Overall Good, not great

Rating: 6/10 (9 June 2014)

First of all, I have not read the book. However, my girlfriend's teenage daughter has and I went with them to see it. I'll start by saying the acting was really good. The only other thing I've seen Woodley in is the Descendants and I remember thinking what a great job this young person is doing. Well she does it again in this film. The thing about this movie that I don't like is how it emotionally manipulates the audience. Now granted all forms of media do that, that's the point of film, books, music etc. But this film lays it on really thick that to me was unbelievable. I think it could have been a little more subtle. For subject matter that is very real and very believable the way everything played out to ensure maximum tears from it's audience was not. Most specifically the Gus' uncanny ability to perfectly execute all these hopeless romantic endeavors to make the audience fall in love with him. Even after the climax. It just wasn't real enough to me for subject matter that is supposed to be very real. I did like the movie overall. But that's why I give this a 6.