Double as in, the book and the movie.So as most of us know, the book “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” by Stephen Chbosky had recently been adapted into a movie starring Logan Lerman, Emma Watson and Ezra Miller.
So in this post, I think I’m actually going to be cynical.
The book, in my opinion was terrible.
The format (letters) was awkward to read, the sentences kind of “ran on” a bit, and the general effect made it quite a hard book to get into. That, and the lack of a major plot. Or maybe it just wasn’t fictional enough for me. Either way, I really didn’t like. I couldn’t even finish it – I got halfway through the book and then gave up.
The only reason I decided to read the book was because the film looked good, and I wanted to read the book first. To be perfectly honest, If I hadn’t been looking for it, I would never have picked up this book in a store. The cover wasn’t great, and the blurb was iffy at best. 1/5.
Even though the book was a disappointment, I still decided to go and see the movie. Directed by the author, Stephen Chbosky, I wasn’t expecting much, but I decided not to judge it by the book.
It was brilliant.
Ok, so at a basic level, it’s the same plot. Ok, so Emma Watson’s performance is highly over rated. Ok, so I was more excited about the trailer for “The Hobbit” (eek) than I was for the film.
It was excellent.
Obviously, the film is not in letter format. The actors covey the emotions much better than the book did. The plot was slightly changed, but it was much easier to follow than the book was. Overall it was a film that really worked.
Logan Lerman as Charlie, the main character, is great. While his performance isn’t anything to shout about, it certainly wasn’t bad. Sam, Charlie’s friend and love interest, is played by Emma Watson. It kills me to say this, but she really didn’t bring anything to the role. She seemed kind of forced, with none of the ease Miller and Logan seemed to have in their roles. I have no idea what these critics are acclaiming her for, her sub-par performance is completely overshadowed by Lerman and Miller. Ezra Miller, as Patrick, Charlie’s friend and Sam’s step-brother is truly outstanding. He really brings the character to life, in a good way. He completely steals the show, leaving Watson and Lerman to trail behind him.
Four out of five stars…