The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

An introvert freshman is taken under the wings of two seniors who welcome him to the real world.

Director:

Stephen Chbosky

Writers:

Stephen Chbosky (screenplay), Stephen Chbosky (book)

Stars:

Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller

Top 250 #238 | 10 wins & 23 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Logan Lerman	...	Charlie
Dylan McDermott	...	Father
Kate Walsh	...	Mother
Patrick de Ledebur	...	Senior Bully
Johnny Simmons	...	Brad
Brian Balzerini	...	Linebacker
Tom Kruszewski	...	Nose Tackle
Nina Dobrev	...	Candace
Nicholas Braun	...	Ponytail Derek
Julia Garner	...	Susan
Ezra Miller	...	Patrick
Tom Savini	...	Mr. Callahan
Emily Marie Callaway	...	Mean Freshman Girl (as Emily Callaway)
Paul Rudd	...	Mr. Anderson
Chelsea T. Zhang	...	Shakespeare Girl (as Chelsea Zhang)

Storyline

Based on the novel written by Stephen Chbosky, this is about 15-year-old Charlie (Logan Lerman), an endearing and naive outsider, coping with first love (Emma Watson), the suicide of his best friend, and his own mental illness while struggling to find a group of people with whom he belongs. The introvert freshman is taken under the wings of two seniors, Sam and Patrick, who welcome him to the real world.

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Plot Keywords:

Friend | Freshman | Suicide | Teacher | Gay | 

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Taglines:

We are infinite.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 on appeal for mature thematic material, drug and alcohol use, sexual content including references, and a fight - all involving teens

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Facebook (German)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 October 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

Las ventajas de ser invisible

Filming Locations:

The Hollywood Theater Dormont, Pittsburgh PA

Box Office

Budget:

$13,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$228,359 (USA) (21 September 2012)

Gross:

$17,738,570 (USA) (1 February 2013)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Summit Entertainment, Mr. Mudd

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Datasat

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Unlike in the film, the name of Charlie's sister is never mentioned in the novel.

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Goofs

When Sam is preparing the milk shake for Charlie, the ice cream scoopfuls inside the blender change shapes from shot to shot.

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Quotes

Charlie: You're not small, you're beautiful.

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Connections

Featured in Chelsea Lately: Episode #6.136 (2012)
A clip of the movie featuring guest Kate Walsh is shown.

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Soundtracks

"Seasick, Yet Still Docked"
Written by Morrissey (as Steven Morrissey) and Alain Whyte
Performed by Morrissey
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Records Inc.
By arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing and EMI Records Ltd.

User Reviews

We are infinite

Greetings again from the darkness. Brace for gushing. Last evening I attended a screening that included a fascinating Q&A with writer/director Stephen Chbosky. It reminded me of how personal and intimate and observant and incisive a well-made film can be. A well written script is so refreshing, and an exceptional script can be truly breath-taking. Mr. Chbosky takes the unusual step of directing his own screenplay based on his own novel (a 1999 bestseller), and he left me stunned and enthralled.

The popularity of the novel would typically make the film version a disappointment for its fans. Not so this time. Mr. Chbosky remains true to the spirit despite the need to edit for the sake of continuity and brevity. The key characters spring to life thanks to the efforts of four strong performances from young actors: Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson, The Three Muskateers) plays Charlie, Emma Watson (Harry Potter films) is Sam, Ezra Miller (We Need to Talk About Kevin, City Island) is Patrick, and Mae Whitman (Arrested Development) is Mary Elizabeth.

If you have read the book, you know the story ... you know the characters ... you know the themes. If you haven't read the book, I will spoil nothing. The brilliance is recognized only as you get to know these characters and slowly uncover their stories. What we discover is that, regardless of our age, we recognize these characters from our high school days. We know the introverted, observant Charlie who so desperately needs a support system. We surely recognize the attention-starved, lacking in self-esteem Sam who is the epitome of "We accept the love we think we deserve". And we all knew a Patrick ... the flamboyant one who sheaths his pain with an over-the-top act of public confidence. What Chbosky does is shine the spotlight on these characters to ensure that we really SEE them this time.

The themes reminded me a bit of a darker John Hughes film (that's a compliment). There were also pieces of two other really good films: Stand By Me and Almost Famous. The formative years of a writer determine the depths to which his or her work will reach later in life. Admittedly, the film is substantially autobiographical, so when Mr. Chbosky says it's a personal story, we begin to understand the foundation of his remarkable writing style.

"Welcome to the island of misfit toys." When this line is spoken, we realize that most every high school kid has thought the same thing at some point. These are painful and difficult times and as Mr. Chbosky stated, we should encourage kids to fight through this stage and get on to the next ... then able to find their true self. Clearly, the film made a strong impact on me. My favorite reaction to a movie is profound thought, and this one caused this in waves. The decision to release as PG-13 was wise. There is no excess of profanity or nudity to divert attention from what really matters ... the characters. I can think of no finer compliment to a writer and filmmaker than to cite them as the cause of my internal discussions related to their film. My hope is that you have the same reaction. (http://moviereviewsfromthedark.wordpress.com/)