Tuesday, June 10, 2014

{Movie} Review: The Fault in Our Stars





We all delight in seeing our favorite books brought to life on the big screen.  We cringe at casting.  We scoff at release dates.  All the while, we're gearing up to see if the director's vision lives up to the world we've conceived in our own imaginations.  Sometimes it does...and sometimes it doesn't.  We could lament the movies that don't measure up, or we could return to the books for a re-read, possibly with a slightly different mind-set.  All's fair when it comes to artistic vision, right?





Today, I'm featuring the following movie:

Title: The Fault in Our Stars
Director: Josh Boone
Stars: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff, Laura Dern, Sam Trammell, Willem Dafoe
Release date: June 6, 2014
Based on: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

View on IMDb

Hazel and Augustus are two teenagers who share an acerbic wit, a disdain for the conventional, and a love that sweeps them on a journey. Their relationship is all the more miraculous, given that Hazel's other constant companion is an oxygen tank, Gus jokes about his prosthetic leg, and they meet and fall in love at a cancer support group.






Okay, my friends. Most of you have read the book, so none of this will be new to you. But just in case you're the one person on my friends list who hasn't read the book or seen the movie yet, there will be loads of spoilers from here on out. So, ya know, if that kind of thing bothers you, you should probably stop reading here. Okay? Okay.

I went with my sister on Saturday to see TFiOS because we'd listened to the book together at some point last year and we both loved it. I've since listened to it several more times, and each time, I think I found a new favorite part. So, obviously, I was a little worried that this movie wouldn't hold a candle to the book from which it was adapted. But it did. It so did. Mendy even thought so, and she's pretty freakin' hard to please. She's also maybe a bit cold and unfeeling, as she didn't shed a single tear during the whole dang movie, while I was a hot, embarrassing mess. OR, when she ran from the theater the second the credits started rolling, it could have been because her fake eyelashes were floating down her cheeks on rivers of TFiOS-inspired tears. I guess we'll never know, since in my haste to follow her, I managed to drop my phone somewhere in the row in front of us and the lights hadn't come up yet.

The general consensus afterward, though, was that it was a beautiful, heartbreaking movie, and it was one hell of a nearly-true to the book adaptation. The feels were all there. The pivotal moments remained. The witty dialogue, for which John Green is known, was there in spades. There was only one scene I remember being cut, and it was the one where Augustus is arguing with his mother to go to Amsterdam. And I totally get why that was eliminated because it really added to the sting of finding out Gus was sick on that bench with Hazel Grace. I'm sure there were other scenes missing, but as I said, the pivotal moments made it, and that's crucial to any adaptation, but especially this one. TFiOS fans can get downright rabid in their vehemence that this film adaptation remain as true to the book as possible. As a fan myself, I think the movie was pretty damn close to the book I've loved more each time I read it.

Like so many others, I was nervous about the casting. Brother and sister in one movie, only to be cast as lovers in another. That might not have been such an issue, had the release of both movies not been scheduled so close together. Honestly, I still can't speak to that because I haven't seen Divergent yet, but after seeing them in TFiOS, it's obvious they have chemistry. But I think that chemistry could also be conveyed in a sibling bond, the way they joke and jab at each other in this movie. I think Ansel Elgort is the perfect Augustus Waters. I'm still not sure Shailene Woodley was the Hazel Grace Lancaster I had pictured in my head, but she was well-cast nonetheless. And Nat Wolff as Isaac...so adorable. When he's breaking the trophies in Gus' room after Monica breaks up with him because she's too chicken sh!t to see him through his surgery, he is so acutely Isaac in that moment. I never would have envisioned Willem Dafoe as Peter Van Houten, but it worked. And I still despised his character as much in the movie as I did the first time I read the book. I understand him to an extent, but that doesn't mean I have to like him, not after he treated Hazel Grace -- his biggest fan -- so atrociously.

