Movie Review Rewind: The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

Brandon Vick flips the calendar back to 2012 for a look at The Perks of Being a Wallflower on this edition of Movie Review Rewind.

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower takes you back to the days of high school where you had to endure so much just in order to survive. A time where some had it good while others were left with emotional scars that could very well last forever. In a rare Hollywood case, Stephen Chbosky (who wrote the novel) actually got to write and direct his story. And to his credit, he is able to bring the honesty and harsh reality of high school from the page to the screen in an earnest, engaging way. He covers a lot of topics that unfortunately some kids go though and have to deal with such as mental illness, sexual identity, homophobia and, of course, drugs. No matter what your personal experience in high school was like, there is something in this film that you will be able to recognize and identify with. It’s a time where some wish they could go back to while, at the same time, others can’t forget them quick enough.

Charlie (played amazingly by Logan Lerman) is a tortured soul already and to make things worse, he is going to be a Freshman. He has some issues that a kid his age shouldn’t have to deal with. He has seen and been through things that all of us hope to never have to go through. Charlie is still trying to get over his best friend’s suicide and come to peace with the death of his aunt (Melanie Lynskey). However, he has great potential in being a writer and his English teacher (Paul Rudd) takes notice and becomes his first friend, but not in a creepy way.

Charlie has a tough time making friends and he knows that. And he tries, but he is never given a chance until he meets Sam (Emma Watson) and her gay step-brother Patrick (Ezra Miller). They are both Seniors who have their own shit to deal with. Sam use to get drunk at parties and sleep with any guy she could, but now she has become something different. She’s pretty and has the certain coolness about her, but she is damaged and does her best to hide it. Then there is Patrick, a Senior who is taking a Freshman class who never seems to take anything serious. But the closer Charlie gets to him the more he finds out who he really is. Charlie becomes a friend who Patrick can share his pain and express his feelings with, and Charlie is the type of guy who will listen without placing judgement. Somehow, Charlie, Patrick, and Sam fit perfectly together and Charlie feels at home on the “island of misfit toys.”

The performances by Lerman, Watson, and Miller are tremendous. It is their ability to bring the character’s emotions to the fore-front that makes this whole journey feel authentic and thoughtful. Lerman plays Charlie with such grace and captures each emotion perfectly. He hides his pain to make you think he is invincible ( as we all do), but lets it pour when he cannot control it any longer. Never has Lerman been able to portray such a character that could hit too close to home for so many kids, and he does with full confidence and grasp of who Charlie is and what he wants to become.

Watson has become a real beauty and it certainly shows on-screen. She has gone from graduating Hogwarts to trying to graduate from an actual high school. Sam is a girl who has made mistakes and is full of regrets. But she is turning it all around and trying to leave her old self in the past. And while she still isn’t great at picking the best guys to date, Charlie shows her the love she has been missing out on. This is the first big role for Watson since the Harry Potter franchise has come to an end and after seeing this film, she is going to be just fine. She can definitely stand on her own and won’t be known for just playing Hermione.

Besides Lerman, Miller plays a difficult character that exists in high schools more than people realize. He is gay and he doesn’t hide it. Instead, he must hide his relationship with a football star who doesn’t want anyone to find out the truth, especially his father. It angers Patrick, but it saddens him more than anything else. Miller is a fantastic young actor and already has a couple of strong performances under his belt. If you haven’t seen him in We Need to Talk About Kevin then you must. Miller can play all kinds of people. Guaranteed.

Chbosky captures the funny, cruel, and tender moments of high school. For better or worse, they are memories that we will have for the rest of our lives. With outstanding performances by a talented young cast, The Perks of Being a Wallflower takes us back to a world we are familiar with where emotions are running high and everything is a bigger deal than it should be. High school can be hell but The Perks of Being a Wallflower walks through the flames effortlessly with great satisfaction.

Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.

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