The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Review by Matthew Hearn

The Perks of Being A Wallflower (15)

This adaptation of Stephen Chbosky’s best-selling novel sees Charlie (Logan Lerman – best known for the Percy Jackson movies) starting out at High School. He’s had a turbulent summer after his best friend shot himself, and he’s dreading being the new boy.

After some painful scenes of teenage loneliness, 15-year-old Charlie makes friends with older step-siblings Patrick (Ezra Miller) and Sam (Emma Watson) – who has lost her Harry Potter hair and taken on an American accent.

They hang out, they go to parties, Charlie falls in love with Sam. It’s a bit like High School Musical without the singing and with lots of drug-taking.

But things aren’t all OK with Charlie and as he falls deeper and deeper in love with Sam, he struggles with powerful emotions from this past.

It’s a well-produced, thought-provoking film which is hugely watchable and deals with the highs and lows of growing up in a unique way. And the soundtrack is, as Charlie would say, infinite.

3/5