Movie Review: The Fault in our Stars

John Green.

How should I start this review?

First and foremost, I have read the book even before the "movie tie-in" book was published and I have never come across John Green's books before I read this one. What captured my attention on this (which made me buy and read it) was the beauty of the cover (which was also the reason why was I addicted to The Selection series); I thought it was cute.

So, as the movie was announced, I got excited. I looked forward for posters, promotional videos, behind the scenes and even the official soundtrack.

The movie was released on the same week as of Tom Cruise's Edge of Tomorrow. I had foreseen the possibilities of it beating Edge of Tomorrow's sales on the opening weekend, and it really did! Film makers should be more careful on choosing the rivals of a film's opening week before releasing them. Want proof?

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!


The movie was great. I agree that this film really stayed true to the book unlike what happened to Percy Jackson (trust me, do read the book instead, if you haven't seen the film).

The main stars made me believe that fictional characters can have life in motion picture despite the "imaginary" motion picture a reader envisions from words. Both characters had delivered their lines well and gave justice to the book. Shailene was good and Ansel was simply Gus. There's nothing about him that you couldn't disagree more of the fact that he really is the perfect Gus. He's charming, cute and funny as well. I can't literally say which scene of each character is my favorite but one of the really funny ones that I can think of as this moment is the trip to Amsterdam. Ansel's Gus portrayal on the "Oh my gosh, we're flying" was really comical! It was one of the scenes that you would really pity the boy who'd never been in an airplane before but still feel sorry to the boy for not being able to be in an airplane before. It's a bit confusing but you'd understand when you'll see it.

I like how the film was mostly about Hazel and Gus, despite being the lead, important characters who I think really did own the entirety of the film's chemistry. But I was looking forward to the Isaac scenes. Unlike in the book that Isaac was often mentioned, the film featured Isaac only in the first few and last scenes. One of Isaac's best scenes is the part where he sang his lungs out after Monica broke up with him and the part where released his heartbreaking anger breaking Gus's trophies (while Gus and Hazel were talking about AIA). And one last thing about Isaac: I think it was really cute when Isaac was pronounced like "eyesac" sine I had always pronounced it as "eye-suh-uck", which I typically use referring to  friends' names and the Bible character.

The egging scene was short but fun. I expected to have it a bit longer though. It was focused merely on Hazel and Gus despite I have imagined it to be fun as Hazel watching the bestfriends bond.

Patrick was well played. Like the book, he was the funny, divorced guy leading the Support Group, talking about the Heart of Jesus. But I think one of the things they missed about Patrick's character is the humor that he brings whenever he mentions the deceased Support Group members in his prayers. I think the film producers didn't think of it as important though, but I really think it was funny.

Willem Dafoe was a good choice of Van Houten though I kind of pictured him like a proud, fat, bastard. Willem delivered Van Houten's meanness well though. Aside from Van Houten, I never thought Lidewij was pronounced as Lee-duh-vie; and I was also looking forward to seeing how big and handsome her boyfriend is because before the end of the book, she mentioned that she needed to bring her boyfriend along to check Van Houten's mail for Gus's letter. In the film, it was Van Houten himself that delivered the letter during Gus's funeral.

Speaking of letters, maybe it was just me or did anybody else notice that the explanation of the title wasn't mentioned? Or maybe there was just something else important that connected the film's plot to the title. Maybe.

Anyway, I feel bad for not really crying at the end of the film. Though there were really emotional and touching scenes that I think would be better in the film, it only made me almost drop a tear. Dropping a tear and crying aren't the same, technically. But anyway, I didn't really cry like I did in The Last Song. I'm not saying that this isn't a good film, maybe it was just because The Last Song was more about families and stuff. Another reason I suspect I didn't cry: I've been listening to the OST (and found it incredible) since it was released and this is the side effect of it.

Also, I think the film makers agreed to omit mentioning green jokes of Isaac and Gus, which I think isn't a big deal. They also omitted the mentioning of the real movies Gus and Hazel watched, which I think wouldn't justify why Hazel told Van Houten that she reminds her of other people (after funeral part).

For me, The Fault in Our Stars is a modern-day fairytale whose characters struggle through a deadly but captivating journey.

Then you might ask: Why a fairytale when the "supposed" Prince had died and there wasn't really a "happily every after"?

Here's my answer: Despite all the odds, they both fought to be loved; Despite all the odds, they both fought to be cured for love; Despite all the odds, they both had their "infinities" and were in love.

Go see it!