A surprise favourite movie of the year

Rating: 10/10 (30 January 2013)

I had heard reasonably good things about this film. I had skim read some reviews, I had seen the score on here (8.2/10 a the time of viewing), I had come across it as I was looking for another book to read after finishing the Silver Linings Playbook. So, it was not an unknown to me, but it was unexpected.
It was a batch of movies that I had acquired with a view to watching a few whilst away on an extended holiday with some friends. It was by no means the first choice to watch, and in reality it was only because my friends girlfriend was watching with us that night that we chose this seemingly (from the title at least) girl friendly movie rather than watching Skyfall. And this is where the surprise was. A film I had only average to good expectations of on putting it on, turned into perhaps the greatest teenage angst, coming of age, funny, poignant love story I have ever come across. I know thats not exactly a HUGE genre I just described, but if you we to just call it a "movie" it would still be up there with my favourite of all time. As it stands, its the best film I've seen in the last 12 months for sure.
We feel for Charlie, his difficult first few days at school, his loneliness, his desperation for human contact that isn't his immediate family. And we feel his joy and happiness as he finds his niche in life and his new friends. But its not all just feelings and emotions, there are some amazingly real laugh out loud moments. If you have memories of your first girlfriend and how that actually came about, then you will love this too. Me and my friend couldn't stop laughing at one point but to tell you what it was would be a spoiler and that would ruin the fun now wouldn't it. But you will know it when it happens and I would imagine that memories will come flooding back about that time in your own life!
All in all, a fantastic film that is required viewing for all. Not one character is perfect, they are all real with faults and blemishes to their personalities and back story (even if they do often talk like middle aged people when they are supposed to be teenagers on occasions).
Do not hesitate. Watch now.