Flick Review: The Perks Of Being A Wallflower

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower

Directed By:  Stephen Chbosky

Starring:  Logan Lerman, Ezra Miller, Emma Watson, Mae Wittman, Paul Rudd, Nina Dobarev, and others

Well, it's been a bit dead around here, mostly due to the madness that usually comes with finals week, but with the week now officially here, I do have some time to kill, so I thought I'd tell you all about a wonderful little movie I saw a week ago. It's been out for a while, and might now still be available in your local multiplex, but if it is, I highly recommend you go catch it.

The Perks of Being A Wallflower is based off of the novel of the same name by Stephen Chbosky. It was published back in 1999, and the film certainly looks the part, with the fashions, music, and settings looking the part. However, it refreshingly go overboard with trying to recreate the period, but goes with just enough of an atmosphere to make it authentic, without making it look cliche. Surprisingly enough, the novel was published by MTV, but you'll be hard pressed to find anything of the mind numbing obtuseness that makes up modern MTV.   Chbosky also directs the film, which means the film's characters, narratives, messages, and storyline stay close to how the author intended it, a true rarity.

The film follows Charlie (Logan Lerman), a quite, intelligent, observant, thoughtful kid who is about to begin his freshman year. However, Charlie himself has his own mental burdens aside from the usual teenage issues, having lost his best friend recently to suicide, and still mourning the loss of his beloved aunt, whose death he still hasn't gotten over. It’s implied that he has sought some counseling over it, but still is troubled by both events. He begins the year a loner, lacking in basic social skills, and treated by the student population and his older sister with a mixture of disdain and occasional torment by the usual douchebags that every high school tends to have.

 This changes when Charlie introduces himself to Patrick (Ezra Miller), an outgoing, hilarious and openly gay student from his shop class, and subsequently falls in with his group of misfits which include Patrick’s stepsister Sam (Emma Watson), a intelligent, music loving girl with a bit of a slutty reputation. Charlie begins to escape his shell little by little as his newfound friends expose him to new and engaging things, including hip bands, the Rocky Horror Picture Show, drugs, and being a part of a group. However, things get complicated over time as Charlie finds struggles to cope with his increasing love for Sam, the weight of his observations about emotional attachment and people, and his own past traumas beginning to re-emerge.

The cast is excellent, and mesh well with one another, giving Charlie’s two families a sense of realism that is natural. We’ll start with Emma Watson, who is the biggest name here due to the Harry Potter films. Watson is endearing as Sam, the passionate 80’s loving emo music nut, something she shares in common with Charlie. However, she is overshadowed by several of the other cast members at times, particularly by Miller. Watson pulls off the American accent well, with only one or two slip ups. Ezra Miller, who plays Charlie’s eccentric, knowledgeable, gay and supportive best friend, rocks this film. He’s charismatic and your eyes instantly fix on him whenever he’s on screen. Some of the best one liners throughout the film are made by him, and he instantly turns every situation into a barrel of laughs, even though he does have his own insecurities that he hides beneath the surface.

Logan Lerman plays the lead as Charlie, and in my opinion, is outstanding. He gives Charlie real intelligence and thoughtfulness, as well as giving the early scenes of him as the shy outcast real believability. He also gives him a sneaky sense of humor, which is almost on par with the outrageousness of Patrick. All in all, he’s great, and a capable strong lead. In my opinion, Lerman seems to have found his niche as an actor. He always seemed miscast in the more action oriented roles like Percy Jackson and The Three Musketeers that he played earlier in his career. But as a thoughtful, cerebral type of actor, he shines.

The rest of the acting is solid, with some big names backing up the kid leads. Paul Rudd is lovable as the English Teacher/Mentor to Charlie. He’s both enough of an authority figure for a student to look up to, while also enough of a confidant for a student to confide in. He’s the English teacher we all wish we had, but very few of us got (I was lucky enough to have two, Mr. Flickenger and Mrs. Avila, respectively.) Mae Whitman, from Parenthood fame, plays Mary Elizabeth, a member of Patrick's group who is sarcastic and pushy, and yet has a softer and insecure side that she keeps hidden. Nina Dobrev, who plays Charlie's sister, Candace, gives a good, but not great performance of a sister who is self consumed in her own problems, but does have a love for her brother that emerges as the film passes. Dylan McDermott plays Charlie’s father, and does a good job, playing a man who genuinely loves and wants to help his son, but is not sure of just how to do so. Even the master of gore effects, Tom Savini, has a small cameo role as an irascible shop teacher that is memorable for the comedic foil that he provides with Patrick.

The music is excellent, bringing back fond memories of the days when friends used to be able to share mixtapes of various music on cassette. The soundtrack features a good mix of 90’s bands, with some classics tossed in for some flavor. The cinematography is good too, giving some great visuals for some of the more memorable moments, such as the tunnel scenes.

However, what I really like about the film is that it feels real, and not staged or fake. The interaction between the group is real and not forced, as are the different moments of awkwardness for the more romantic moments. It also perfectly captures the angst of having a crush on a cool, pretty girl who dates assholes, but without the creepiness that movies usually convey with it. It also has the best quote about why people get involved with people that they shouldn't or don’t deserve to be.

It also genuinely captures high school, in ways that most films fail to do (American Pie and She’s All That being some of the worst offenders.) It captures how tough high school can be for kids that are introverted, or outcasts, as well as the importance of having a loyal, devoted group of friends of the period. It covers how hard it can be to be a gay kid that has not yet come out, as well as how difficult life can be for one that has. It also gives the kids a genuine sense that they don’t all have it figured out, in spite of some outward confidence that they may. But the best part of the film may be that it’s also inspirational from the standpoint of being able to have the courage to open yourself to the world, for the good and bad. It also gives a genuine hopeful message that one can move on from tragedy, or from past traumas that can cripple a person if not dealt with, and that one can lead a happy and fruitful life. So, I highly recommend that you see this movie. It’s funny, it’s inspirational, as well as sweet, quirky and different in all the right ways. It’s a masterpiece, with enough going for it to perhaps even be timeless. I love it.