The Fault in Our Stars will make you laugh, cry, and think deeply about life and death; which is exactly why you should go see it.
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So I was a little more excited for this weekend than most, and by more excited I mean giddy as a child awaiting Christmas. This weekend saw the premier of a movie I had been looking forward to for some time; The Fault in Our Stars. I normally don’t spring for movies when they are new releases—I like to save a buck when I can—but in this case I couldn’t help myself and saw it on Friday night.
Based on the wildly popular book by John Green, TFIOS might just look like another movie for teens that placates their desires to see exaggerated love stories and impossible characters, but it is far from that. Drawing from a fantastic source material the movie handles the issues of love, death, and life quite adeptly without being over clichéd. There is plenty for younger viewers to latch onto—plenty of quotes to post as instagram pictures with bad filters—but it doesn’t stop there. The movie has a lot to offer in the way of wisdom and thought provoking questions to the more mature audiences as well.
TFIOS does not delve into its subject matter lightly. The main character Hazel Grace Lancaster (Shelaine Woodley) does not dance around her life with cancer or the afflictions of others but rather treats it as the ever present thing it is. Many other movies have had cancer patients and survivors before, but the moments of focusing on the disease are usually saved for some perspective altering scenes. The Fault in Our Stars does no such thing as the characters live with their afflictions as a real person would.
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There is something about seeing such raw emotion that draws me in and makes its way into my heart, I can’t help but laugh or cry when the characters are doing the same.
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It might seem a little heavy but I find myself thinking that in the same situation I would act similarly—treading around such things can be more awkward than acknowledging them and in a way can give them more destructive power. Augustus Waters (Ansel Elgort), who is Hazel Grace’s love interest, makes a metaphor for this very idea by holding an unlit cigarette in his mouth for comfort as he says he likes to “put the killing thing right between your teeth, but you don’t give it the power to do its killing.” There are many moments where the characters are real not because they are perfect but because they are so imperfect and fully aware of this, it never felt like actors pretending but more like people being.
A lot of credit is due to the wonderful performances of Woodley and Elgort who really bring the movie alive. Being a huge fan of the book I was leery about how casting would be handled, a similar issue arises with every movie based on a book, but in this case it was done expertly. I have only recently seen a few movies and shows with Woodley and like her more with each one—her portrayal of Hazel Grace only further cemented my liking of her as an actress. As for Elgort, he played the slightly egotistical and odd Augustus Waters wonderfully, even down to the smirk that I saw in my head while reading his dialogue in the book. The interactions between the two are fantastic and really drew me in; I felt their feelings for one another from love to sadness, and for two relatively young actors that is incredible.
I don’t think I have ever been in a movie theater where so many people of all ages genuinely connected with a movie on so many levels. I heard more laughter than I heard in many movies I have seen in the past year, which was even more telling of the quality, as the movie and book are not straightforward comedies. And I have to admit that—just like the book—the movie brought a few tears to my eyes during its more emotional scenes, yes I cried right there in the movie theater. There is something about seeing such raw emotion that draws me in and makes its way into my heart, I can’t help but laugh or cry when the characters are doing the same.
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There are many things to be taken away from this movie and book from facing death as inevitable, to love as creating infinite value in even a short amount of time. It always feels a little odd when imaginary characters reach out and do something intimate with my mind and soul, it causes an internal wrestling of hate for the cliché it is to love for the profound thoughts it brings. TFIOS did just this in several ways for me, once when I read the book and all over again as I watched the movie.
It might only be a movie but The Fault in Our Stars is a small infinity worth every second.
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One of the struggles for both Hazel and Augustus is not that their deaths will come but what will exist after that moment. Hazel fears that the lives of those around her will suddenly stop, a fear that also shows up as an almost fanatical desire to know what happens after the end of her favorite book. Augustus wants to have made an impact on the world; he wants to be remembered after he is gone. The play between these linked but different fears is remarkable, and does a wonderful job of showcasing these very human thoughts concerning death. I find myself caught in the middle; wanting to leave some mark behind but knowing the world does not end with me, it was more than a little odd to see my inner demons portrayed so deftly before my eyes.
In regards to love there is an ongoing theme that is summed up in the quote “Some infinities are bigger than other infinities.” Hazel remarks that her and Agustus’ love may have been short but it is still an infinity and by extension that her life may be short it is still an infinity; they both had immeasurable value that cannot be quantified rationally but only perceived emotionally. Love is its own infinity among the infinite universe and has just as much or more meaning regardless of its duration.
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It has to be said that there were some of the finer details that didn’t make the transition from page to screen. I was saddened that several of my favorite quotes from the book were not included in the film, but many of the profound ideas were still there. If anything I left the theater ready to read the book again and wanting to see the movie again.
Book to movie adaptations are always shaky ground as there have been some monumental failures, but with The Fault in Our Stars my fears were alleviated within the first five minutes of the movie. TFIOS is one of my favorite books in recent memory and the movie was just as wonderful. If you have read the book don’t be afraid of the movie, and if you haven’t read it see the movie anyways because both groups will certainly enjoy themselves. Once you’ve seen it chances are you’ll be like me and want to read the book again, or if you haven’t read it you certainly should because the book has so much more wonder than a movie could ever express.
If you want a movie that has real substance and a spark of real life then go see The Fault in Our Stars. It will make you happy, make you angry, and make you sad but in the best ways possible. It is not just for teens, while the main characters are young adults it asks questions and handles emotions that teens, adults, parents, grandparents, siblings, friends, women, and men can relate to and learn from. It might only be a movie but The Fault in Our Stars is a small infinity worth every second.
–Photo:Trailer