Perks of Being a Wallflower

Charlie is a freshman. And while he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. Shy, introspective, intelligent beyond his years yet socially awkward, he is a wallflower, caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it. Charlie is attempting to navigate his way through uncharted territory: the world of first dates and mix-tapes, family dramas and new friends; the world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite. But Charlie can't stay on the sideline forever. Standing on the fringes of life offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a deeply affecting coming-of-age story that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller-coaster days known as growing up.

This is one of those horribly embarrassing moments where I write a post for my book blog and I haven't read the book. At least I'm up front with you all, though, right? I desperately wanted to be able to put it down to me being, you know, too mature and grown up for a novel that was written for the generation beneath me but no, it was first published in 1999 when I was just 10 years old, leaving all my teen years to get stuck into this exploration of the awkward, angst-fuelled, self-conscious years of a teenage introvert. Tragic life story? Actually not.

Since I seem to be in the mood to reveal embarrassing facts... I wanted to see this film for two reasons. Neither reflects well on me. One: Emma Watson is in it. Two: Ezra Miller is in it. I was slightly disappointed to find out that the evil hotness that is Ezra Miller is unequivocally gay in this film... turns out it doesn't matter.

Perks of Being a Wallflower was really quite good, I thought. I think I'd expected something a bit wallpapery, perhaps unfairly. It was full with all you'd want from a teenage coming-of-age drama: awkward first dates, weed-fueled house parties, To Kill a Mockingbird, and angst, plenty of angst. One thing that this film didn't have were desperately shaven actors in their 30s playing teenagers. I genuinely believed Logan Lerman couldn't grow a beard if he tried.

I hadn't actually come across Lerman before but what a great performance! As for Emma Watson, I spent her first few scenes feeling extremely tense. The kind of agonising, shoulder-rising, eyes squinting nervousness that comes with anticipating potential disaster for someone you want to do good. Again, unfair assumption. Although it took me a little while to accept that this character has rational reason to fear her exams because she's not actually Hermione Granger... overall Watson put in a good performance. The accent wasn't awful and by the end I did believe she was Sam.

At 23 I thought I'd moved past being affected by teenage dramas - The OC finished (and this might upset some of you) FIVE years ago, One Tree Hill finally came to a close earlier this year and 90210 and Gossip Girl just never seemed to quite maintain the awesomeness of, say, Gilmore Girls. Shh.

But, and you thought Gilmore Girls was embarrassing, I actually cried in this movie. What's that about? Well, I put it down to a solid plot, plenty of teen anxiety to relate to, spot on lip trembling action from the cast and, probably, an element of nostalgia for days when responsibility stopped at making a functioning clock in your design technology class (or not, as the case may be...). Oh, and maybe because I've always wanted a gay best friend and don't. To the extent that I insist some of my poor male friends are secretly homosexual. To their faces. Their very confused faces. I apologise to you ALL.

Despite it being emotional as all good teen dramas should be, it's also laugh-out-loud funny. Plenty to keep you smiling and you end up feeling kind of good in that mushy glazed-eye kind of way.

Anyway, overall I give this film (adaptation - see I do still talk about books) a healthy 8/10.  It didn't get a 9 because my shoulders still hurt from the anticipation of Emma Watson's acting, even if it was unnecessary. Sorry Emma.