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It should be agonizing, this tale of doomed love between cancer-stricken teens. It should be passionate, engrossing, suspenseful, something—even unabashed melodrama would have been appropriate, given the subject matter.

Instead, the film version of the best-selling novel "The Fault in Our Stars" feels emotionally inert, despite its many moments that are meant to put a lump in our throats. Perhaps it’s trying so hard to bludgeon us over the head and make us feel deeply that the result is numbing instead. There’s something just off about it for the vast majority of the time—an awkwardness to the staging, framing and pacing in director Josh Boone ’s adaptation of author John Green ’s tear-jerking, young adult phenomenon, and a need to spell everything out.

So much of what worked on the page—and made Green’s writing so lively and engaging—gets lost in translation and feels uncomfortably precocious when actual people actually say his words out loud. (Screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber , who also wrote the romantic charmers " (500) Days of Summer " and " The Spectacular Now ," remained very faithful to the book, which should make the core tween/teen fan base happy. Okay? Okay.)

There’s a specificity to Green’s language; his characters are hyper-verbal, self-aware and fiercely biting in the tradition of " Heathers " and " Clueless ." They know all too well that pop culture depicts cancer—especially young people with cancer—in a mawkish manner that they refuse to accept as they regard their own conditions. But while the flip, jaunty verbosity they use as a shield produces some pleasingly acerbic humor, it often feels forced and false in this setting.

Still, Shailene Woodley ’s abiding, disarming naturalism consistently keeps you engaged. She just doesn’t hit a false note. Following winning turns in the indie dramas " The Descendants " and "The Spectacular Now," and the blockbuster " Divergent ," Woodley continues to cement her accessible and likable on-screen persona. Her work is so strong, it makes you wish she had a better performance to play off of to create the sparky chemistry at the heart of this story.

Woodley stars as Hazel Grace Lancaster, a 16-year-old Indianapolis girl who’s diagnosed with cancer at 13. It weakens her lungs, forcing her to drag an oxygen tank behind her wherever she goes and to stop to rest after climbing a flight of stairs. While her situation looked bleak a few years ago, participation in a new drug trial has prolonged her life for an indefinite amount of time. Her parents ( Laura Dern and Sam Trammell , with whom she shares some lovely, honest moments) try not to hover over their daughter as she attempts to maintain some vague semblance of teenage life, and they even share her fondness for using dark humor to defuse difficult moments.

Mom insists that Hazel attends weekly cancer support group meetings (where comedian Mike Birbiglia is the amusingly earnest leader). There, she meets the handsome and equally loquacious Augustus Waters ( Ansel Elgort , who coincidentally played Woodley’s brother earlier this year in "Divergent"). A former high school basketball star, Augustus lost his right leg below the knee to the disease and now walks with a prosthetic. In Hazel, he immediately recognizes a kindred spirit: a quick-witted smart-ass who can’t take any of the feel-good platitudes seriously.

While Woodley navigates the complexity of Green’s dialogue with ease, Elgort seems stiff and uncomfortable by comparison. His character is meant to be a bit pompous and formal in the beginning but instead comes off as nervous, and even seems to be rushing or slurring his lines at times. Elgort is boyishly handsome (in a way that’s distractingly reminiscent of " Love Story "-era Ryan O’Neal, actually) but never quite radiates the charisma required to keep up with Woodley. Their pairing feels like a missed opportunity.

Hazel and Augustus’ shared love of reading inspires a trip to Amsterdam to seek out the reclusive writer of Hazel’s favorite novel, the fictitious "An Imperial Affliction," which also happens to be about a young woman living with cancer. Willem Dafoe brings a jolt of creepiness to the role of the alcohol-addled author, a rare sensation in a film that too often feels tidy. Their visit also sets the stage for the oddest scene of all (in both the book and the film) when Hazel and Augustus share their first kiss before an applauding crowd of tourists in the attic of Anne Frank’s house. Yeesh.

Yet we know this bliss can’t last. And so "The Fault in Our Stars" descends into major hanky territory with an overpowering assist from a nearly omnipresent soundtrack of wistful alt-rock tunes that tell us what to feel, and when, and how much. (I will happily admit to having tears stream down my face during the third act of Green’s book but, alas, did not get choked up here.)

Theoretically, these iconoclasts wouldn’t want their story to be told in such obvious and heavy-handed fashion. To borrow their favorite line from Hazel’s favorite book: "Pain demands to be felt."

