The fault in our stars.
Production year: 2014
Country: USA
Cert(UK): 12A
Runtime: 126 minutes
Directors: Josh Boone
Cast: Shailene Woodley (Hazel Lancaster), Ansel Elgort (Augustus Waters) , Nat Wolff (Issac), Laura Dern (Frannie, Hazels mum), Sam Trammell (Michael, Hazels dad), Willem Dafoe (Van Houten), Lotte Verbeek (Lidewij)
The fault in our stars is one for those who love a good weep. Based on the John Green best seller 'The Fault in Our Stars', this film almost exactly mimics the book, creating a visual representation of what most teenage girls have been mentally picturing since they read the book. And the film delivered this image fantastically. Teenage heartthrob, Ansel Elgort, plays wonderfully witty Augustus Waters down to a T. He was everything I imagined Gus to be like and more. And Shailene Woodley plays innocent Hazel Lancaster, Gus's true love, magnificently.
The two love birds meet at a cancer support group and you can instantly see the connection between them, they go on to face numerous heights of happiness and depths of despair, some more heart wrenching than others, and you learn their stories and fall in love with the characters, as they fall in love with each other. Hazel and Gus begin to grow a great passion for a cancer-based book named the 'imperial affliction', which was written by nasty man, Van Houten (Willem Dafoe) , who lives in Amsterdam. The two get the opportunity to go Amsterdam, to answer their burning questions about the book and the details that it lacks. This trip shows some ups and downs for them, but their love blossoms during a heated kiss in the Anne Frank house. Back home, things take a tragic turn for the worst, and the tears start to flow, well, for me anyway.
Brutal honesty about the unfairness of life, this film really makes you think about how much time we have on this earth and how much of it is wasted, watching shitty tv, going places we have no intentions of being, and waiting to die. As much sadness this film brings, it also brings a sense of warmth that Gus allowed Hazel into his life, even when she tried so hard to stop it because she was "a grenade" and when she was gone she wanted to minimize the casualties, but he didn't give in, and eventually won her heart.
We learn about the struggles of a teenager going through cancer treatment, and realise that they really hate talking about it, I mean REALLY hate. But in all honesty, why would you want to be constantly asked about this dreadful disease that will soon be the end of you? It cant be pleasant being reminded everyday that you aren't a 'normal' teenager, and that you are in fact a ticking time bomb.
I do have one bad thing to say about this film however. Gus gave almost every girl who watched the film (which is probably most of the population of the UK and the US) a superficial idea of 18 year old boys. Gus is not like ANY boys I know in real life. He is a gentleman, understanding, and passionate about one girl. When in actual fact, most 18 year old boys only want one thing, and very often don't care who they get it from, as long as she's not ugly. Now before you call me a feminist, I am not saying ALL boys are the same, hence "most" but I am speaking from life experience. And films like these don't help these poor boys out. Us girls expect you to be like Gus, not all the time, because I know we like a bad boy from time to time, but most.
Overall, I think you should definitely give this film a watch, and BRING TISSUES! Not only is it entertaining but it is beautifully written and performed. If you don't cry, even a little, I would get your tear ducts checked out.
Louise Maddocks 1/10/14
