama was vivid and unpredictable. It was obvious that this film was based on a really great book.
PRODUCTION VALUES: To be honest, I was so drawn into the film's story and the drama of it all that I didn't really notice the shot types, camera angles et cetera. But I always think that the fact that you don't notice these things means that they were effective. I remember seeing some unconventional angles and the editing was really sleek and sharp. Nothing was shown that was unnecessary and at the same time you saw everything you could have needed to to understand and enjoy the film. To me that is great editing.
SOUNDTRACK: Not only were the choices of music in this film fitting and enjoyable, music was a really important part of the plot, and it helped convey the feel of the era within the film. I could tell from the music when the film was supposed to be, which I think was very clever, as it was never explicitly mentioned.