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series "Ebert Presents At the Movies" opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

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Film Credits

The Fault in Our Stars (2014)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, some sexuality and brief strong language

125 minutes

Shailene Woodley as Hazel Grace Lancaster

Ansel Elgort as Augustus Waters

Nat Wolff as Isaac

Laura Dern as Mrs. Lancaster

Sam Trammell as Mr. Lancaster

Willem Dafoe as Peter Van Houten

Scott Neustadter
Michael H. Weber

Cinematography

Ben Richardson

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The fault in our stars, common sense media reviewers.

Heartbreaking love story is a must-see for fans of the book.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

The movie, like the book, has important messages a

In many YA/teen stories, the parents are portrayed

The way that cancer physically and emotionally aff

There's one love scene, and it's more emot

One use of "f--k," plus a couple of uses

Brands shown or featured include Apple (iPhone, Ma

Gus has a habit of putting an unlit cigarette in h

Positive Messages

The movie, like the book, has important messages about the purpose of life: what it means to make your mark in the world and to be loved and remembered, how love can feel infinite even in a finite number of days, and how what afflicts you isn't what defines you. Most of the messages are about life, love, and relationships -- as well as literature and what it means to feel connected to the books we read. Gus' motto that you can't keep yourself from getting hurt -- but you can choose wisely about who you allow to hurt you -- is a powerful one.

Positive Role Models

In many YA/teen stories, the parents are portrayed as insensitive or even antagonistic, but Hazel's mom and dad are amazing: supportive, loving, and understanding of her needing time and space to be with Augustus. Hazel and Gus don't let their cancer keep them away from each other, and Gus especially feels strongly about surrounding himself with beauty and joy, particularly Hazel.

Violence & Scariness

The way that cancer physically and emotionally affects the teen characters is likely to disturb and upset viewers. A key character's death devastates other characters (as well as the audience). Characters egg another character's car.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

There's one love scene, and it's more emotional than physical in its depiction and doesn't feel gratuitous. It takes place between two teens who are both virgins, and this is their one and only time making love. The girl has her top off, but you just see her back and the boy's chest. Afterward they're shown sleeping in each other's arms. Also a few passionate kisses.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

One use of "f--k," plus a couple of uses of "s--tty," "a--hole," "douchepants," and "goddamn."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Brands shown or featured include Apple (iPhone, MacBook), Converse sneakers, Honda Accord, American Airlines, Barnes & Noble, Mercedes, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Super Mario Bros, and a Mitsubishi sports coupe.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Gus has a habit of putting an unlit cigarette in his mouth and letting it dangle there, since unlit it can do no harm (he says it's a metaphor). He goes around with the same cigarette pack for most of the movie. Gus and Hazel drink champagne together twice. Author Peter Van Houten is a drunk and is nearly always shown with a drink or a flask in his hand. Hazel teases her parents that she should be allowed to be a regular teen with a fake ID so she can drink and "take" pot.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Fault in Our Stars is a tear-jerking love story about two deep-thinking teens with cancer and is based on one of the most beloved young adult books in recent history , by superstar author John Green . Due to the subject matter, it should come as no surprise that the movie can get emotionally intense -- especially when there's a devastating death. The central relationship is beautiful and mature and does lead to a love scene, which is handled tastefully for teen audiences (a girl's naked back and boy's chest are seen). Language is rare but does include one use of "f--k," as well as words like "s--t" and "a--hole." The teen characters drink champagne together, and a key adult supporting character is a drunk who's nearly always sipping from something. Gus also frequently puts unlit cigarettes in his mouth. As long as your teens are ready for all the feelings, sadness, and romance, this is a lovely film to watch with them, especially since Hazel's parents are portrayed so positively (they're supportive, loving, and understanding). To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Community Reviews

Parents say (38)
Kids say (238)

Based on 38 parent reviews

Way overrated

Mature but nothing most teenagers couldn’t handle, what's the story.

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS is about Hazel Grace Lancaster ( Shailene Woodley ), a 17-year-old book lover dealing with stage-four metastatic cancer that has spread to her lungs, requiring her to wear a cannula and carry around an oxygen cannister. Her worried but supportive parents ( Laura Dern , Sam Trammell ) encourage her to attend a local support group for teens with cancer; it's there that she meets Augustus Waters ( Ansel Elgort ), who can't keep his eyes off her. After group, a clearly interested Gus tells Hazel that she's beautiful and invites her to hang out with him and his best friend, Isaac ( Nat Wolff ). Hazel is attracted to Gus but is hesitant to start a relationship when she knows she's dying. Ever persistent, Gus sweeps Hazel off her feet when he gives up his one "cancer wish" to make her dream come true: traveling to Amsterdam to meet her favorite author.

Is It Any Good?

