What did you expect with that title?

Rating: Null/10 (4 July 2014)

What could've been a maudlin, mushy exercise in wishy-washy-weepy fare turns out to be thoroughly entertaining, engrossing and emotionally fulfilling.
Aided in no small measure by the tight screenplay and the source work, the key lead performances and their collective as well as individual predicaments hold mainstay throughout, without even treading into sentimental territory. Sure, there are tears shed, but nothing that wouldn't be happening in scenarios such as this one out in the real world. Shailene Woodley, after her 'spectacularly divergent' turns in the recent past, owns this along with her non-Divergent brother who plays the lead here opposite her - Ansel Elgort. Cocky to the point of being annoyingly arrogant, he dials that stuff down just enough for us to care for the fate of the protagonists.
Even though a couple of themes explored here seem far-fetched, the characterization never allows us to wallow in despair, and the various instances during which emotionally distressing events are handled with flair and humor make everyone tide over the difficulty of handling near-death situations while interacting/living with palliative care-worthy patients.
The score keeps things lively, and along with '500 days of summer', will make a good addition for collectors.
Laura Dern and Sam Merlott provide adequate support with the limited material they're handed, but Willem Dafoe still proves that he will always be a scene-stealer, no matter the grotesquerie he inhabits in front of the camera, chewing up everything else with each word he utters.
I generally look for originality whenever I try to watch a movie, but watching this one, though every beat is predictable and by-the-numbers, it made me appreciate what a well-written screenplay could bring to the table and make something worth enjoying, appreciating the finer nuances of each aspect of film-making. Sure, its not 'As good as it gets' (in more ways than one), but for now, it will do.