Tuesday, July 29, 2014

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS (2014)


Genre: Drama/Romance
Running Length: 2:05
Cast: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff, Laura Dern, Sam Trammell, Willem Dafoe, Lotte Verbeek
Director: Josh Boone

It's actually not a bad movie but there is nothing unremarkable about the "teenage cancer romance" date-flick THE FAULT IN OUR STARS. In fact towards the end, the film became a little draggy and was trying a little too hard to manipulate some tears out from the audience. However, it's a different story altogether for the two leads; as their portrayal of cancer patients who are falling for each other are beautifully realized. Their performance are honest and heartfelt and when they are together, they are adorable. A special shout out to the male lead, Ansel Elgot, who is insanely charismatic as the can-do survivor for the first 3/4 of the film but really nails his performance towards the end. One interesting thing to point out is that the film manages to capture a sense of immediacy in an unforced manner mainly through its sharp and witty dialogue. The main characters are definitely living in the now (because they have no future) for they do not hide their thoughts and emotions - "That's the thing about pain. It demands to be felt."

Although many of the movie goers in the cinema couldn't stop crying towards the end, I actually felt that the ending was hopeful. This quote beautifully summarizes it:

"To love someone fiercely, to believe in something with your whole heart, to celebrate a fleeting moment in time, to fully engage in a life that doesn’t come with guarantees – these are risks that involve vulnerability and often pain. But, I’m learning that recognizing and leaning into the discomfort of vulnerability teaches us how to live with joy, gratitude and grace." Brene Brown

Rating: 6/10

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