The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Plot synopsis:
The movie opens with Charlie (Logan Lerman) writing a letter to an anonymous pen pal, discussing his upcoming first day in high school. On his first day, he is harassed by classmates but befriends his English teacher, Mr. Anderson (Paul Rudd).Charlie attends a school football game alone and notices the flamboyant Patrick (Ezra Miller), who is the only senior in his freshman shop class. Patrick asks Charlie to sit with him. They are joined by Patrick's stepsister Sam (Emma Watson), and Charlie immediately notices her beauty. Upon arriving home, he witnesses Candace's boyfriend hitting her, something Charlie is especially sensitive about as his Aunt Helen (Melanie Lynskey) was also abused. Candace persuades him not to tell their parents. Charlie dances with Sam and Patrick at homecoming and goes to a party with them afterwards. There, he meets their other friends, Bob, Mary Elizabeth, and Alice. He also sees Sam with her boyfriend Craig, which makes him jealous. He eats a pot brownie, and the group is amused by his observations. While in the kitchen, Charlie tells Sam that his best friend Michael shot himself last May. He then goes upstairs to the bathroom, leaving Sam shocked.Upstairs, Charlie sees Patrick and Brad (Johnny Simmons), the school's star football player, kissing. Patrick tells Charlie that Brad doesn't want anyone to know about their relationship (as his father would disapprove) and asks him to keep it a secret. Still high, Charlie agrees. Later, Sam whispers to Patrick about what Charlie has gone through and they welcome him in their group of friends.While driving him home, Sam hears a song from the radio and demands that Patrick drive through a tunnel. She stands up in the back of the pickup truck and sways like she's dancing. Again, Charlie is stunned by her beauty.As Christmas draws closer, Charlie helps Sam to study for her SATs and their friends participate in a Secret Santa gift exchange. On the last night of the exchange, Sam takes Charlie into her room and shows him her gift for him, a typewriter. The two start talking about first kisses. Charlie says that he has never kissed a girl, and Sam reveals that her first kiss was from her father's boss, who was molesting her. She tells Charlie that she wants his first kiss to be with somebody who loves him, and the two kiss.Charlie's Birthday(which is on Christmas Eve) arrives, and he remembers his Aunt Helen, who died on the same night in a car accident after getting him a present. Later, at a New Year's Eve party, he takes LSD and has more flashbacks to the night his aunt died. He is eventually found passed out in the snow by the police.Charlie attends the Sadie Hawkins dance with Mary Elizabeth. Afterwards, they go to her house and make out. She then declares that he is her boyfriend. He has no interest in her but continues the relationship because he doesn't know how to break up with her.While playing truth or dare at a party, Patrick dares Charlie to kiss the prettiest girl in the room, and he kisses Sam rather than Mary Elizabeth. Both girls are enraged, and Patrick tells Charlie to stay away until things cool down.Weeks pass and his friends are still ignoring him. In addition, his flashbacks to the night his aunt died are getting worse. Bob tells Charlie that Brad's father caught him and Patrick kissing. Brad comes to school with a bruise on his face but claims he was jumped in a parking lot. Patrick and Brad fight in the cafeteria after Brad calls him a "faggot." Brad's friends then begin to beat up Patrick, until Charlie intervenes. Afterwards, he reconciles with his friends.Patrick is upset after breaking up with Brad and he and Charlie become closer. One night, Patrick kisses Charlie to no reaction, then breaks down because of his unhappiness. Sam breaks up with Craig after finding out he has been cheating on her.Graduation nears and Sam is accepted to Penn State. After her going away party, Charlie helps her pack. Sam then asks Charlie why he never asked her out. After several heartfelt confessions, they begin to kiss, but Charlie pulls away when Sam touches his inner thigh. She asks him what's wrong, but he tells her that nothing's wrong and continues to kiss her.The next day, Charlie is unnerved as he watches Sam leave for school. When he arrives at his empty home, he begins to have a breakdown, flashing back to the memory of his Aunt Helen touching his thigh. He calls Candace and tells her it's his fault their aunt died, and that maybe he wanted her to die. Candace tells her friends to dispatch police on their house. Before Charlie can hurt himself, the police arrives and he blacks out.He wakes up in the hospital. His physician, Dr. Burton (Joan Cusack) explains to Charlie's parents (Dylan McDermott and Kate Walsh) that his Aunt Helen was sexually abusing him, and that Charlie repressed the memory because he blamed himself for her death. After Charlie is discharged from the hospital a few weeks later, Sam and Patrick visit him and take him to their favorite restaurant.They once again drive into the tunnel, and Sam tells Charlie that she finally found the song that was playing the last time they were there. Charlie climbs into the back of the truck and reminisces about life as whole. He kisses Sam, stands up and screams as they exit the tunnel.

