the fault in the adaptation

Rating: 6/10 (29 May 2014)

One of the best things about TFIOS was the voice of Hazel. It put a great, creative spin on an otherwise common disease story. We don't entirely lose it here. It's in the narration, and in her speech. Some of the book's whimsy comes out with cute choices like placing text messages into speech bubbles above the characters' heads in the book's font. But...from the beginning, we lose the Hazel's wry commentary, and the movie treats the kids' diseases as the most pressing issues, rather than their mental grappling with them. When Augustus is introduced, he is practically stalkerish in his attention toward Hazel, which is forgivable only because of his cuteness. From here on in, it's all twee cuteness. Augustus is a wonderful, but impossibly movie-like boyfriend who would probably get on your nerves in real life, and would also probably be hiding a terrible secret. The movie is not as pressing as the book when we go to Amsterdam to meet the author that inspires her. There's very little urgency or conflict. The movie delivers sweetness and young love, and it truly is sweet, but at times it loses the flavor of the book. I will also say the wardrobe and art direction are terrible, and that I'm not sold on Shailene Woodley's star quality. Even though her man has one leg, it still seems he could do better. I'm knocking this movie a lot, but I will recommend. The preview audience seemed to laugh and cry in all the right places.