Sick movie! Quite literally

Rating: 7/10 (28 June 2014)

This movie is about a cute (sick) love story of Hazel Grace and Augustus, two cancer-stricken teenagers who met in a support group. It's not entirely a unique kind of love story, but at least it's not about vampires , ahem.
Having read the book before seeing the film, I have to say I have a lot of respect to the director for staying true to the book. While I'm happy the film didn't stray too far from the novel, I feel like everything was rushed and compressed into this 2-hour movie.
Good news or bad news?
Okay bad. One, I was a little disappointed that the movie made it seem like Hazel's life only revolved around Gus. Sure it's a love story, but people don't stop having non-cancer friends once they get cancer. Hazel has a life outside Gus; she goes out with friends, she goes to school.. Or something. Which leads me to my second disappointment. The author, John Green, had a cameo in a mall scene (where Hazel hung out with someone other than Gus) but it was deleted. I mean, the movie would not be possible if it weren't for freaking John Green! Third, the film almost completely neglected the video game books that Gus, and eventually Hazel, were so obsessed about (not that it mattered that much). And finally (this part goes for the novel cause it wasn't included in the film), I just don't see anything alright with the idea of Gus being interested in Hazel the first time he saw her because she looked like his deceased ex-girlfriend. At least that's how I see it from how it was written. Anyway, the last piece of bad news probably made the movie a little better because it wasn't included. Moving on..
The good. The film stayed true to the book. The support group, Isaac's breakdown, the Funky Bones, the Anne Frank House kiss, the steamy you- know-what-they-did scene, the pre-funeral... I could go on for another 30 minutes describing how beautiful those scenes (and more) were brought to life. These scenes were how I imagined them as I read the book, if not better. I love how the mood of a certain scene translates to my own as I watch it, so good it gave me goosebumps! Oh, and it's true what they say that you have to bring tissues, the entire theater will cry. Hell, I usually feel embarrassed if I feel like crying over a movie, but with this one? Go ahead, no one's gonna judge you.