The Fault in our Stars, English Hollywood Film movie Review, Johnson Thomas, Rating: * * * 1/2

#TheFaultInOurStars( English) Rating: *  *  * ½  #JoshBoone’s Heart-wrenching , uplifting and superbly poised modern day terminal illness afflicted ‘Love Story, ’ starring #ShaileneWoodley, #AnselElgort based on #JohnGreen’s best-selling Emotionally affecting tragic-romance novel. This one’s a must-watch for sure. No two ways about that! Superbly engaging and inherently tear-jerking! Take a bucket along, there’s no way you’re gonna remain untouched by this one! #20thCenturyFoxStar #ParagDesai

                                                                        

                                  

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English film Review

Johnson Thomas

Emotionally affecting Tragic-romance

Film: The Fault in our Stars

Cast: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff, Laura Dern, Willem Dafoe 

Director: Josh Boone    

 

Rating: *  *  * ½

The Fault in Our Stars is a tragic romance on the lines of ‘Love Story’ helmed by Josh Boone, based on the bestselling novel by John Green.

The main character — whose voice-over narration, drawn verbatim from Mr. Green’s pages, frames the story, is Hazel Grace Lancaster(Shailene Woodley), a sixteen-year-old cancer patient who doesn’t believe she is depressed, and is being coerced by her parents to attend a support group, where she subsequently meets and falls in love with Augustus Waters( Ansel Elgort) a cancer survivor who accompanies his cancer afflicted friend(Nat Wolff) to the group meetings.

 

Hazel and Gus are two extraordinary teenagers who though under severe pressure from the dreaded disease, fight for survival and acceptance with acerbic wit, disdain for conventions, and a courage that keeps them going through life’s interminable hurdles. They also fall into love with each other, a love that sweeps them – and us – on an unforgettable journey.  Their relationship is all the more miraculous, given that they may have no real future together. This film, like in the book,  explores the funny, thrilling and tragic business of being afflicted, half-way alive and in love while staring death in the face!

 

Both kids have supportive, loving parents whom we barely get to know – hers are Frannie (Laura Dern) and Michael (Sam Trammell). Both sets of parents are stoic and determined to face head-on the challenge of life after the death of their children, if at all. Of course they don’t say it in so many words but the feeling is implicit.

One of the dramatic high-points come from Hazel and Gus’ shared love for reading. Which in turn becomes the inspiration for their trip to Amsterdam to seek out the reclusive writer(Willem Dafoe) of Hazel’s favorite novel, the fictitious "An Imperial Affliction," which also happens to be about a young woman living with cancer.

 

Director Josh Boone’s adaptation of author John Green’s tear-jerking, young adult phenomenon, goes to a great extent to spell out the maudlin exigencies of living with a terminal illness. The hope, the courage, the parental pussy-footing, the facing-up to the challenge of everyday life, the defining of a purpose to go on- all find scope and space for existence in a screenplay that is both uplifting as well as poignantly poised. Screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber stay true to the book and that’s a blessing. The treatment and performances allow for a matter-of-fact engagement. The attempt is to keep the melodrama at bay while yet making an affecting and emotional attempt at drama. The tone is imminently moving while the tenor stays upbeat despite the numerous lump-in-your-throat moments.  

Shailene Woodley’s is astonishingly convincing and Elgort is an appreciable foil. abiding, disarming naturalism consistently keeps you engaged. The background score keeps the orchestrated doses of sentiment to a minimum. Even so you will have a difficult( if not impossible) time staying unmoved. Rest assured this one will well up the emotions and send them cascading from your eyes. It’s a tear-jerker like never before! Be prepared to cry buckets. There’s no finer way than this to have a totally immersive experience!

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