Movie Review: The Fault In Our Stars

Release Date: June 2, 2014

Don’t shoot me, I haven’t read TFIOS the book or any other John Green book… And yes, put the gun down, I watched the movie before reading the book. Ekk!

Since I’m still alive, I guess you’ve all given me the chance to elaborate. You see, I meant to read the book. I picked it up, got a good 50 pages in, adored it and then exams hit and I dropped it. My friend who also happens to be a John Green fangirl, was nice enough to tell me the major plot twists so that went down the drain. (It’s ok buddy, still friends!)

Now that we have the back story covered, let me just say that I watched this movie with my mother and brother both of which had varying opinions but mine is the only one that counts and oh my goodness this was golden. 

It’s now been almost a month since I watched it and things are getting a little hazy but I think a lot of the things I loved had more to do with the story than the movie. Meaning the credits probably go to John Green for being a genius but I also have to thank Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort for being amazing actors who brought Augustus and Hazel to life. Dare I say, Shailene was better fitted for Hazel's role than Tris’...

Some favourite things included the normalcy that this movie was able to present to the audience. We’ve all come to see cinema as a place where stars shining in their otherworldly beauty can walk on red carpets but cinema is changing. Realism is taking over and this was a dedication to that. All the actors looked like kids I could go to school with; except for the great clothes and impeccably clean rooms. 

Since this is a movie review, I feel like it's fair to comment on the cinematography and location choice, which I felt was great. There were some really nice closeups that worked well with the mood. The setting, you guys, was perfect. SO perfect in fact that it seems the bench in Amsterdam where TFIOS was shot was stolen.

It was found :)

I loved the bickering between Gus and Hazel. Their opposing ideas of life and death and how one should go out were maybe a little morbid but also really interesting to think about. 

I didn't find any faults in the movie. I thought it was cleanly wrapped up and executed. The ending, which I heard was different from the novel, was appeasing to me and I had no problems with it. 

Overall, it was a very sweet, very touching and sensual movie which reminds us all that life is short. Don’t wait until you have a reason to enjoy it, living life should be reason enough.

-MARI