For such a popular teen book, Stephen Chbosky‘s The Perks of Being a Wallflower has taken its sweet time to be adapted to film. The trailer’s just been released for this tale of Charlie, a troubled loner whose life is happily upended when he makes some new pals at school. The trailer’s a fun watch, but will the film be able to distinguish itself from the masses of coming-of-age movies we see every year?
The novel was published in 1999 and is something of a Young Adult classic, beloved by many and well regarded by the rest. I’m sure fans of the book would be pleased that the film’s written and directed by Chbosky himself, but I’m not entirely sure novelists make the best screenwriters. See what you think of the trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dY5EbgJTvI
How about that Emma Watson! She’s sure got screen presence, and quite the adopted American accent as well. I like the upbeat vibe to this whole thing, but the trailer dances around the issues raised in the novel and fails to really show us anything new. While it seems a bit racier than most of the high school films we see in theatres, it still looks like the same good looking American teens, at the same parties, with the same problems (or lack of).
In saying that, the cast looks pretty solid and is sure to draw the crowds. Logan Lerman stars as wallflower Charlie, with Ezra Miller (We Need to Talk about Kevin) and Emma Watson (The Harry Potter Series) playing Charlie’s new pals Patrick and Sam. Paul Rudd (I Love You Man), Nina Dobrev (The Vampire Diaries) and Mae Whitman (Arrested Development …her?) also feature in the film.
Have you read the book? Loved the book? Any special thoughts on the adaptation?
Directed by Stephen Chbosky, the film stars Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Logan Lerman, Mae Whitman, Nina Dobrev, Paul Rudd, Kate Walsh and Dylan McDermott.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is expected to open on in the U.S on September 14 — with no NZ release date available just yet.
