Resonant

Rating: 8/10 (1 March 2013)

It's all about the verisimilitude. Perks of Being a Wallflower is one of those rare movies where all aspects of the filmmaking fit perfectly into the overall direction of the movie with no element calling undue attention to itself. Bathed in a hazy glow, without any rapid-MTV style editing, the film feels like it was actually created in the '80s. The characters have their foibles while still remaining relatable- but more than that, they feel authentic. I didn't feel it was totally emblematic of my high school experience as others felt, but the themes and lessons of the film strongly resonate with that time in life.
Ultimately, I found myself deeply invested in the characters not because of any of the standard screen writing tricks to build connection with the characters, but simply because I felt like I knew them like I know my friends.