I am amazed I haven’t reviewed this film sooner. It is absolute perfection! From the brilliant storytelling to the characters to the soundtrack to everything I absolutely adore it.

What more, this movie was first a book and usually I have a lot of problems with book-to-movie adaptations but this one was utterly fantastic.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower follows the story of Charlie, a young boy who has just started high school and is trying to fit in. He befriends Sam and Patrick a brother and sister duo who are just incredibly fun. Charlie soon develops a crush on Sam but knows she will be hard to get as she is moving off to college soon.

Throughout the course of the movie we see many scenarios play out including Charlie getting high at a party, his sister being abused by her boyfriend, Patrick being bullied because of his sexuality and much more. The most hard hitting part of it all however is Charlie’s own story. A story that is glimpsed at through many parts of the movie but comes to a head in the end. I won’t spoil it but when I first read it in the book it had me shaking. 

This movie is set in the 90s so there’s a lot of nostalgia including mix-tapes and typewriters. It’s every hipster’s dream basically. What I love is that it is just so true. It’s all believable and it really makes you feel for the characters you are watching. You become incredibly connected to them and will happily watch their story replay over and over again because it is a beautiful story of strength, hope, and friendship. Nothing is off limits and the depth these characters have is insane. I can’t fault one of them and you can tell time and effort was really put in to make their stories as 3D as possible.

 This is the perfect movie to watch when you’re just finishing school or want some nostalgia to look back on and compare. This movie will break your heart and put it back together all within its runtime and the goosebumps that you feel in the end will be incredibly heartwarming.

I cannot fault this movie and I cannot recommend it enough. If you’re looking for a perfect coming-of-age tale, you’ve found it.

What did you think of The Perks of Being a Wallflower?

Until next time.

Published by shonaharding

Media graduate with a passion for reviewing film and TV. View all posts by shonaharding