27/2/18 - Monthly Film Reviews - The Perks Of Being A Wallflower

Hello everyone! Today is the fourth instalment of another segment I am implementing. Once or twice a month I will be writing and posting reviews of films that I watch. Some may be older, having been released years ago and others may be new cinematic releases. Throughout this year, I hope to share my opinions of films with you and hopefully persuade you to give the film a watch if you haven't already!

Great! So what exactly will I be discussing in these reviews?
Plot
Character and their development
Viewer Engagement
My favourite moment
My least favourite moment
Anything else!

So... which film is going to be the subject of my fourth Film Review on my blog?

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower (2012)

These reviews will contain SPOILERS!

Plot

I have always been a intrigued by the concept behind The Perks Of Being A Wallflower, telling the epic coming of age story of an awkward anxious character as they start a new school is one I rarely see at the moment, no matter how much I personally relate to it. The story of Charlie and him managing to befriend the misfits in the senior class left me in a very empathetic state, for at college, me and the majority of my social group ended up leaving some of our friends behind when we headed off to university. Seeing the experience from the eyes of someone in a similar circumstance to friends of mine, made the experience even more emotive. I feel that this was a great aspect to the film. You find yourself empathising with the protagonist and his struggles because you can see someone you know, if not yourself, in his shoes. 

Character

There are many aspects to this film that I find great! I found that the characterisation of Charlie was stellar and is therefore one of the top ones. I ended up feeling very attached to this character, willing him to open up and flourish in the company of those that surrounded him. Charlie is a very likable character, and one that you can root for! I felt that his struggles were authentic to teen life and his trauma being revealed in the manner it was, did not limit the story. However, other than Charlie, the other two main characters, Sam and Patrick seemed to be considerably less well-rounded. But when compared to the rest of their social group, at least there was more to them. 

Sam served the purpose of being the attractive, endearing and oblivious love interest. She had the brunt of Charlie's affections and yet, she seemed to wave it off every time until he kissed her during truth or dare, instead of his girlfriend, Mary-Elizabeth. 

Patrick, although a complex depiction of a gay character, seemed to serve as the hook to bring Charlie into a social group and then only existed when the conflicts of the story required him to. This was sad, as I found his character very interesting and hoped to see more from him. 

That being said, the dynamic between the step-siblings, Sam and Patrick was positive and very free-spirited. Them being the same age provided the audience with a positive depiction of a healthy dynamic between siblings that were not of biological relation. A lot of the time, step-siblings are antagonised in works, it adds stigma to reconstituted families and I am so glad that Wallflower demonstrated that step-siblings could love eachother and be amazing friends. 

Viewer Engagement

I was greatly engaged by the story at hand. Admittedly, part of it was over how daft these characters would have to be to not recognise Heroes by David Bowie. But I felt that the authentic depiction of what life is like when you are anxious and unsure of your social standings was greatly refreshing and captivating to an audience. I hope to watch more movies of this nature. 

My Favourite Moment 

Both of the car scenes, but more importantly, the second one at the end of the film, where Charlie, in Sam's stead, stands up and feels the wind through his hair in a state of euphoria, being with the people he feels the most comfortable around! - And with the line "We are infinate" hit me in the emotions! I was so moved at the idea that yes, we may not be perminant in our existence, but we can last forever, in the memories we leave behind when we leave this world. It was a beautiful sentiment! 

My Least Favouirte Moment 

I really struggled to come up with a least favouirte moment. In the end I found myself choosing the scene in which Sam left as it seemed to be less emotionally charged than I would expect considering the circumstances which surrounded it. 

Anything Else?

This film gave me a revitalised adoration for Heores by David Bowie! I love it even more than I did before. 

Thank you for reading my review and I hope you give this film a watch!

And remember:

Per Ardua Ad Asta

- Imogen. L. Smiley