Screenplay by Chbosky, based on his novel.
Running Time: 103 minutes (1h, 43 mins.)
Rated PG-13 (for mature thematic material, drug and alcohol use, sexual content including references and a fight - all involving teens).
Distributor: Summit Entertainment
Grade 9. Freshman year. New locker, new teachers, new atmosphere, new...everything. Been there, done that. So, to watch someone else starting high school on the big screen would be a little funny. It can also go what I like to call the "Disney Channel" route and have everything candy-coated and some of the little things exaggerated to the point where you've had enough. In The Perks of Being a Wallflower, that's not the case.
Stephen Chbosky adapts his own novel for the big screen and directs the story of Charlie (Logan Lerman), a awkward teen who's about to start high school in the wake of something tragic. Of course, struggling at first to really fit in this new stage of his life, Charlie meets Sam (Emma Watson) and Patrick (Ezra Miller), stepsiblings who don't have a care in the world. Throughout the year, they, along with Charlie's English teacher, help our main protagonist come out of his shell.
Not many movies really capture the shy, awkward experience of being a teenager like this and being a senior, I really was impressed. I hadn't read all of the book before my Toronto International Film Festival screening (although I knew the book was composed of a series of letters written by Charlie to a mystery "friend", some of which are in the movie), but I'm glad I didn't. The twists in the film come off better that way.
Performances are a delight to watch. Lerman has come a long way and though Percy Jackson got him somewhat big, this is the role that really showcases what he's got as an actor. His portrayal of Charlie is affecting. How he feels, we feel it too (or the other way around, I don't even know). Watson and Miller have to be singled out as well. While her first post-Harry Potter role didn't give her much to do unfortunately (My Week with Marilyn), that's not the case here. Watson is a revelation here, as is Miller, who seamlessly plays his role with humor and vulnerability. Mae Whitman is funny then there's Paul Rudd (who makes the most of his screen time) and I would be crazy not to mention Melanie Lynskey. While her character, Charlie's aunt, only appears in flashbacks, she also makes the most out of her screen time.
Overall, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is an impressive study of being in the stage of adolescence. In a way, Chbosky makes the few cliches of high school seem fresh, thanks in part to its witty, moving script and charming performances. Definitely check it out. Oh, and check out the soundtrack as well. Good stuff.
Rating: 8.5/10
