The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Jo***)

The pains and joys of high school has been a focus in film for decades - perhaps best captured by the John Hughes films of the 1980's. The Perks of Being A Wallflower attempts to explore the life of one character as he transitions through his first year of school - and generally is a success, though the film often falls victim to a generic story arch.

We meet Charlie, the film's hero - a freshman in school with absolutely no luck at making friends, until he somewhat awkwardly meets two high school seniors (committed performances by Emma Watson and Ezra Miller) and the three quickly become inseparable. Charlie learns the meaning of friendship, love, loss, and self-discovery.

Directed by Stephen Chobsky, the source novel's author, there is undoubtedly a clear vision for the film, and the actors all are wholly committed to the performances. There is much to admire in the film, but there is never a time when I felt Chobsky truly took risks with his story. Of course his novel was successful enough to be optioned as a film, but the film doesn't take risks of its own. It is in no way boring, or poorly-made. It is just fine, in general.

There has been a lot of passion from audience members who are familiar with the story - and some have boldly called this the best movie of the year. While I won't put it past them that the story has merits and the film is a solid piece of filmmaking, to call it revelatory is in no way accurate. The actors make the most of their roles, with Miller and a surprising Paul Rudd delivering solid performances. Beyond that, Wallflower is just another addition to the self-discovery section of the high school drama genre.

(Awards potential: Best Supporting Actor (Miller), Best Adapted Screenplay)