The funny thing about this movie is that all the parts that I thought would be my favorite scenes -- Hazel leaving the Venn diagram for Gus, Gus telling Hazel that he is in love with her, the kiss in the Anne Frank house, the egging of Monica's car -- none of those compared to the scenes that just generally showed the chemistry between these two characters. Like, when Gus is blatantly staring at Hazel from across the circle at the group therapy session. It was silly, it was cute, and it was kind of swoony in a juvenile sort of way. And it wasn't the kiss in the Anne Frank house that I found so delightful...it was the two sick kids climbing all those stairs, trying for some semblance of normal in the face of what Van Houten had just done to them. So many beautiful moments...I honestly don't know if I could pick a favorite anymore.

I'm an ugly crier. I shouldn't have seen this in the theater. But the rest of the audience looked as puffy and swollen as I did, so who cares, right? Except that everyone outside could pinpoint exactly who had just come from seeing TFiOS. Still, when my older sister asked if I'd read the book, would I recommend it because she was thinking of buddy reading it with her neighbor and then going to see the movie, I told her I absolutely would, even though she "hates sad crap" and doesn't like sad movies. (How am I the only sister who isn't emotionally stunted?) Because it's not just about the sad, emotional bits. It's about all the feels. All that snappy dialogue and those beautiful moments. It's about dealing with life, pain, and death, and coming through it. So, yes, I highly recommend it.

If you've read the book, I think you'll love this movie. If you haven't read the book, you're going to hate John Green as so many have already complained, but then you'll read the book and you'll love him again. And you'll probably still love the movie. Or not. But either way, you'll remember this experience and know it's always better to have read the book first. But even reading the book first in this case can't save you from all the feels.

GIF it to me straight:






Were you a fan of the book? Have you seen the movie? How do you think it fares as an adaptation?


26 comments:

  1. None of my friends want to see this with me (they're not big book people), so I'm venturing off to see it alone. Might be best, that way I can ugly cry without being judged haha

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    1. Haha...if my sister hadn't wanted to see it, too, I would have had to see it alone. But at least then she wouldn't have made fun of my puffy face. :P

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  2. I loved it! As long as you go into it knowing that it's not going to be a play by play of the book, it's an amazing movie.

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    1. It was a pretty amazing adaptation. And they kept it pretty close to the book. :)

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  3. I have no desire to see this movie. I don't like the actress plus I know how the book ends and once I learned that I knew I'd never read the book as the plot has been done before. I'm glad you liked it though and that it was worth your time.

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    1. Yeah, I'm still not sure about the casting for Hazel, but otherwise I genuinely liked the movie, even knowing how it would end, having read the book.

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  4. I'm the friend on your list that hasn't read the book or seen the movie. I don't feel overly motivated to do either to be honest. I'm so glad to see that the movie is living up to the reader's hopes though. I'm sure if I ever do read the book and see the movie I'll love it and cry, cry and cry.

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    1. Heh...well, my older sis hasn't read it or seen the movie, so you're in good company. I think it's definitely one of those stories you have to be in just the right mood for.

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  5. Nope. I can't read this book OR watch the movie. The trailer and quotes of the book make me feel like crying so I can't imagine reading the book. My 13 year old niece just spoiled this for me last week :(
    I'm so happy the movie did so well!

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    1. I thought I wouldn't ever be able to read this one either, but I caved. The first half made me laugh so much, but that second half is what will break your heart.

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  6. I read this when it first came out and quite liked it, but am not like the #1 superfan or anything. There is no way I'm seeing this in the theater--crying in public isn't my favorite--but I will definitely pick it up when it comes out on DVD. I'm glad that the film adaptation stays true. I think JG was pretty hands-on which always helps. I don't think Shailene Woodley is who I really envisioned either, but I like her a lot. She was awesome in The Descendants. Great review!

