Doesn't stand out

Rating: 4/10 (7 January 2013)

Although most reviewers on IMDb seem to be ecstatic about 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower', I don't think this film really stands out. To be honest, it didn't really move or impress me in any way. In my opinion it's a decent film, with some flaws, that could have been far better if it wasn't so mainstream.
I think most of the enthusiastic reviewers are young people, who recognize themselves in this story about teenagers who choose to be different from the rest. It's a very romantic story: a melancholic teenager befriends a group of progressive/bohemian/intellectual youngsters, who differentiate themselves from the rest of the school. They introduce him to parties, drugs and music from The Smiths and David Bowie. He falls in love with one of the girls, and another girl falls in love with him. There are secrets to keep, memories to share and experiences to cherish.
This could have been the cinematographic equal to Donna Tartt's novel 'The Secret History'. But it lacks the dark, mysterious, Gothic aspects of the book. There are traumas and secrets in 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower', but they are implied and not clearly explained.
It's clear this movie appeals to young people, who perhaps can recognize a lot about their own life in the film. But to be a good movie in its own right, it should also be attractive for viewers in other age groups. I think in that respect this movie fails.