The Perks of being a Wallflower

Have you seen this film? It's incredible. Not flawless but pretty amazing nonetheless.

I wish that this film (or book) had been around when I was a teenager. If it had, then perhaps that painful period of intense isolation may have been alleviated somewhat by the knowledge that there were many others going through the crusher at the same time (And there I was thinking I was unique!)

It features lonely and sensitive CHARLIE (Logan [Percy Jackson] Lerman), who is dealing with the fallout from the suicide of his best friend, last year, along with other personal demons. In the first few frames of the film, it is agonising to watch his experience of alienation and isolation as he starts high school. He has no friends, he seems to be surrounded by a bunch of insensitive, boorish sociopaths (but, hey, it is school!) and his family don't understand him. He deals with his feelings by writing letters to an imaginary friend. Things look up when he befriends a couple of quirky high school Seniors - charismatic, articulate PATRICK (Ezra Miller) and his step-sister, SAM (Emma Watson), who Charlie, instantly falls in love with. The pair introduce Charlie to their friends (other sensitive, quirky types). They open up his social life to parties and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, where many of the gang take the 'live' sing-along parts.

One of the things that makes this film exceptional are the exquisite performances - Ezra Miller fizzes onto the screen and mesmerises from the outset. It didn't surprise me at all to learn that he had played the title role in We need to talk about Kevin, if anyone could pull that off, he could. Logan Lerman is also excellent. He is totally convincing as the sensitive, troubled teen; writing down the answers to the questions in his English class rather than raising his hand, as he is too shy to speak up (I heavily identified with Charlie). His performance is quietly understated as opposed to Miller's Catherine Wheel turn but they both shine in their own ways. I also loved Mae Whitman as MARY ELIZABETH. I could empathise far more with her as the angry, chubby-faced girl who was passed over in favour of her fragile, beautiful friend, Sam. I confess that I do (usually) find Emma Watson a teeny bit irritating, with her vibrating, expressive eyebrow and tremor-in-the-voice acting, but she pulled off a creditable performance too.

It's been a long time since I was a teenager so why did this film speak to me so much?. Perhaps it was because it struck so many chords. The feeling of being an outsider until you finally meet a group of like-minded weirdos who become your social tribe. The main character's love of books. The memory of not really having anyone to talk to and dealing with difficult feelings. Weltschmertz. Then there is the really cool music, although it was slightly frustrating that none of them knew that the song 'Heroes' was by David Bowie.

The film occasionally seems a bit sentimental and slightly clichéd but overall I stand with my first statement - it's incredible. It has been compared to Dead Poet's Society and The Breakfast Club and there is a touch of both films about it, but to my mind, this one is far better and encompasses the teenage experience (or perhaps that's just my own experience) far better.