Today I present for your consideration The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012 and recently released on DVD).
Charlie (Logan Lerman) starts his freshman year in high school completely friendless. His best friend shot himself the previous spring. He goes to the cafeteria for lunch and wonders if he'll be able to sit with his sister, who's a senior. She shoots him down. He spots a boy who played football with his older brother, who has graduated. Will the football player say hi? Nope.
Then, magically, Charlie is befriended by Patrick (Ezra Miller) and Sam (Emma Watson, and no, she's not Hermione anymore). Suddenly, Charlie has a group of friends, but life is still hard -- for all of them.
I'm impressed by this film. It's intelligent and well made. At first I was surprised that it seemed a little jumpy, but then I realized it reflected Charlie's mental state and memory lapses. The acting is excellent.
I looked at some reviews of The Perks of Being A Wallflower and a number of people commented that it was one of the ten best films of the year and that it should have received an Academy Award nomination for best picture. I can't speak to that because I've seen only two of the nominated films.
The Perks of Being A Wallflower certainly has the corner on the teen angst market, which might mean more to me if I weren't so very, very far away from those years. Yet, I enthusiastically give this film The Janie Junebug Seal of Approval.
Infinities of love,
Janie Junebug
I love Emma Watson! She is so gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteI had actually thought this might be good. Maybe once I see it, it could be a good one to watch with Oldest to start conversation.
ReplyDeleteTeenage angst sucks. :(
I will certainly be checking this one out-thanks!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a good film that I would like to see!
ReplyDeleteI wanted to see this film, but wasn't sure. Your review helped a lot. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard of this movie but it does look interesting and I'll keep an out for it. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteLooks very interesting!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good flick to watch with the kids.... um, er, I guess I mean grandkids. (Crap.)
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see this movie. It would be interesting to see Emma Watson in a role other than Hermione.
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you for this recommendation! Sounds like the perfect thing to watch with my two kids - both in high school. :)
ReplyDeleteWhich of the nominated films did you see? I saw Lincoln, loved it, and Silver Linings Playbook, not so much.
I saw Lincoln and Beasts of the Southern Wild. Also Denzel Washington's best actor nominated performance in Flight.
DeleteALERT! I don't want to give you the wrong impression about this movie. I may have understated these kids' problems when I used the term "teen angst." Charlie and a number of other characters have some extremely serious stuff going on in their lives. Be prepared to discuss what the characters face and have gone through in the past. You might want to watch the movie alone before watching it with teens.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
I read the book. I have a feeling that the movie will be better, I've seen all of the actors in other movies...Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, and We Need to Talk About Kevin.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the ALERT. :) I always watch first, and then decide. It's funny, some of the movies that would be no big deal for OLdest are ones I'd never want him to see, and vice versa.
ReplyDeleteDear Janie, thanks for bringing this movie to our attention. I'm a big fan of Emma Watson and your review makes the movie appealing so I'll look for it at the local AMC theater. Have a good weekend. Peace.
ReplyDeleteDee, I doubt if you would find this movie in a theater now that it's out on DVD. I think you would feel great sympathy for the suffering of the characters and you would appreciate Charlie's kind English teacher.
DeleteI had wanted to see this, but never did and then I forgot about it. So thanks for the review! I will rent it and see what I think, it's definitely my kind of movie.
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