'The Fault In Our Stars' review by Jake Boyle
When previously existing stories are adapted into new films, I try to judge the results by their own merits rather than by comparing them to the source material. This is an incredibly difficult thing to do when the story in question is my favourite book, bar none. If you want the comparison, it's simple enough to amend; every time I praise something about the film, simply add 'but not as good as the book' after it.
'Not a dry eye in the house' is a phrase that's used quite liberally, but it was the literal truth about my viewing experience - it was a small crowd, but I don't think I've been to a cinema and seen such universal investment. That being said, The Fault In Our Stars isn't an exceptionally good movie, but it does know exactly how and when to pull at the heartstrings. The movie's drama is sublime, especially in its heart-crushing crescendo of an ending. The comedy is perfectly fine once it builds up some steam (a few of the earlier scenes fall awkwardly flat), but the film bounces back between funny phases and sad phases without ever really being able to blend the two. Matters certainly aren't helped by a mawkish soundtrack that sounds as artificially uplifting and hollow as the sentiments the characters are repeatedly disparaging. While often cynical about comforting lies, the film does have a deep and genuine sense of warmth that, without wanting to sound overly sappy, is actually quite life-affirming. Despite crying for a consecutive twenty minutes or so, I left that cinema with joie de vivre in my heart.
Emotions aside, the stand-out thing about The Fault In Out Stars is Shailene Woodley, who gives a quiet but in no way reserved performance that hits all the dramatic high notes while perfectly delivering the wit-laced dialogue. The same can't quite be said of the other lead, Ansel Elgort, who gives a great performance in the third act but before that is quite two-dimensional and I think is one of the main reasons that the tragedy and comedy can't seem to blend together. With Woodley, there's always the sense that she's on the verge of tears when she laughs or smiles, but Elgort, while passable, never really seems to feel much behind the smirk. There is great support from the rest of the cast however, particularly Nat Wolff in one scene where he just smashes the props and set to smithereens - the latter of which was elegantly and appealingly designed, so praise be to set designer Merissa Lombardo.
The Fault In Our Stars, while occasionally a little trite, is an engaging and genuinely moving film. It manages to be tragic and uplifting simultaneously, whilst still retaining a good sense of humour, which is no small feat. It's taken to an even higher level by Shailene Woodley, whose masterful range and subtlety might make her performance here one of the best of 2014. It could do with shedding a layer of Hollywood sheen, and allowing the funny and the sad to flow into and through one another rather than compartmentalizing them. But it's well-written, emotional and captivating, and I think it should delight all but the most cynical of moviegoers.
'Not a dry eye in the house' is a phrase that's used quite liberally, but it was the literal truth about my viewing experience - it was a small crowd, but I don't think I've been to a cinema and seen such universal investment. That being said, The Fault In Our Stars isn't an exceptionally good movie, but it does know exactly how and when to pull at the heartstrings. The movie's drama is sublime, especially in its heart-crushing crescendo of an ending. The comedy is perfectly fine once it builds up some steam (a few of the earlier scenes fall awkwardly flat), but the film bounces back between funny phases and sad phases without ever really being able to blend the two. Matters certainly aren't helped by a mawkish soundtrack that sounds as artificially uplifting and hollow as the sentiments the characters are repeatedly disparaging. While often cynical about comforting lies, the film does have a deep and genuine sense of warmth that, without wanting to sound overly sappy, is actually quite life-affirming. Despite crying for a consecutive twenty minutes or so, I left that cinema with joie de vivre in my heart.
Emotions aside, the stand-out thing about The Fault In Out Stars is Shailene Woodley, who gives a quiet but in no way reserved performance that hits all the dramatic high notes while perfectly delivering the wit-laced dialogue. The same can't quite be said of the other lead, Ansel Elgort, who gives a great performance in the third act but before that is quite two-dimensional and I think is one of the main reasons that the tragedy and comedy can't seem to blend together. With Woodley, there's always the sense that she's on the verge of tears when she laughs or smiles, but Elgort, while passable, never really seems to feel much behind the smirk. There is great support from the rest of the cast however, particularly Nat Wolff in one scene where he just smashes the props and set to smithereens - the latter of which was elegantly and appealingly designed, so praise be to set designer Merissa Lombardo.
The Fault In Our Stars, while occasionally a little trite, is an engaging and genuinely moving film. It manages to be tragic and uplifting simultaneously, whilst still retaining a good sense of humour, which is no small feat. It's taken to an even higher level by Shailene Woodley, whose masterful range and subtlety might make her performance here one of the best of 2014. It could do with shedding a layer of Hollywood sheen, and allowing the funny and the sad to flow into and through one another rather than compartmentalizing them. But it's well-written, emotional and captivating, and I think it should delight all but the most cynical of moviegoers.
Your review makes me want to watch it..!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear it! I highly recommend it, although don't watch it with somebody you'd be embarrassed to cry in front of.
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