A film that explores the harsh realities of life, without taking itself too seriously…
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| 20th Century Fox |
Based on the best selling teen-novel, The Fault in Our Stars is an exploration of love, loss and life.
While the romance side of the film can get a tad corny at times, as per usual teen romance flicks formulae. The Fault in Our Stars instead refrains from going that route, by providing viewers a realistic look at cancer-sufffering patients and there experiences of loving and being loved.
Along with this, the film goes beyond and explores notions of stereotypes of sick patients and the usual expected reactions from others of feeling sorry. It paints cancer patients as real people, with real problems that don’t want to be treated as different.
It’s core-emotional side though, is life after death and the impact on those left behind. I found this rather striking, as it explores what is often kept an untouched topic between loved ones and those facing life-or-death situations. And with cancer, death is no longer just a long-sighted thing but a reality. The Fault in Our Stars particularly touches on wanting to be remembered and the confusion of how others will cope with the pain of death.
Lovers of the film represent the two-sides, with Hazel (Shailene Woodley) just wanting her family and others to move on and be remembered by those she loves most. While her newly found love with Gus (Ansel Elgort) represents wanting to be known by the world and gaining the remembrance of aplenty.
Jurassic Park‘s Laura Dern also deserves a mention here as she pulls of Hazel’s mother convincingly, along with broody jerk author Van Houten played by the brilliant Willem Dafoe.
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| Hazel (Woodley) and Gus (Elgort) represent lovers of different dying wishes. |
The film also has a lovely soundtrack to accompany it with emotional tunes from Birdy and Ed Sheeran, along with newcomer Charlie XCX also penning a tune for the film.
For a teeny bopper flick, this is certainly of the better share as it touches on the more harsher realities of life and love. It refrains from trying too hard to be emotional, and delivers fans of the book and audiences alike a raw take on issues represented throughout the film without overlying on waterworks or cheesy romanticism.
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