Review: The Fault In Our Stars

Upon seeing the first trailer of the film, I didn't know what all the fuss was about because to me it felt like your typical run-of-the-mil love story. Another thing that was a bit of a problem to me when I saw the trailer was that it looked like a TV movie which at times to me can get me out of the cinema experience. That being said, is The Fault In Our Stars another forgettable dramedy or is it something to be remembered? Check out my thoughts after the jump.

Synopsis:

Hazel and Gus are two extraordinary teenagers who share an acerbic wit, a disdain for the conventional, and a love that sweeps them - and us - on an unforgettable journey. Their relationship is all the more miraculous, given that they met and fell in love at a cancer support group. THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, based upon the number-one bestselling novel by John Green, explores the funny, thrilling and tragic business of being alive and in love.(C) Fox

First and foremost, I'll say it now, this film is really really good. Sure the story is not that original but the way they approached it felt unique and it is unlike any romantic drama that's been made in the past years. Let's talk about the story first, so the film focused on Hazel Grace who is this very sick girl but she just wants to have a normal life experiencing things that teenagers experience in their lives that is until he met Augustus Waters who (basically) made her dreams come true and the whirlwind romance ensues. Like I said, the film may not have the most original story but what made the film feel original is the dialogue, it's probably the best part of the movie for me because it was smart, it felt real and emotional but most of all the dialogues made you care about the characters.

If there is one thing I disliked about the execution of the story is at times it felt a bit predictable and it still managed to go to the cliche territory of romance films. The upside to that though, the way they handled these cliches really didn't felt like cliches because you are heavily invested in the film as you go on to it therefore the usage of the cliches didn't really affected my experience unlike in other romantic films.

So the film stars Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort, the chemistry between these two characters were so strong that you can't help but to root for their relationship to be successful. The relationship between them that was shown onscreen really did felt real but that is thanks to the great performances of both the leading actor and actress. Woodley's performance was very heartfelt that you can't help but feel bad for her whenever her sickness gets the better of her or feel very happy for her whenever she gets her way. She was just charismatic in the role, as for partner played by Elgort, he was also good, at first I was a bit skeptical because I wasn't a big fan of his small stint in Carrie (but I was never really a fan of that movie), however, in this film he blew me away because his character just exudes confidence and his somewhat opposite character fits well with Woodley's and like I said these characters are just inseparable. One last thing about their performance, the thing that made me love them more is the fact that they were able to stand their ground (acting wise of course) against Willem Dafore (more on that later.)


The leading actors wouldn't have been more heartfelt if it wasn't for the actors in the supporting roles though, Laura Dern and Sam Trammel played Hazel's parents, Nat Wolff played Isaac who was the friend of the leading characters and a small role of Willem Dafoe as Van Houten. Dern and Trammel's performance were very good because you will feel the qualities of a loving parent from them and you will feel the care that they are showing their daughter. Wolff, in his short screentime still managed to show great emotion in his role and in effect making you care for his character. Lastly is Dafoe small role in the film, I have always been one of my favorite actors and I was happy to see him in this movie, and the minute he showed up to the screen, you will hate him and that's how great of a performance Dafoe showed because his performance just sticks with you and at the end of the film he was one of the best things in it.

There's not much to talk about the technical aspects of it but I will say that I wasn't a huge fan of the cinematography because at times it felt like a TV special which was a bit of a bummer for me but it was the least of my concerns. I was a fan of the soundtrack though because it fits well with the somber tone the film is going for and it fits well with the lovey-dovey tone of the film too. Last thing to talk about in the film though is the direction of Josh Boone, in my opinion, he did such a great job directing this film because he was able to tell the story on point, he was able to balance the three-acts properly without any of it being dragging and lastly he did such a superb job at showcasing great performances from his cast. Another thing that I loved from his direction is the quirkiness of the film and how he differentiated the film to other romantic films of the past.

Overall:
So far this year, "The Fault In Our Stars" is the "feels" movie of the year. From start to finish the film is giving me an emotional whiplash (which is a good thing) but it never felt overdone. This is a smart romantic film because it doesn't talk down to its audience and the relationships in this film really did feel authentic and not forced. The performances were heartfelt and emotional, the soundtrack is superb and most of all this film is probably one of the best romantic films I've ever seen.

Grade:

Favorite dialogues/lines:

Hazel Grace Lancaster: But, Gus, my love, I cannot tell you how thankful I am for our little infinity. I wouldn't trade it for the world. You gave me a forever within the numbered days, and I'm grateful.

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Hazel Grace Lancaster: Even thou you have freaking cancer, you are willing to give money to corporation for a chance to acquire even more cancer? Let me just assure you that not being able to breathe? SUCKS. Totally disappointing. Totally.

Augustus Waters: They don't kill you unless you light them. And I've never lit one. It's a metaphor, see: You put the killing thing right between your teeth, but you don't give it the power to do its killing. A metaphor.

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P.S.

Bring tissues