The world isn’t a wish-granting factory, especially not in the movie “The Fault in Our Stars”.
The film adaption of John Green’s popular young adult novel follows two star-crossed lovers who meet at “the literal heart of Jesus” and struggle with coming to terms of dying and oblivion.
Hollywood’s resident hippie, Shailene Woodley, plays Hazel Grace Lancaster, a 16-year-old girl with terminal thyroid cancer while Ansel Elgort plays Woodley’s love interest in the 18-year-old, one-legged virgin Augustus Waters.
Woodley portrays Hazel with the simple grace deserving of a teenager with terminal cancer. The medical terminology throughout the movie has the potential to overwhelm viewers, but Woodley’s delivery manages to simplify an otherwise complicated field.
Her emotions are spot on throughout the movie from the awkwardness of meeting Augustus to the grief of losing him. The chemistry between these two is palpable. Woodley and Elgort recently worked together in another popular book to film adaption in Niel Burger’s “Divergent”.
Woodley’s down-to-earth performance is the opposite of Elgort’s. Admittedly, it’s the nature of Augustus Waters to be larger than life, and the character seems cheesy at times. This is arguably the effect of taking Augustus from book to screen. Some lines on page don’t always transfer well on film.
Elgort redeems his performance in the final third of the film when his cancer returns. The scene of his pre-funeral is his best scene and is the best scene of the movie in general. Fear and sadness read clearly on his face, making the pre-funeral harder to watch than his actual funeral.
The supporting characters of the film truly shine as well. Nat Wolff’s Isaac brings comedic relief while Williem Dafoe’s Peter Van Houten plays a convincing alcoholic villain, crushing Hazel and Augustus’ dreams.
However, Laura Dern, who plays Hazel’s mom, Frannie, is the supreme supporting character. Dern’s role as Hazel’s mother is poignant and honest in reminding viewers of Hazel’s terminality. Frannie clutching Hazel after learning of Augustus’ death is the penultimate tear-jerking scene of the movie.
Director Josh Boone stays as true to Green’s novel as possible, giving book fans a victory in film adaptions. While the book remains superior, the movie is an enjoyable depiction of talented actors most are guaranteed to love.
This film is not meant for adults. It won’t be nominated for an Oscar, and it doesn’t delve into deep topics like Dallas Buyers Club or 12 Years a Slave. It’s about death, dying and what’s left behind.
It’s meant for the daydreaming teenagers of this generation and appeals to young adults keen on proving they can understand love on an intellectual and emotional level, the antithesis of the idea of teenagers today – plugged in and zoned out.
Many audiences will find themselves sniffling into tissues and decrying John Green for writing such a tragic book in the first place. However, the knowledge that some infinities are bigger than other infinities will bring life into perspective and create the hope the book and movie are both defined by: Everyone is given a certain amount of time on this earth, and it’s how they love and are loved that truly determines the value of a life.