A powerful film by a talented writer

Rating: 8/10 (11 June 2014)

Having watched the ad for this movie on t.v., I was immediately drawn in by the impressive cast, including the likes of Emma Watson, Paul Rudd, Ezra Miller and of course the protagonist Logan Lerman.
Stephen Chbosky, the author of the book (by the same name) on which this movie is based wrote the screenplay for the film. He succeeded in creating a true masterpiece. Charlie, a shy teenager entering high school in the 1990's provides us with a narrative throughout the film. Isolated initially, we note his intriguing fascination with the observation of those around him. However, when Charlie is adopted by a small, alternative group of seniors, each with their own dark story to tell, he begins to come out of his shell.
Chbosky hit the nail on the head with his writing. The language Charlie narrates in is simple and encapsulates his changing state of mind, the very subtle book references not creating any confusion as many book to film do. Charlie is damaged by his past and we grasp as the film unfurls that he does not quite understand himself what holds him back.
Each relationship is true to its identity in the movie, doing the book a justice I believe nobody but Chbosky himself could have done. I enjoyed seeing Charlie develop with Sam, Patrick, and Mr. Anderson (among others) individually, shaping his character from multiple angles.
Although after reading the book and gaining a full understanding of the cause of Charlie's mental state, I think there was a message in the ambiguity of this particular topic in the film. Chbosky didn't want us to see it is a movie epitomizing the things which hold us back in life, he wanted it to symbolize coming of age, discovering yourself and exploring new things. An excellent movie, I would recommend it highly.