The Fault in Our Stars

Rating: 8/10 (12 June 2014)

I've seen many book adaptations; Harry Potter, Watership Down, Secret Life of Bees, Perks, Scott Pilgrim, etc. I've never hated a film adaptation of a novel which I've cherished (save for Percy Jackson - why, Chris Columbus, why?!)Despite having liked each book adaptation I've seen in their own unique way, The Fault in Our Stars (aka TFiOS), has to be the best adaptation of them all.
Almost everything about this film is perfect. Ansel and Shailene brought my favourite literary characters to life in a manner no other actors ever could. They ARE Hazel and Gus. I particularly loved Ansel; he captured Gus's character perfectly, he was the exact Gus of my mind. As another member on the IMDb board mentioned, he even seemed to act a little like John Green - eccentric and giddy, yet reserved. After all, John did create Gus, it's natural there'd be a bit of his essence within him. Some critics have been unfair in re Gus's character, with IGN calling him a manic pixie dreamboy. That he is not, at least not to me. Ansel played the part so well, capturing every side of Gus. It was as if Gus walked straight off the page and in front of the camera.
Shai was amazing as Hazel. She portrayed her extremely well - she kept Hazel true to her form, that being she was humble yet elevated, positive yet realistic, grounded yet not without fantasy. Shai captured Hazel's mature stature, her girlish charm and her witty personality, all while treating her hamartia with respect, with her fear of exploding bubbling in her eyes right under the surface.
Willem Dafoe surprised me. I thought he was going to be a terrible Van Houten. He was not. Dafoe was Van Houten as Elgort was Gus. He was incredible. Van Houten, if you've read the book, is a right a$$hole, but he does extract sympathy, and Dafoe brings both the bitter, mean-spirited drunk and the sorrowful, depressed man who's lost his way right to the table. Dafoe captured Green's semi-antagonist an in a way I never thought he could. I regret doubting him.
Laura Dern was lovely as Mrs Lancaster, and Nat Woolf was hilarious as Isaac. I wish ol' Isaac had more screen time, and that his bond with Hazel was deepened a little. He had the best one liners; the whole trio did. The only disappointment, to me, was Sam Trammell as Mr Lancaster. He seemed very underdeveloped and his character didn't have many lines. It was a shame, since himself and Hazel had a great old repore in the book.
Some things from the novel are omitted, of course, others added. All in all it's the most faithful adaptation I've ever seen. Faithful in the sense that not only is it loyal to the source material, but it captures the message, themes and spirit of the book in ways that I've never thought possible in a film adaptation. You can sense John Green's eccentric yet humble personality oozing from the characters, the core message of the film is not lost in translation. The actors and filmmakers put their blood, sweat and tears into this production in order to transform a beloved book from print to film reel without anything vital being lost in the process. They've succeeded, in my book.
This is the definitive TFiOS. It was a privilege to have my heart broken by this film, and I look forward to it doing so many more times in the near and distant future.
Okay? Okay. :)