Cinema Experience of The Fault In Our Stars (2014)

The Fault In Our Stars being my absolute favourite book, I arrived at the cinema today with relatively low expectations. I thought they wouldn't be able to do it justice - and I must admit that part of this idea came from the fact that John Green wasn't able to direct it himself, as he is about to do for the movie adaptation of Paper Towns. I also wasn't entirely happy with the casting. After seeing the trailers, it almost seemed to be a universal opinion that Ansel, in particular, did not remind us, the book readers, of Augustus. He doesn't look like the character we fell in love with. But, despite this, I have to say, he completely won me around, and I'm sure I'm not alone there.

Ansel was everything Augustus was written to be: cheeky and cocky but also loving, concerned and gentle. Shailene was brilliant too; the scenes in which she had to break down and provoke or show emotion were beautifully executed and performed; they made the film. But, I don't know, she still doesn't remind me of Hazel. We only get to see a couple of her many layers - the audience doesn't see much of Hazel's unwavering inner strength. Sure, you see her climbing ladders whilst finding it almost impossible to breathe which is a feat in itself but you don't get to hear her monologue... you can't read her mind. When I read the book I learnt a lot about not fearing death through Hazel, but sadly for whatever reason the director must have spent most of his time on conducting romance as opposed to showing strength.

Although the director did a good job in terms of meeting the needs of stereotypical popular cinema for teenagers, there were some fatal flaws for fans of the book. Something that really bothered me in particular was the fact that Augustus' ex-girlfriend (who died of cancer before he met Hazel) was never mentioned, at all, possibly in attempt to make Hazel seem like the only girl that Augustus ever loved. To maybe over-romanticise their relationship to appeal to some, more naïve teenage girls. The reason this is fatal, for me, is that I considered Augustus' past relationship a huge part of his characterisation. It is true that, in a way, I disliked his character a little more at first because Hazel was not his one and only, but it is an important part of who Augustus is/was. The point is to grow to love him despite his hidden past and deliberate flaws, like Hazel does. We (if you read the book) learnt a lot through his ex-girlfriend's death (specifically through her Facebook wall) with regards to how most people react online when a person dies. This valuable information, this lesson, is not spread via the movie and is just another reason why you should read the book. It's a shame because a movie would have been a perfect platform to share those opinions on public reactions.

However, there has to be something said about a movie which can move you and reduce you to tears even when you know what's coming. My sister was in floods, I had a little cry, and my friend Josh went very quiet for a long while after it had finished. The girls in the cinema were inconsolable - to the point where I couldn't hear the film at times. This is why I recommend YOU WAIT until the DVD is released, or until you can view it on Netflix or Now TV. Perk 1) you get to cry in solitude, in the privacy of your own home... so less public embarrassment. Perk 2) no sobbing girls which somewhat ruin your cinema experience. Overall, it was an amazing adaptation and quite a nice - albeit, loud - atmosphere. Shailene's acting was truly second to none, Ansel made a perfect Augustus; all you have to do is ignore the rest of the audience, and the omitted storylines, and you'll be pretty happy with it. Genuinely. Expect to fall in love again. For another great review of the movie, check out my friend Keisha's blog >HERE<.

Rating: ★★★ 1/2

John Green: "The Fault In Our Stars" // Review

"Despite the tumour-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis. But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel's story is about to be completely rewritten."

The Fault In Our Stars, probably one of the world's best-loved books, comes as the most compelling read I've had in a very long time. Since I've been seventeen, I've been more inclined to read more 'mature' books and move away (although not completely away) from books about supernatural or mythological goings-on like that of Meg Cabot's "Underworld" and others. If you're attempting to do the same, The Fault In Our Stars would be a wonderful place to start. Although fictitious, this book felt very real to me.

I've read John Green before, beginning with his book "Looking For Alaska". Although it was an okay read, it didn't hit me like The Fault In Our Stars; which had me constantly turning pages from 3pm to 11:45pm last night. When you can read a book in a day, you know you're in love with it. One thing I loved about it was that it is out of the ordinary. Hazel, the book's main character, is on a completely fictitious drug called Pholanxifor which makes her cancer manageable; at least for now. The fact that John Green made up Pholanxifor is astounding to me. It was a genius idea - it allows the reader some distance from the modern-day situation, where the sad reality is that drugs like Pholanxifor just don't exist. With this in mind, you can read the book like a fantasy or maybe even a watered-down sci-fi. However, I did not discover the drug wasn't in existence until the book's final pages - and so everything in the book was very real to me at the time of reading it.

Another thing I loved was the use of intertextuality (I'm going all 'English Literature student' on you here, but it's true); whereby The Fault In Our Stars has connections with a fictional book Green creates called "An Imperial Affliction". Green writes about this as Hazel's favourite book. I was under the impression that it really existed, although that doesn't, either! Anyway, AIA supposedly ends mid-sentence with the assumption that the main character died in the middle of writing; leaving Hazel with an unavoidable urge to find out how it ends before she herself dies. Throughout the book I was so scared that The Fault In Our Stars would end mid-sentence too - but (SPOILER) I'm so glad that it didn't. I'm so glad that we never have to hear about how Hazel dies.

I am also able to say that I actually learned something from this book. There are many quotable lines, which you'll undoubtedly come across if you log onto Tumblr, but there is one section of text which, more than any other, I found solace in. When thinking about her own death, Hazel says, "I kept thinking there were two kinds of adults... Neither of these futures struck me as particularly desirable. It seemed to me that I had already seen everything pure and good in the world, and I was beginning to suspect that even if death didn't get in the way, the kind of love that Augustus and I share could never last... Nothing gold can stay."
Although I do not imagine myself becoming terminally ill often, this book makes you question how you would handle such an event. This quote resonated with me - and if I was dying, I imagine words like this would comfort me. The way John Green has put himself into the mind of someone with cancer is incredible and although the book is not all doom and gloom, it has been written in such an exquisite way that you almost don't feel pity for cancer sufferers anymore - you respect them.

So, if you have a day to spare, pick this book up. I cannot stress that enough. Don't fear that it will make you depressed, because that's not the effect it had on me, although I did have doubts about that before I opened the book. There will be tears, I'm not going to lie, but they will be very, very worth it. God help me when the movie comes out.