Tags: gothic, sentimental, dramatic, atmospheric, flashback, plot twist, romantic, prank

Review:
Freshman Charlie (Logan Lerman) almost by accident becomes friends with Patrick (Ezra Miller) and his stepsister Sam (Emma Watson).
The key characters spring to life thanks to the efforts of four strong performances from young actors: Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson, The Three Muskateers) plays Charlie, Emma Watson (Harry Potter films) is Sam, Ezra Miller (We Need to Talk About Kevin, City Island) is Patrick, and Mae Whitman (Arrested Development) is Mary Elizabeth.If you have read the book, you know the story ...
Admittedly, the film is substantially autobiographical, so when Mr. Chbosky says it's a personal story, we begin to understand the foundation of his remarkable writing style."Welcome to the island of misfit toys." When this line is spoken, we realize that most every high school kid has thought the same thing at some point.
I could visualize a totally different version of this tale of misfit toys being played out where all is right with the world and Charlie (Logan Lerman) is the most popular freshman in school for the simple fact that all his friends are seniors.
Logan Lerman is miscast as a moody high school freshman (who looks like he' at least 16) who befriends a group of seniors (Ezra Miller, Emma Watson and Mae Whitman chief amongst them) who help him come out of his shell.
You may like Perks of being a wallflower if you enjoy a story with a lot of drama, with a big and important message behind, which makes you cry for good reasons and more, with greeeat young actors and actresses.
This film is much more than a simple high school movie, is real, is about how the people can be amazing with each other, the opposite also, unfortunately, and how to deal with this!!
The one who really surprised me, though, was Emma Watson as Sam. It was going to be hard for her to come out of the shadows as Hermione Grainger, but she does it so effortlessly that I think that, although it will be her most famous role, she doesn't seem to have any problems branching out and trying new things.What really got to me more than anything was the characters themselves.
that moment when Sam (Emma Watson) touches Charlie's lap (Logan Lerman) with that look in his eyes i knew something was wrong & i cried.Some of the songs are a good pick, some are just Duh!Asleep by The Smiths (Oh Lovely track)Love always JC.
Ezriel Miller was the standout in my opinion and adds more depth to the film with his character contributing so the overall story line and message of the film.Definitely a must watch film for anyone looking to see a good storyline and take a break from all the big budget movies..
This film is about a shy high school misfit who becomes a cool guy after two seniors taking him under their wings."The Perks of Being a Wallflower" tells a story of a shy guy who blossoms socially as he develops friendships with two step-siblings.
Fortunately, The Perks of Being a Wallflower takes a decent stab at falling into the same category as these films; and while it doesn't scale to their heights, it's a surprisingly likable coming-of-age drama.Based on Stephen Chbosky's 1999 bestseller on the same name (he also writes and directs here), the film concerns freshman Charlie (Logan Lerman) as he experiences difficulty at home and school.
He encounters depression, suicide, drugs, alcohol, homophobia, love, heartbreak, David Bowie and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.I was sincerely taken aback by the fact that Charlie did not annoy me; too many high-school films and TV shows nowadays centre of smart- mouthed, wiser-than-their years teens, so it was refreshing to have one relatable and natural.
With every look, awkward touch and utterance from his mouth, he is like Michael Cena stripped of sarcasm and overloaded with brilliance and emotion.And while their screen time ranges from actively supporting to mere minutes, even the secondary roles, played by Paul Rudd as "that teacher" that some of us will remember and cherish forever , Kate Walsh ("Private Practice") and Dylan McDermott ("American Horror Story") as Charlie's parents, and Mae Whitman ("Parenthood") as one of the wallflowers, add to the incredible emotional complexity, lending this film such an unobtrusive air of honesty and genuine feeling that to not be deeply moved by the story as it unfolds before you is practically inconceivable.If you have always been the pretty one with the perfect grades or the perfect job, the popularity, and attention focused on you, maybe you won't quite get it.
Nicholas Braun and Reece Thompson are standouts in support and much-needed comic relief.As Charlie's would-be best friend Patrick, Ezra Miller is shockingly brilliant as a gay-go-lucky teen who lives life as if every day is his last.
However "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" is remembered, wherever it stands in the pantheon of coming-of-age pictures, Lerman's authentic characterization of Chbosky's semi-autobiographical protagonist should stand as one of the most iconic adolescent portrayals of our time.Some films are intensely personal, and that's as it should be.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012) *** 1/2 (out of 4) High school freshman Charlie (Logan Lerman) is having problems making friends but that all changes when he meets Sam (Emma Watson), Patrick (Ezra Miller) and their group.
