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Film: The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

Cast includes: Logan Lerman (3:10 to Yuma), Ezra Miller (We Need to Talk About Kevin), Emma Watson (Harry Potter series), Paul Rudd (I Love You, Man)
Director: Stephen Chbosky (Rent)
Genre: Drama | Romance (103 minutes)

“Dear Friend, I’m writing because she said you’d listen to me… you wouldn’t just see me as the weird kid who spent time in the hospital…” Today is Charlie’s first day of high school, and “I really want to turn things around this year.” He has a plan that includes counting down to his very last day, four years from now. It would be easier if his sister, for example, would be his friend. But he’s a freshman, and she’d be embarrassed to befriend a freshman. And besides, she has a boyfriend, who won’t want to hang out with Charlie either. Charlie’s surprised to see a senior in his freshman shop class… he’s doing a funny imitation of Mr. Callahan. When Mr. Callahan catches him and asks his name, it’s “Call me Patrick or call me Nothing!” So “Nothing,” it is! (The joke will get really, really old.) In Advanced English, Charlie’s the only one who can answer Mr. Anderson’s question about the first cliffhanger… but he keeps quiet for fear the others will think he’s a toad. All in all, it hasn’t been a very promising start. The only friend he’s made so far is his teacher, Mr. Anderson.

At the football game, Charlie ends up near Patrick, the comedian from shop class. Patrick yells out cheers, like, “Passive. Aggressive. Passive. Aggressive.” When Charlie doesn’t call Patrick “Nothing,” he earns an invitation to Kings after the game. “Come on. Let’s go be psychos together.” Before long, Charlie is regularly hanging out with two seniors… Patrick and his half sister, Sam. They soon learn that they share the same taste in music. Charlie thinks he has a crush on Sam, but she’s a senior. And besides, she has an older boyfriend. As for Charlie’s former best friend, “He shot and killed himself last year. Kind’a wish he’d left a note.” Maybe that’s why Patrick and Sam’s friends take Charlie under their wings. “Welcome to the island of misfits.” Charlie’s so naïve, he doesn’t even know the brownie has pot in it. The whole time, Charlie’s getting an education in teenage socializing, there’re unresolved issues that are pulling him back.  “You’re a wallflower,” Patrick says. “I didn’t think anyone noticed me.

As the story unfolds, we get more and more hints about Charlie’s unresolved issues. Quite possibly you’ll guess the issue long before the dramatic reveal near the end. Stephen Chbosky, who wrote the novel, is also the films screenwriter and director, so for a change… the film is pretty true to the book. From the producers of Juno, this coming-of-age film probably won’t have as much appeal for grown up audiences, although it touches on some fairly grown up themes, among them… drug use, suicide, homosexuality… and the one issue that’s been weighing on Charlie for years… the one we won’t learn until the end. When Charlie catches his sister’s boyfriend being abusive, it really upsets him… “Why do we pick people who treat us like shit?” Mr. Anderson suggests it’s because, “We accept the love we think we deserve.” Maybe we need to think better of ourselves.

2 popped kernels

Coming of age story about a wallflower who gets welcomed onto the “island of misfits”

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