The Perks of Being a Wallflower

One of the most compelling films about the trials and tribulations of growing up I've ever seen. The central trio of Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, and Ezra Miller is absolutely perfect. All three of them play the roles as if they were tailor-made for them. And the soundtrack, dominated by David Bowie, feels like it's from a dreamland. It was really great! (90%) (09/28/2020)

A deft mix of hipster, gay friendly teen comedy with a few surprising dramatic moments on top. A club of shelved super-smart teenagers who most of the time behave like adults, if not better, but that fits the overall feel good vibe of the film. You could say there's no pure essence of perfection, but there's no shit either, and hand on heart, when David Bowie comes on full blast in that one fateful scene, that's the fourth star. We are infinite. (02/27/2023)

A romantic film about teenagers, and mostly set in an American high school? You could rightly argue in advance that this is going to be the xth variation on a horribly overused concept where you mean virtually nothing unless you're the captain of the football team or head cheerleader. But this film is about something a little different. First of all, there are no such adventures (either football or cheerleading) at the forefront; the story itself focuses mainly on the lead character's feelings, and it must be said that it has its psychological depth as well. Charlie isn't so much withdrawn, reserved, and cautious because he's weird, but because something really happened to him in the past and he never quite came to terms with it. I like filmmakers who can work sensitively with characters without resorting to emotional pathos. In this case, it really is a maximally civil story whose qualities are supported by wonderfully natural performances. An independent film that is easy to get addicted to :-) (05/24/2014)

I registered The Perks of Being a Wallflower a few months back and figured I needed to see it as soon as possible. After watching it, I said, "Wonderful!". An incredibly sweet, touching and enjoyable film in all respects that gently caresses the soul and warms the heart considerably. The young actors were all great and perfectly inhabited their roles: Logan Lerman was shyness and cuteness personified in human form, Emma Watson is no longer the nerdy girl from Harry Potter for me, but the free-spirited Sam, and Ezra Miller got me perhaps even more than in We Need to Talk About Kevin (it will be interesting to see how his acting develops further). The music was impeccable, the writing was very strong (I need to read the book!), and the inclusion of my favorite (unnamed) musical was the icing on a wholesome cake that mirrors the woes and joys of a generation of teenagers dealing with real issues - not like many other teen movies. I haven't been this emotionally affected and yet pleasantly attuned within this genre in a long time. (12/20/2012)

I didn't believe that an American teenage advert for cotton candy could have any impact on me, but this one really packed a punch. It's just another variation on a theme that's been done hundreds of times, and as the closing credits roll we find that we haven't seen anything surprising or soul-deep, but the way this story about the importance of friendship is filmed won me over and delivered several wonderful scenes that I can't get out of my head – I thoroughly enjoyed all of the confrontations between Lerman and Emma Watson thanks to their natural acting style. A little great film, there is no other way to call it. 85% (07/15/2013)