The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a 2012 film starring the socially awkward freshman Charlie (Logan Lerman) who is pushed outside his comfort zone after meeting seniors Sam (Emma Watson) and Patrick (Ezra Miller). The joys of friendship, first love, music and more are explored, only to be shattered as his friends prepare to leave for college. It accurately depicts important issues such as sexual abuse, mental health, and domestic violence, without being exploitative, as characters are not bounded by their struggles in life. For example, Patrick is openly gay yet deals with homophobia at school, but there are multiple sides to him that we learn about. I've rewatched this movie more times than I can count. The film gets a rating of 10 apple seeds out of 10. 

Scenes in the movie are shot beautifully and are distinct compared to other films in the genre. When Charlie tries LSD, his vision distorts and he gets sporadic traumatic flashbacks as he watches others party on New Year's Eve. This reflects his true wallflower tendencies because he blocks out reality and his surroundings by numbing his feelings with drugs, further causing his mental health to spiral. Many creative shots are taken above Charlie, symbolizing his isolation. Eye-level camera angles represent the growing tension and chaos from his high. A final closeup reveals Charlie making snow angels before passing out. Another wonderfully shot scene is when Charlie faces reality as his friends graduate. I won't spoil this scene due to its importance in the ending, but I will simply say that I love the camera work done here.

A potential drawback of this movie is that it discusses several complex plot points, which can be a lot to take it when watching for the first time. However, after watching it multiple times, the strong scenes work well to create an incredible coming of age story. My only qualm is the fact that high school seniors like/want to be in a relationship with a freshman. I don't think I need to explain why. Especially since one of the major plot lines involves sexual abuse, these scenes are very weird. Last issue is Ezra Miller: I loved their acting until finding out they are accused of grooming minors and committing disorderly conduct, assault, and burglary, the first of which goes against the message of the movie and all of which are horrible acts.

All-in-all, prepare your tissues if you plan on watching this movie, as you will ride a rollercoaster of emotions. I also suggest reading the book, which adds even more depth to the characters. Bear in mind the trigger warning though.