The Perks Of Being A Wallflower

So long time no see..Had to go to Houston for some work and writing this in the plane. I do not want to talk about the trip. But I do want to write about a movie.

   

Finally I got to see The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I had been waiting to see this movie since last year and got a chance to see it. I loved it, totally. It reminded me so much of Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu which I unconditionally love. I think I will rate The Perks of Being a Wallflower as one of my favorite films of the year. The film is essentially the story of Charlie, a highly introverted boy who has just joined high school. He is recovering from an emotional trauma – the death of his best friend – and has some other traumatic visions of a secret past. He has no other friends. He is not at all excited to join high school but once in the school, he makes friends with Patrick and Sam who are not his classmates but three years senior to him and are in their final year. It is a beautiful coming of age story in which Charlie gains confidence in himself, understands friendship, and learns some very important lessons in life. There are some charming moments in the film, such as the time when he goes out on his first date, has his first kiss, falls in love with Sam and finally feels free. A few years ago there was a show called The Wonder Years. It was the story of Kevin and his growing up. He used to narrate the show as well. I loved that show. I used to still watch it on Comedy Central when it started a repeat telecast last year. 

Here also, Charlie is the narrator and his character is perhaps more troubled than Kevin. Not only is this film the story of Charlie, but in many ways of each of us. Like Patrick, who is the funniest among the three and always keeps on cracking jokes but beneath the veneer of humor, he is dealing with his emotional troubles. He is gay but his star football player boyfriend does not acknowledge him in public. The scene in the park where he breaks down because of his haunting loneliness and kisses Charlie in the spur of the moment is heart-breaking. Like Sam, who has a boyfriend but he has been cheating on her all the while. Not only that, she spent a lot of time in doing bad things which she should not have. She is dealing with her own confidence issues but yet she comes across as someone extremely confident. In a way, we all are like Charlie, Patrick and Sam. We are trying to deal with our problems, but in the hope that things will get better someday.

There are some beautiful scenes in the movie. I loved this scene when Charlie asks his English Teacher as to why nice people date the wrong people.

We accept the love we think we deserve

Charlie: Why do nice people date the wrong people?

Mr. Anderson: We accept the love we think we deserve.

Charlie: We can tell them they deserve more.

Mr. Anderson: You can try.

And I really liked Paul Rudd in the film. He had also played Mike in Friends. I loved him in The Object of My Affection. He teaches Charlie the importance of participation. He gives his own books to Charlie to read because he feels Charlie will become a great writer in the future. Why do English teachers are always so awesome? All my favorite teachers in school taught me English. I want to be a writer someday too but..

I loved this scene too when Sam kisses Charlie and asks him to express his love for her. Charlie is madly in love with her but he doesn't have the courage to speak to her because he knew she likes Craig. He was so much like Rahul in Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu. Sam also played an important part in his growing up. Here, Sam tells Charlie

You can't just sit there and put everybody's lives ahead of yours and think it counts as love. I don't want to be somebody's crush. If somebody likes me, I want them to like the real me, not what they think I am. And I don't want them to carry it around inside. I want them to show me,so I can feel it too. :(

And then in the final scene, when Sam is going away he says, “I wanted to give Sam a part of me.” And he gives all his books that are so dear to him. 

Just as Rahul finally drives off in the climax, Charlie also embraces his freedom. He says,

We can’t choose where we come from, but we can where we go from there. This one moment when you know you're not a sad story. You are alive, and you stand up and see the lights on the buildings and everything that makes you wonder. And you're listening to that song and that drive with the people you love most in this world. And in this moment I swear, we are infinite.

And Rahul had said,

Kabi kabhi life me aisa lagta hai ki hai aap sach me udd sakte hain, aisa lagta hai ki yeh ek mauka sirf hamare liye banaya gaya hai, aur vo raat bhi sirf mere liye banayi gayi thi.

:(

When will I find love :(

Dialogue of the Day:

So, this is my life. And I want you to know that I am both happy and sad and I’m still trying to figure out how that could be.

 - Charlie, The Perks of Being A Wallflower