The Fault in Our Stars starts out like any other romance trying to distance itself from the usual Hollywood sugarcoating. With the assurance that what we are about to see is what really happens, that the path of true love doesn't always go smoothly, and not everything is tied up in a neat little. That tried and trusted cliche aside, the movie, based on the best selling Young Adult novel by John Green, does succeed in its mission statement for the most part, presenting a sweet, funny, and absolutely heart breaking tale of young love fated not to last.
Setting a love story amongst the members of a cancer support group just screams of manipulative button pushing, but The Fault in Our Stars goes easy on the sappiness, instead injecting a rich vein of gallows humour into proceedings, that thankfully doesn't get in the way of the inevitable drama. The movie wastes no time in inserting us into the life of Hazel Lancaster (Shailene Woodley), a 16 year old cancer patient who is just waiting for her inevitable death. Through her interactions, and ever present narration, Woodley imbues Hazel with a delightful spikiness and cynical attitude that softens and washes away when she meets the in remission Augustus Waters (Ansel Elgort). These early scenes of their friendship becoming something more is the key to hooking you into The Fault in Our Stars, and unless you are a cold, emotionless robot, they should succeed. Despite some manufactured "quirkiness" from Augustus (he often has a cigarette in his mouth, but doesn't light it to show it has no power over him), the characters are likable, real and down to earth, even if events do push credibility some what, with Woodley stealing the show. She's a much different romantic heroine, and not because she spends the entire movie with a breathing tube attached to her face. My main gripe with the current slew of romance centric Young Adult adaptions, with Twilight chief amongst them, is that their leads are defined by their love. They don't have any other motivations, they don't talk about anything else, they don't feel real. Hazel, on the other hand, is a much different animal. There is a strength that shines through in Woodley's performance, that she doesn't need Augustus, but wants him in her life. Elgort has a nice line in cockiness that keeps him on the right side of annoying, but it's his dealing with the the tragedy that eclipses much of the third act, that the character comes into his own. The supporting players are also excellent, with Willem DeFoe as an alcoholic author the lead pair share an affinity for doing what Willem DeFoe does best, being a spiteful wretch, and lighting up the screen when he does so. Special mention also has to go to Laura Dern as Hazel's mother, who speaks volumes with one pained look, and Nat Wolff as Augustus' friend Isacc, whose own tragic story surprisingly provides some much needed laughs.
It does take a few missteps on its way to the finale, a soft rock infused montage here, a borderline soppy declaration of love there, but The Fault in Our Stars is a refreshing love story, one laced with tragedy, but that is still endlessly charming and touching.
It does take a few missteps on its way to the finale, a soft rock infused montage here, a borderline soppy declaration of love there, but The Fault in Our Stars is a refreshing love story, one laced with tragedy, but that is still endlessly charming and touching.
