For anyone who has been an outcast, an exile or stuck on the outside, particularly through those always awkward and tumultuous high school years, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" might be the movie for you. And for everyone else, it's the leading trio of Logan Lerman, Ezra Miller and Emma Watson that provides hope that this will be an above-average romp through a familiar coming-of-age tale.
The first clip has dropped from the film, and serves a decent enough introduction to Charlie (Lerman), an overlooked kid who comes into the orbit of Sam (Watson) and Patrick (Miller) and their metaphorical "island of misfit toys." All three looking to be hitting the right notes, and certainly, director Stephen Chbosky, who wrote the book on which this is based, knows exactly the tone he's going for. But making it work on the page and on the big screen are two different things.
We'll know whether it's a winner or not soon enough when the film premieres at TIFF next week. As for everyone else, they can catch it in theaters on September 14th.
Since there are a few opinions from ppl who have seen it, i'll throw in my 2 cents: it's excellent. If nominations went out today, Logan Lerman would be in my top 5, easily. Felt like a bit of John Hughes, some Cameron Crowe, and a lot of interesting subplots. In the coming-of-age genre, this is a great one.
The script doesn't go for the cheap emotional grab? Clearly we didn't see the same film. I haven't read the book, but from what I hear from my friends that have, they are miles apart. I suspect it should have stayed on the page, because these characters all became clichés in the transfer to the screen (I am glad it was occasionally funny; otherwise it would have been a painful slog rather than simply lacking). The only detail that had the potential to make the film unique (the sexual abuse) was pushed to the background and really doesn't come through as strongly as it should. Instead we're left with gay football players, teenage alienation, and manic pixie dream girls. I'm not bashing anyone that does like the film, I'm just giving an honest opinion. I simply expected more from an adaptation of such a notorious novel.
I'd have to disagree with you as well, Plainview. While the story is a familiar one, it rings true because of the performances and a script that doesn't go for the cheap emotional grab.
I saw this two days ago at an advanced screening. It's really the same kind of mopey high school movie we've all seen a thousand times. And the performances are pretty much universally awful, with Ezra Miller as the lone standout.