A near-perfect "Fault"

Rating: 10/10 (8 December 2014)

In our current 2014 Hollywood wasteland of an endless barrage of big-budget superhero movies (of which I'm a sucker for), Hollywood's other big obsession seems to be adaptations of popular teen novels. Earlier this year, I was gosh-wowed by "The Spectacular Now" (2013). Now I've just sat down and watched "The Fault in Our Stars."
I just needed a break from the big-budget superhero movie hoopla, you know? "The Fault in Our Stars" was a perfect distraction until "Guardians of the Galaxy" (2014) is released on DVD tomorrow. I've been eager to watch "The Fault in Our Stars" for some time now, and let me say that I wasn't disappointed. I knew what the story was about, and wasn't disappointed by the final result. I was thoroughly pleased by this teen love story that like a lot of teen movies of late, invents its own language, lingo, and philosophical outlook on life as it goes along.
Adapted from the book by John Green (which I intend to begin reading later on this afternoon) and admirably directed by Josh Boone, "The Fault in Our Stars" tells the story of Hazel Grace Lancaster (Shailene Woodley) and Augustus "Gus" Waters (Ansel Elgort), two teenagers who meet in a support group for teen cancer patients. Gus is a survivor fully intent on living a life worth remembering, but Hazel is battling terminal stage IV lung cancer, and knows that her time is finite (after being granted a few extra years via an experimental cancer treatment) - while being cared for by her loving parents Frannie (Laura Dern) and Michael (Sam Trammell). Over time, however, Hazel and Gus develop a close friendship that gradually blossoms into a full-blown romance. And somewhere in there, too, these two also learn to fulfill their greatest dreams and aspirations.
One of the key reasons I was so eager to watch this film is because I have personal experience with the film's subject matter - which is life with cancer: I lost my mother earlier this year to lung cancer, and in the remaining two weeks of her life, which were spent in the hospital, I visited her everyday and in her final moments, I did my best to make it clear to her that she was the greatest mom her only 29-year-old son could ever ask for. This was something I hoped I would not have to deal with until much later on in my life, but you never know what curve-balls the universe is going to throw at you. And I've moved on quite quickly and easily from the grief of having lost her so soon and so suddenly.
Getting back to the film, of all the teen romance novels made into films over the last few years, this is the one that appears to have struck a chord with me the most. I couldn't help but feel that both Hazel and Gus are such strong, positive characters - making the most of whatever time they've got together and having no regrets about anything they do. Shailene Woodley appears to have an amazing future ahead of her in the movies, if only she can get past her persistent casting in adaptations of teen novels. She was quite amazing in this picture, as was her co-star Ansel Elgort, whom I've never heard of before, but he was quite phenomenal in his acting performance here. I admired his upbeat demeanor and humor and the way he was able to keep Hazel on her toes constantly during the course of their romance. But like life, "The Fault in Our Stars" throws us a curve-ball an hour-and-a-half into the picture.
I knew that this movie was going to end the way that it did, but I was not expecting the curve-ball it does end up throwing at us - it's something that truly catches you off-guard and comes straight out of left field, and makes you think about the special kind of cruelty that's dealt by the stars to some people in this life. But what's most admirable here is the way the two teens deal with it, with hope and humor - rather than gloom and despair.
I'm glad that I had the chance to watch "The Fault in Our Stars." I'm sure I'm going to love John Green's book. Right now, I'm listening to the soundtrack, which is also worthy of special mention here. I'm not a fan of any of the artists on it - it's largely, mostly a mix of indie musicians I've never heard of (with the sole exception of Charli XCX and her song "Boom Clap," which I honestly can't stop playing) - but it fits the film perfectly. Many of the songs came from Josh Boone's personal music collection (while others made themselves known over the course of the film's editing process), and I can find no fault with his choices. It's equally as amazing as the film that inspired them.
Keep playing Charli XCX's "Boom Clap" like there's no tomorrow (which is what I'm doing)!!!
10/10