The Fault in Our Stars (Review)

Hey guys...

Did i tell you yesterday that the previous blogpost was my last Ipad-written one in this trip? Well, i thought so too. Then this morning we left our Jakarta apartment at 10 AM to avoid any traffic jam and risk to be late-arrived at like 10.45 *LOL* , our flight's not for another 3 hours or more. I don't mind waiting at the airport (that's why we never, ever miss any flight. And hopefully never will!) but that means i need to entertain myself, and for me blogging in the ultimate entertainment while waiting (thank you for the super convenient mini Ipad keyboard, hunny!) so... here's another blogpost for your enjoyment!

We went to watch The Fault in Our Stars a few days ago...

I have been waiting for this movie ever since i finished reading (the super short, i think finished it at one go) the novel. From my experiences so far, i usually wouldn't like movies that are adapted from novels as much as i love the novels themselves, save for One Day (which movie is actually better than the book! Jim Sturgess *drool...* my love...).

The novel by John Green is incredibly (for me, i know some people hate it haha) engaging, gripping and i fell in love with the character of Augustus Waters+symphatized totally with Hazel Grace Lancaster. It it obviously a teen-lit in a sense (the main characters are teenagers), but not your usual light hearted, puppy love stuffs. One, because both characters are cancer patients/"survivors" and second, because they are also mature beyond their years due to the circumstances they had to deal with. And don't worry, if you're an adult like me, you can totally still relate and get lost in the story, unlike some teen lits that are way too "hip" and "young"-meaning older people would not only NOT get it, but literally get sick after trying to read them *LOLOLOL*.

Now, i've always had a penchant for books and stories about people with terminal illnesses ever since i was a teenager (i did went through a dark, gloomy teenage angst phase quietly haha) no idea why because i obviously cannot relate to people with illness, i'm pretty healthy in general save for my monthly flu WTF. But i like to read their stories, maybe because i have ALWAYS been fascinated with death, life after death, what comes next, etc. Nobody that has passed can tell me what it feels to be dead, so the closest thing would be people who are sick. One day we all going to die *sorry if i sound so depressing*, one way or another, i just like to understand more from people who actually knows that their time is limited (not that any of us are any exception. Who knows when we're gonna be off? Perfectly healthy people dies everyday). Anyway. I love this book. A LOT. I ended up buying a bunch of other John Green books afterward, but none i like nearly as much as this one.

When i first read this book, i already know that the movie's being made and that Shailene Woodley (whom i quite like in Divergent) and Ansel Elgort are staring in them. I thought they seemed to be pretty perfect for the roles (and then i watched Divergent and thought it's gross how one day actors would act like brother and sister in one movie and immediately make out in the next. LOLOLOL, sorry ah, no offence, outsider's problem).

Before i talk more about the actors, a little synopsis about the movie (which pretty much reflects the book pretty perfectly save from a few missing scenes, which is totally acceptable and understandable). Hazel is a 16 years old cancer patient on a trial drug (fictious) who has to lug an oxygen tank everywhere she goes. One day her (sweet and loving, i love Hazel's parents!) mum and doctor decided that she was depressed and made her go to a support group where she met and fell in love with Augustus Waters, a cancer survivor and amputee. They bonded even more after Hazel introduced him to her favorite book, which lead them to an unlikely journey to Amsterdam to meet the writer. 

I will not talk too much about the plot because i don't want to spoil it for you who are planning to watch the movie but haven't read the book. No spoiler here, but you should know that this has no happy ending. Don't worry, i haven't ruin the movie for you, within seconds into the movie Hazel herself would inform you the same thing. LOL. 

What surprised me was how much i LOVE the movie. I wouldn't take a step up and declare it better than the book  (than i would for One Day), but i will say this : it's at LEAST as good as the book. The movie totally did the book justice and it is not a wonder that IMDb rated it 8.4. The movie was bittersweet, sad, happy, all mixed feeling rolled into one. You'd be laughing at Augustus' jokes and charms one second, and start tearing the next. It's an emotional rollercoaster, and if you're in touch with your sensitive side, you WILL enjoy it. But if you HATE depressing movies/ending like hell, then please avoid this movie at all cost. I cried like a baby towards the end of the book, but i cried like 5x, each time harder than the previous, in the movie.

Now, we have established that John Green is brilliant (he writes from a perpective of a dying 16 year old GIRL so convincingly!) and the movie already had a wonderful story to base itself in, another factor for the success of this movie, i believe, is because they cast brilliantly.

I am not like, a huge fan of Shailene Woodley, but i begin to like her now! A lot! She was pretty good in Divergent (in my opinion), and she's even better in The Fault in Our Stars even though her characters are polar opposites. I am no expert in judging acting skills, but for me Shailene nailed Hazel Grace's character and brought her to life.

Physically i liked her with long hair and buffed body like in Divergent, but of course she had to chop off her beautiful locks and slim down to portray Hazel. Props to the makeup people too, she looked pale and puffy, and tired. I believe that's how Hazel should be looking, based on the book.

And Ansel Elgort. I may have made fun of him in my Divergent review, but this is exactly the case on how a character makes an actor look attractive or not! I always knew Ansel has a cool, charming charisma that teenage girls would go gaga over (but not me, i mean-not even when i was young. I have a slightly different taste than most girls, but i do know that a lot of girls definitely swoon over him) ever since i watched him in Carrie, but his cowardly, weird and very annoying portrayal of Caleb (which means he has great acting skills too) in Divergent annoys me so bad that i totally overlook that potential.

Look wise, i thought Ansel would make a great Augustus Waters, with his tall, slim body and cheeky smile and sensual mouth, but seeing him BECAME Gus is when i realized how good he really is. Basically his character (like Shailene's) is a total opposite of Caleb. Augustus is cheeky, humorous, charming and sweet-Ansel played him perfectly. I couldn't imagine a better portrayal of Agustus Waters myself. I foresee a very bright future ahead of this (very) young star! *Madame #Pink mode : ON*.

In short, i am in love with this beautiful movie/book, and i cannot recommend it enough! Of course, everybody have different tastes, like i said earlier... If you're not into depressing love stories, you should skip this. For everybody else, i beg you to give this movie/book a chance! I haven't cried so much in a movie in a long time...

Still playing scenes from the movie in my head...

#Pink