I thought the three leading characters were some of the best written and most memorable to come out of a teen film in a very long time and thankfully the screenplay pays just as much attention to the supporting characters like their friends to even Charlie's parents.
I guess that's how I felt this way about trying to survive high school and to find our hopes and dreams about who we'll be when we grow up, much like Charlie in "The Perks of Being a Wallflower".
I recently read the book and I can definitely relate to most of the situations that Charlie went through as well as anyone who has read it and seeing that the film has come to life thanks to Stephen Chbosky (the author of the book, as well the screenwriter and director), he discovers the human heart, the first chances you have in life and a chance to break away from all the pain, whether if you're an outcast or a popular kid.
Set in Pittsburgh in the early 90's, both the movie and the book does follow Charlie (Logan Lerman), a 15-year-old kid starting high school for the first time.
Feeling lonely, depressed and ostracized by his peers in high school, he makes friends with Patrick (We Need to Talk About Kevin's Ezra Miller), the gay wild child and his stepsister Sam (Emma Watson, in her first major role outside the Harry Potter series) who welcomes Charlie into "The Island of Misfit Toys" and tells him that it's okay to be himself.
As the movie goes on as well as the book, Charlie happens to write to his unnamed friend about his first experiences while hanging with his new friends, having a crush on a certain someone, getting some help from his English teacher, Bill (Paul Rudd) and gaining some perspective from his family, including his sister Candace (Nina Dobrev).
"The Perks of Being a Wallflower" will be a relevant book for a long time, and consequently there's nothing dated about Stephen Chbosky's unique coming-of-age story now that it has finally hit the big screen so many years later.
Regardless of when you went through this phase of your life, there's something so identifiable in the way this film presents it.Charlie (Logan Lerman) is one of those protagonists that we all identify with too, and that's ultimately what makes this story powerful.
Drama and serious issues crop up too, but with them comes the implicit understanding that these were the problems we faced in high school and even if we would do things differently now, that's what we probably would've done then.Not enough praise can be given to the trio of Lerman, Miller and Watson for bringing those feelings to life.
The movie is written and directed by Stephen Chbosky, the very same person who wrote the amazing book of which the film is an adaptation of.
Not that there's anything to complain about between the two; the movie surprised me in just how heartfelt and genuine it came across and while it (of course) wasn't as powerful as the book, it still ended up being the most earnest and emotional coming of age film I have ever seen.The beauty of it all is in just how well it captures the human state of becoming 'someone', no matter what we think we should be or what we're afraid of.
In this case, our characters come from very dark, abused and broken places and somehow it manages to inspire and give hope to the audience.While this is not a movie for the faint of heart, nor is it for the general 'popcorn crowd', it is absolutely a quintessential film experience that should be shared by those who want to grow, learn, and most importantly, understand others.
well, I've been hearing about this movie since it was out and i saw the trailer and thought it was OK, nice cast(Logan lerman and Emma Watson)but i wasn't that fascinated and one day i was checking the best 20 movies of 2012 and it was in there so i said what the hick am going to see it so i did and thank god in heavens for that because this indie weird flick is one of my favorite 10 movies of all times and right close to the top, it's deep, honest, sweetly romantic, surprising( the story and performances) crazy, fun, hopeful, mind opening , and the list will never end.
maybe you'll say am being too emotional and you'r right because it touched me on a personal level because i know how it feels to be trapped in a dark past and how we try to break free by looking for some place or someone to belong to i cried at the end because i remembered how i got here, but for anyone else this movie is going to mesmerize you for many reasons: 1) Logan and Emma's chemistry is breath-taking, Ezra miller is such a complicated funny honest deep character, and Logan lerman is so matured and darn sexy, if you hated Emma in harry potter like i did you'l completely forget that she's even British or that you'v seen her before she's mind blowing, also the colors of the movie are very warm and they just make you feel comfortable.
After sifting through all the major blockbusters that come out every year there is always a movie like "Perks of Being a Wallflower", written and directed by Pittsburgh's own Stephen Chbosky, that surpasses everyone's expectations and ends up being one of the best films of the year, despite being an independent film.
Went with a group of about 8 and the only good thing we could say about it between us was that it would make other films appear better.The story jumps from unexplained and unexpanded disaster to disaster, not dwelling or addressing any of the issues but simply providing lip service to everything that could possibly go awry in a life, in the process creating characters that you can't begin to feel any empathy for as they are simply not believable.The script writing was abysmal, I'll admit we laughed, but the tears were of pain and the laughs were awkward and well and truly AT and in pity of everyone associated with this train crash..
He was absolutely perfect, as were the scene stealing Ezra Miller as Patrick, and the absolutely beautiful Emma Watson as Sam.I've seen it twice over the weekend, and plan on seeing it many times more, especially to continually re-watch the absolutely epic and nostalgic dance scene between Watson and Miller, (You'll know what I mean when you see it.) So I recommend this to anyone who has or has not read the book, and hope that it consumes your soul like it did mine..