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    1. Oh, I'm not a superfan or anything either. But it's a genuinely good story. I don't enjoy the humiliation of crying in public generally, either, but I wanted to judge the movie for myself before everyone else started weighing in. Oh, and I liked Shailene in The Descendants, too. She's actually a fairly good actress...just not necessarily who I saw playing Hazel.

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  7. I loved this movie and i'm thrilled you liked it too! i have to agree the actos werent necessary who i invsioned as the characters (especially Ansel) but i don't think any actors could have fit that bill so all in all i was happy with the way things worked out. I went to see the movie with my mom (who read the book) and a friend (who'd also read the book) and we all had a lovely crying session together. It was pretty epic!

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    1. That's so true...we'll never all be happy with the casting of a book to movie adaptation. :( I'm glad you had people to see it with and cry with. It was a pretty awesome movie. :)

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  8. I am SO glad you enjoyed this! I'm going to see it on Monday and I'm really looking forward to it!

    Check out my TTT!

    Katrina @ Chased By My Imagination

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    1. I hope you end up loving it as much as me and my sister did! :D

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  9. Aww I so want to watch it but I think it'll be an at-home movie haha. I dunno why but I prefer action movies in theaters and emotional ones at home. I just don't like being in a room with so many people who are crying, man! >.< Anyways it sounds like they did a wonderful job getting it true to the book which always impresses me. I also wasn't sure about the casting they picked but it sounds like they did a great job with the roles. I don't think any actor would have made us instantly happy about the casting for this one to be honest lol. Great review, Jen, so excited to see it myself even if it may be a while!

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    1. Hehe...I probably should have saved it for DVD, but I just couldn't wait. And there was nothing but sniffles in that theater. It was sad but awesome at the same time, lol. Casting is always a point of contention, especially among those of us who read the book first, but they did okay with this one. I hope you love the movie as much as we did when you finally get to watch it at home! :D

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  10. I saw this opening and was VERY happy with how it turned out. The humor was spot on - it could have so easily been too awkward or overdone, but the film and the actors got the tone just right - and the sads came at all the right times. I think my favorite scenes were bedroom (so sweet) and the eulogy (so incredibly sad and funny at the same time). My ONLY wish is that they had kept Augustus' letter word for word at the end. It's right there in the book, already written to perfection, so I don't understand why they had to change/shorten it. :/

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    1. I think most fans of the book will be pretty satisfied with the movie. :) My favorite scenes from the book all made it into the movie, so I'm happy. But it's been so long since the last time I read it that I didn't even notice the wording of Gus' letter wasn't the same...

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  11. I cannot wait to see this movie, and I am so glad you loved it. I want to go so bad, but I am worried about ugly crying in the theater!
    Missie @ A Flurry of Ponderings

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    1. Have no fear...everyone else will be ugly crying, too! :D

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  12. I went to see the movie (with my mom and a friend of mine) and I fully agree with you! The movie did stay true with the book! Sure, there was a few small details left out, like you mentioned (they also upped both of their ages for some reason), but it had no major effect and it was still amazing. Both my friend and I cried (and we were the ones who read the book!!!!). I did not see any tears from my mom (she said that she cried, but I definitely didn't see anything). Anyway, as you might be able to tell, I also really enjoyed it!

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    1. Agreed...the changes they *did* make didn't really matter in the long run, so I barely noticed them. I think there should have been a poll at the end to see how many dry eyes were left in the theater once it was over. I'd be curious to see the final numbers, lol.

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  13. I'm dying to see this. My husband and I FINALLY got a date night (they are VERY hard to come by in our house) over the weekend, yet he refused to see this one with me because he didn't want to cry in public. >.< So I'm stuck waiting until it's released on DVD. Man, the wait is killing me!

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    1. Yeah, I would NEVER have gotten my husband to the theater to see this. I was *this* close to getting him to take me to see Divergent, but even that one didn't have enough action for him. :( And don't feel bad, date nights are far and few between for us, too. I can't imagine have more than one kiddo...we'd NEVER get any alone time, lol. Hope you love this when you finally get to see it, hehe.

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