The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012, Stephen Chbosky)

Early 90s: Charlie (Logan Lerman), a lonely, quiet, naive teenager lost his best friend Michael last summer. As he gets anxious about his first day of high school, he already thought about what his last moment of senior year would be like. But it is only day 1 and there are still 1384 days to go. The freshman tries hard to make friends, at least with the few persons he knows, but noone, not even his sister, Candace (who goes out with Ponytail Derek) seems interested in talking to him. After days of bearing hazings and bad jokes, he meets Patrick (Ezra Miller) and his step sister Sam (Emma Watson) and befriends them. Together, they learn about life, finding the balance: love, friendship, parties, drugs, disappointment, jealousy, etc.

David Bowie - Heroes

What is interesting about The Perks of Being a Wallflower is the fact that the story is both simple and complicated. Charlie’s accounts sometimes pick the viewer’s curiosity about his past (especially about what happened with his aunt). Also, everyone knows Patrick is gay but there are a lot of things they don’t know about him. Sam has a history too. But director/writer Stephen Chbosky knows how to tell his story and the main actors are just splendid. I was really impressed about how the three of them carried the film. And finally, let’s not forget the actors in the backseat: Paul Rudd, Dylan MacDermott, Kate Walsh, Tom Savini, Melanie Lynskey and Joan Cusack to name a few.

       

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a very moving movie to be watched and rewatched.

Memorable quotes

Mr Anderson: I heard you had a tough time last year. But they say if you make a friend on your first day, then you’re doing ok.

Charlie: Thank you Sir. But if my English teacher is the only friend I made today, that would be sort of depressing.  

Dad: I told you. Give me a smile and be yourself. That’s how you make friends in the real world.

Patrick: You see things and you understand. You’re a wallflower.

Charlie: why do nice people choose the wrong people to date?

Mr Anderson: We accept the love we think we deserve

Charlie: Can we make them notice they deserve more?

Mr Anderson: We can try

Charlie: my doctor said we can’t choose where we come from but we can choose where we go from there. I know it’s not all the answers but I it was enough to start putting these pieces together.