I also love how throughout the whole movie most of the story is told by Charlie (Logan Lerman) who writes letters anonymously to "A Friend" who doesn't exist.
After only a few minutes I was drawn in and immersed in a rich cast and story.The movie not only follows the main character through his social life, but also through his thoughts as he struggles with a problematic childhood memory which, for me, made the film.
Do you really think you could rebound from that?Charlie (played by Logan Lerman), is a quiet, introspective teenager who has recently suffered a setback, the full nature of which we're not informed of, and is about to start his freshman year of high school.
Specifically, I think the perks of being a wallflower is worth the time and money to see is because of my own personal connection to Charlie (played by Logan Lerman).
Based on the coming-of-age novel, which I haven't read, the movie follows Charlie, played by the guy from Percy Jackson, and his trials and tribulations of being a freshman in high school.
Logan Lerman, from "Percy Jackson" fame, delivers one of this year's most fantastic performances as Charlie, a shy and nervous young teen, with dreams of being a writer, while not having the greatest childhood, who's about to start his first day of high school.
The gorgeous Emma Watson is great playing the down-to-earth character of Sam, while Ezra Miller delivers stand-out comic relief as Patrick, the incredibly neurotic and charismatic step-brother to Sam. But, it's Logan Lerman who deserves a Best Actor nomination, for his performance as Charlie.
I won't be saying much about this film I just want to recommend it, I'm a film student and I'm recently writing a screenplay about people that we think they don't exist but have much to tell.the character development is pretty well made, directing, and acting are OK, even though i wasn't pleased with Emma Watson's accent, Ezra Miller proves he can be a great actor cause his character is very different from "We need to talk about Kevin", the Photography was too glossy for my taste, not a perfect choice, soundtrack is amazing.in general if you are looking for a film about characters and emotion development this is your type of movie, a comedy drama that develops quite nice, a very good effort for a second time director..
"The Perks of Being a Wallflower" brings us back to the early 1990s, telling us the story of a smart but problematic high school freshman, Charlie (Logan Lerman).
His spends his days simply avoiding everyone else, until he was accepted by seniors/half-siblings, Patrick (Ezra Miller) and Sam (Emma Watson) into their circle of oddball friends.With them, Charlie is drawn into the teen experience and actually gets to do things which up to then he had only been a viewer from the sidelines.
With Sam, Charlie experiences his first love, but of course, as films like this go, it will not be as simple as that.Logan Lerman does a redux of his role as Percy Jackson, a troubled teenager.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a movie adapted from the epistolary novel written by Stephen Chbosky about Charlie played by Logan Lerman, a teenager who lives his freshman year of high school.
At school he meets Patrick and Sam, played by Ezra Miller and Emma Watson respectively, two seniors who introduce Charlie to the 'real world'.First of all, let's start with the performances.
In reality, it is a very bleak film that teaches bad lessons about your teen life and paints a very pessimistic picture.As well as that, if I am being honest, I found Lerman very uneffective in the lead role, Charlie was a very bland character that he did not bring much to make him more intriguing, this suffered especially when Sam and Patrick are far more interesting, but we do not get to see them half as much.Has its moments, but was not for me.
I am aware many love this film, but The Perks of Being a Wallflower never made me feel too hard or laugh too much, and for that I could not recommend it.An outsider in his first year of high school finds friendship with two older students.
Charlie is a great character and acted superbly by Logan.Watch this movie.
So here was The Perks of Being a Wallflower, on PayTv. A tale of three people in High School, with the main character, Charlie battling through a long hard back story.There I was at the end of this absorbing, beautiful film in gratitude for the combined talents that brought this to the screen.Where Stephen Chbosky and his team succeed is the refreshing presumption that not everything has to be explained.
Since I was also a "coming of age" at guy at one point in my life, I could relate to "The Perks of Being A Wallflower"'s story, and even if you are older or younger, you will still feel that you are part of this movie.
Though it's the last teen movie for 2012 to be a clever one, it's impossible to look for a film like this for another year or two.Logan Lerman plays as Charlie, a young man who's pressured for his first day in high school.
On an acting standpoint, everyone played their parts perfectly, but the standouts for me were the three main characters Charlie, Sam, and Patrick, played by Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and Ezra Miller, respectively.
The young people picked to play the main parts are all good at what they did here, but Emma Watson-previously best known as Hermione in the Harry Potter series-is really a standout as the troubled-but-determined Senior named Sam whose friendship with the lead Freshman character named Charlie (Logan Lerman) is perhaps the most touching of the relationships depicted here.