The Fault In Our Stars: Movie Review - Media Diary Week 1

The Fault in our Stars- Movie Review

The film adaptation of John Green’s cherished young adult novel ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ has become one of the most highly talked about films of the year and not without good reason. The film revolves around sixteen year old Hazel Grace Lancaster who has been diagnosed with Stage 4 Thyroid cancer. While attending support group, which she was forced into by her concerned mother, she meets the handsome, charismatic and endearing Augustus Waters. This movie, despite the generic, been-there-done-that set up of the basic plot, adds a very unique and truly heartbreaking atmosphere to the story and with such lovable characters it’s almost impossible for viewers not to be sobbing loudly in the middle of a crowded cinema screen. 

During the film there are a wide range of extremely intense and emotional scenes that where portrayed remarkable by the entire cast, Shailene Woodley (Hazel) truly embodied the character and pulled her life and soul straight from the pages of the book. The chemistry shown between not just Hazel and Gus but between all the characters was so heartfelt and believable that at points it made me forget that this was not based on a true story. Despite on the surface this being a teen love story, an aspect that made this film truly remarkable to me was the family dynamic presented throughout. The interaction between Hazel and her family was so believable and relatable to people in any walk of life not just people in her situation. 

Cinematography wise, the movie was shot in a way that felt completely real and perfectly naturalistic, nothing felt too shiny or high end, ensuring that the main focus of this movie was the beautifully compelling plot and characters. A very nice addition to the film was definitely the way Hazel and Gus would text back and forth to each other. The texts would appear in speech bubbles across the screen, which not only allowed the movie to flow well but also allowed for some very adorable moments from the novel to be included in the movie. 

Throughout The Fault in Our Stars the score and soundtrack included is perfectly fitting with every theme of the movie and each piece of music complements the scenes flawlessly. The score is so beautifully and carefully composed that each time I here a song included in the film it leaves me with chills, this movie is a prime example of a delicate soundtrack with a large effect on the audience. 

Despite this movie being branded primarily as a film for teenagers and young adults, I believe that any person could enjoy this movie. It is a human story at heart without no special effects or large outlandish sets, it is a story about people and the tragedy of life itself which anyone can relate to. The Fault in Our Stars, is a tragically beautiful movie, that embodies everything good about films made for teenage audiences. It combines comedy and heartbreak to create the perfect balance for a film that stays with you for a long while after the credits role.