The Fault in Our Stars

My review: The Fault in Our Stars

"The Fault in Our Stars" (TFIOS) is a heart-warming romantic drama that comes with a fresh perspective. Unlike movies that deal with romance between terminally ill patients in a cliched manner, TFIOS is more real and relatable, more subtler and refined. Based on the John Green's 2012 best seller of the same name, movie is directed by Josh Boone with screenplay adapted by  Scott Neustadter and Michael H Weber. Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort play the titular roles. 

TFIOS is populated with people who are real, who go through real emotions, have real vulnerabilities and draw strength from the graveity of their lives, it's bitterness and disappointments. Hazel Grace is an adorable teenager who yearns for a life that any teenager of her age wants in spite of her debilitating illness. Her aspirations are so real and when she gets one she goes through the ups and downs like everyone without any undue understatements of sympathy in view of her illness. She years for company, tries her hands on silly childish prank when the situation arises, and can get intellectual too. She is such a rounded character that eny teenager can relate to.

 And she doesn't have parents who constantly sympathizing with her or trying to make her live her life. They step back when the situation warrants and leave her live her life the way she wants to. Her mother politely brings to her notice the unaffordability of the family in fulfilling her wish of visiting Amsterdam due to her mounting medical bills, though she herself tries her best to mask her dolefulness. And when the situation arise when the finance part is taken care of she fights her best to make it sure that the trip happens in spite of the reservations that the doctors express. 

 Augustus Waters is not your carefree, devil-may-care teen. Though he is introduced to us as some one who is flashy, carefree and charming, he too has a breaking point and reacts the way he ought to when he gets to know of his relapse. And the most endearing of all the characters, Isaac, who is funny but at the same time evokes your sympathy. The scene when the trio go to bombard Issac's ex-girlfriend's house with eggs is  a riot. And thankfully other than that eulogy scene, there is not much of a melodrama. 

William Dafoe has a terrific cameo as the alcoholic and almost hysterical Peter van Houten. The manner with which he confronts the duo when they come to meet him and ridicule their illness is not sullied down by a justification in the end. He ought to behaved in the manner he did after his personal tragedy but he is never brought to apologize for that behaviour. The end has a poetic tough to it and the eulogy that Gus delivers to Hazel and the messenger is a pleasant surprise. What could have been a tearful ending is beautifully camouflaged into a heart-warming one. 

One the whole, "The Fault in Our Stars" is a movie that is touchy at times, up-lifting at others, but largely soul-stirring. And the makers have been able to elicit all this in such a simple manner is testimony to their brilliance, the quality of the writing and the talent of the actors. 

Bottomline:  a well-rounded romantic drama. 

3.5/5