Chbosky employs the comedic-dramatic tightrope frequently
walked by the late John Hughes in such mid-80’s, adolescent-skewing classics
as The Breakfast Club, Ferris
Bueller’s Day Off and Pretty
in Pink, as well as an arsenal of me-decade tunes by such singers as
David Bowie, The Smiths, Morrissey and, naturally, Dexys Midnight
Runners. The hairstyles are big, the wireless phones even bigger, and mix
tapes remain the most indirect yet personal way to say “I love
you.”
Cute Logan Lerman (Percy
Jackson & the Olympians) grounds the movie as Charlie, a lonely
teen with a troubled but nebulous past who is just starting his freshman year
at a suburban Pittsburgh
high school. Anxious to make friends, Charlie ingratiates himself to two
seniors: the pretty but insecure Sam (the Harry
Potter series’ Hermione, Emma Watson, who has matured
beautifully as both a woman and an actress) and her stepbrother Patrick (Ezra
Miller, proving that his frighteningly-impressive turn as the murderous son in
last year’s We Need to Talk About
Kevin was no fluke). Patrick is not only gay but, as Charlie
discovers, is having a secret affair with a closeted member of their
school’s football team.
The trio and their extended circle of friends consider
themselves outcasts and “wallflowers.” As the school year
moves along, Charlie finds the inspiration to become a writer through both the
encouragement of his English teacher (a nice turn by Paul Rudd) and his growing
attraction to Sam. He also assists the discouraged, self-doubting Sam in
her efforts to be accepted into Penn
State, and becomes an
unexpected hero when he saves Patrick from a lunchroom gay-bashing. In
the movie’s most personally-nostalgic moments, Charlie & Co. delightedly re-enact The
Rocky Horror Picture Show before packed midnight audiences.
Alas, just when things seem to be going so well for Charlie,
dark memories and physical blackouts start becoming more frequent. There’s
a lingering mystery throughout the film involving Charlie’s favorite aunt
(played in flashbacks by Melanie Lynskey, of Heavenly
Creatures fame, who currently gives an acclaimed performance in Hello I Must Be Going) that gets resolved
during the final 20 minutes thanks to Joan Cusack as a kindly counselor. After
the emotional honesty of the previous 90 minutes, I found this climax not only predictable
but handled unrealistically. (An example of the latter: Cusack reveals the
painful, would-be shocking truth behind Charlie’s issues to his parents
in the middle of a public hospital corridor rather than a private office.)
As much I was disappointed by the final act of The Perks of Being a Wallflower after being
consistently impressed for such a prolonged period of time, I still recommend
it most heartily. Chbosky directs with sensitive confidence and wrings impressive
work out of his young leads. Not everyone will figure out the cause of
Charlie’s scars in advance and some viewers who endured similar,
real-life circumstances have reportedly been quite moved. The film is
shaping up to be a cross-generational crowdpleaser, which was evident during
the nearly full Sunday matinee I attended. For those of us who came of
age in the 1980’s-early 90’s, though, it rings especially true.
Reverend’s Rating: B+
Review by Rev. Chris Carpenter, resident film critic of Movie Dearest and Rage Monthly Magazine.
available now): While the late series never grabbed me, my hopelessly-devoted partner was thrilled when this five disc farewell set arrived. I do recommend its bonus features, which include a “Finishing the Hat” episode commentary by series creator Marc Cherry (who deserves kudos for naming every episode after a Stephen Sondheim song title or phrase), deleted scenes and bloopers, and “I Guess This is Goodbye,” a series of honest and often moving reflections by various longtime cast members. Farewell, Wisteria Lane, at least until Cherry comes up with a reunion movie.
