There are three types of ‘cancer movies’. You have the crass and manipulative ones whose primary agenda is to make you weep bucket-loads (The Bucket List springs to mind, pardon the pun). Then there are the ones that get away with unabashed sentimentality (Love Story, yes, I have a weak spot for Ryan O’Neal). Finally, you have the more realistic depictions of those dealing with the illness, such as the excellent 50/50. Based on John Green’s phenomenally successful young adult novel of the same name, The Fault in Our Stars is a winning combination of the latter two.
The movie follows Hazel Grace Lancaster (Shailene Woodley), a 17 year-old living with terminal cancer. Encouraged by her caring mother (Laura Dern) to go a support group, she meets Augustus Waters (Ansel Elgort), a cancer survivor. Together, they share a love for the unconventional and slowly fall in love.
Shailene Woodley is terrific as Hazel, carrying the movie assuredly on her shoulders, with a performance that is beautifully naturalistic. Ansel Elgort, meanwhile, inhabits the screen with charismatic presence, making Augustus a hugely likeable and charming character. Their onscreen chemistry is palpable, particularly in the film’s early scenes, where their sparking back and forth crackles like a roaring fire. Laura Dern and Sam Trammell offer fine support as Hazel’s parents, while Willem Dafoe appears briefly to chew up the scenery in large chunks.
In the opening monologue, Hazel outlines that her tale will not be sugar-coated and instead presents us with the harsh truth, free of clichés. However, as stated in the opening paragraph, The Fault in Our Stars is not entirely free of clichés and movie sentiment, yet both work perfectly within the context of the drama and prove effective. Similarly, the metaphors (An Imperial Affliction, the novel Hazel is reading or Gus’ unusual smoking habit) could come across as heavy-handed and mawkish in other hands, but director Josh Boone manages to make them slot seamlessly within the narrative. Furthemore, his love for Green’s novel shines through every scene, as he crafts this adaptation with affection.
One of my favourite aspects of the film was its gallows humour which prevents proceedings from becoming overly dour, proves refreshing within the context of this ‘genre’ and adds personality.
With its strong performances, genuinely touching moments and faithfulness to the source material, The Fault in Our Stars is sure to please existing fans and make new ones.
cinema from the basement 