It was okay...but definitely not infinite

Rating: 10/10 (4 June 2014)

Everyone goes on about this movie like it is legendary and life changing. I thought it was okay. The basic story is a teenager named Charlie (Logan Lerman) is having trouble fitting into a new school. Unlike a lot of teenage dramas, he actually has some real problems. He is mentally ill. I really applaud this story for tackling a topic like this, one that is ignored or over dramatised in films. I thought they dealt with it realistically and respectfully. Charlie is then taken under the wing of two seniors, Sam (Emma Watson) and Patrick (Ezra Miller), who show him the way of the world. The story itself has some really great aspects to it. Some scenes in the movie were also very unique and thought provoking. Some of the best include: the dance, the cafeteria fight, the scene where Sam and Charlie talk at the first party and of course, the famous car scene. Unfortunately, many of the other scenes are easily forgettable, some even uncomfortable to watch. Though the movie does tackle some unique issues, other aspects of the storyline were slightly clichéd. I also found some parts of the story very unclear to follow. Having not read the book, my first time watching this movie I was downright confused during many of the scenes, especially those with flashbacks as I thought those were not clearly represented. The characters themselves were a bit bland. Charlie, Sam and Patrick all have fantastic back stories, but I found hearing about their stories much more interesting than actually watching the characters interact. There are some other (brief) characters such as their friends and family who frankly I cannot remember anything about as they were really looked over. I thought that Emma Watson and Ezra Miller did a good job at working with what they were given, as they made the characters more interesting (than they originally were anyway) but Logan Lerman, though excellent in some scenes, seemed slightly lacking in others. Overall, a good film. There's nothing terrible about it, and some aspects were really great. Others may have needed a little more thought. Based on some of the other reviews, this movie has changed people's lives and inspired them and that's great. But for me, I'm not sure if I'd watch it again. When I originally watched the trailer I thought it looked like an incredible film, so I was a little disappointed. It did not leave me feeling awed or 'infinite', but that I did get my money's worth out of it. So I suggest people give it a try, as you may just be that inspired by it.