“That’s the thing about pain, it demands to be felt.”
That quote speaks great volumes of truth not only about the storyline of the movie but how the viewer feels after watching this film. It is definitely one that pulls at the heart strings. Based off of John Green’s bestselling novel, "The Fault in Our Stars" is not the standard young adult movie. While it contains several elements of every girls favorite chick flick, such as a beautiful story of young love, it contains an element much deeper than most young adult movies ever venture. It introduces the idea of mortality and living with an illness. But not just any illness; Cancer.
Hazel Grace Lancaster is a 17-year-old girl who has great intelligence, abundant wit, and the constant companionship of an oxygen tank and cannula. Diagnosed at the young age of 13, the now 17-year-old Hazel Grace is currently living with a half working pair of lungs due to her stage four thyroid cancer that managed to form, as she says, “quite the impressive satellite colony” in her lungs. While in support group one day, she runs into a fellow cancer survivor who is more than determined to live an extraordinary life, and leave an even more extraordinary mark on this world. Augustus Waters, an 18-year-old former basketball prodigy who, due to his bout with osteosarcoma a few months back, travels around with the assistance of a prosthetic leg. And let us not forget his trusty cigarettes. “It's a metaphor, see: You put the killing thing right between your teeth, but you don't give it the power to do its killing.”
Augustus shows an impressive amount of interest in the oxygen tank carrying, "An Imperial Affliction" obsessed (a novel, written by Mr. Peter Van Houten, about a young girls life with cancer), and slightly socially awkward Hazel Grace Lancaster. Over the course of the movie, these two become each other’s everything. Augustus (Gus), and his charming ways bring out the adventure and excitement that Hazel so often hid. Lovingly known as “Hazel Grace” to Gus, the two go on adventure, after adventure with each other. Including a trip to Amsterdam, thanks to Augustus’ wish from the Make-a-Wish Genies, that allows Hazel to meet her favorite author, Mr. Peter Van Houten. While they both face major health struggles both before and after this amazing trip, their ever growing love still wins.
Let's be honest, despite the title, there are very few faults to be found in this movie. I think the biggest problem, other than the ending, is that Augustus Waters rose the expectation bar for guys.
I mean, have you seen the way he looks at Hazel Grace?
Or the way he said this?
Ultimately, I think this speaks such truth. OK?
Even though this movie is a roller coaster of emotions, it has managed to become my number one favorite. After all...