While The Fault in Our Stars isn't a word-for-word translation (nor should it be), it's an adaptation that does Green, Hazel, and Augustus justice. Anyone who's ever loved a book knows the hesitance and wariness that mingle with excitement when a beloved novel is turned into a big-screen production. There's a sense of panic that the director, screenwriter, and cast won't capture everything you love about the words and characters the author created. But fans of the book needn't worry. Woodley, a Golden Globe nominee and veteran of YA adaptations ( Divergent , The Spectacular Now ), delivers a gentle, wickedly smart Hazel, who feels like a grenade about to go off but eventually realizes that she does deserve to be loved by Gus, even if their future is uncertain.

But as lovely as Woodley is as Hazel, the movie belongs to newcomer Elgort (who co-starred as Woodley's brother in Divergent ), who has the tough job of being solicitous, sexy, smart, and sensitive all at the same time. He manages to pull it off beautifully, never letting the character spin out of control or seem false. The supporting characters also deliver laudable performances: Wolff as Gus' blind best friend, and Dern and Trammell as one of the most loving set of parents ever depicted on page or screen. Viewers will experience the wonder of falling in love but also the pain of knowing that someone you adore is dying. Still, to quote Hazel's favorite book, "pain demands to be felt." And feel it you will, which is more than okay.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about whether The Fault in Our Stars is a successful adaptation. What changes did the filmmakers make, and you do you understand why they made them? What parts of the movie captured the book best, and what parts of the book did you miss not seeing in the movie?

Do you prefer adaptations based on realistic fiction or based on genre fiction, like dystopian/paranormal stories? Why do you think there are so many YA adaptations in the works?

What do you think the author and filmmaker are trying to say about literature and our relationship to books? Do books and movies need a happy ending to make them good or worthwhile? What are some other tales that don't end as you expected but are still among your favorite movies or books?

How does the movie depict sex ? How is it different here from how it's often portrayed in other teen movies/books? Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding sex and relationships.

Movie Details

In theaters : June 6, 2014
On DVD or streaming : September 16, 2014
Cast : Shailene Woodley , Ansel Elgort , Willem Dafoe
Director : Josh Boone
Inclusion Information : Female actors
Studio : Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Genre : Romance
Topics : Book Characters
Run time : 125 minutes
MPAA rating : PG-13
MPAA explanation : thematic elements, some sexuality and brief strong language
Last updated : February 22, 2024

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Entertainment
REVIEW: <I>The Fault in Our Stars</i> Earns Its Big Fat Tears

REVIEW: The Fault in Our Stars Earns Its Big Fat Tears

H azel Grace Lancaster (Shailene Woodley) and Augustus Waters (Ansel Elgort) don’t have absolutely everything in common. For example, her favorite book is the death-drenched An Imperial Affliction , by the mysterious Peter van Houten. His favorite: the novelization of a video game he loves, Insurgent 2 . She’s deep and depressed, he’s all blithe bonhomie.

But both are cancer teens. Augustus, the former basketball prodigy, lost a leg to osteosarcoma; Hazel, with what started as thyroid cancer and has since spread geometrically, lugs around an apparatus the size of a fire extinguisher to pump air into her dilapidated lungs. And if their choice in literature differs, they are together as the heroes of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars , the YA best-seller that is now a pretty fine movie.

(READ: Lev Grossman on John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars )

An adolescent take on the old film weepie Love Story (“What can you say about a twenty-five year old girl who died?”), Green’s book managed to be both bitingly sarcastic and unashamedly uplifting. Having lived with cancer for half of her 16 years, Hazel has developed an emotional auto-immune system: mockery. She greets anyone in authority — her parents, her doctors, the guy who runs the group-therapy session at a local church — with an eyebrow raised in cynical judgment. She has fully earned the attitude held by many teens: that they’re on a desperate adventure adults simply can’t understand. That adage is true for Hazel, who is likely to die before she can legally buy a beer.

Her doctor has advised doubling her meds, but the true antidote is a strong dose of luh-uv. And Augustus is the sweetest Dr. Feelgood. His seeming ease with his prosthesis, and with what doctors tell him is an 85% chance of beating the disease, complements her dour belief: “Depression is not a side effect of cancer. Depression is a side effect of dying.” His Candide and her Cassandra are the perfect match. And what is drama — all drama, really — but the story of beautiful people with horrible problems?

(SEE: A clip from The Fault in Our Stars )

Hazel’s and Augustus’s mutually ticking Doomsday clocks compel them to pack the luster of a lifetime — a first love, a trip to Europe, a meeting with Hazel’s favorite author, a last love — into what may be their only summer. Skeptical Hazel comes alive at the innocent touch of Augustus, whose charm is as urgent as it is benign. He’s like a pop record that has just three minutes to raise your spirits or break your heart. For Hazel, Augustus does both.

They may weave the same magic on moviegoers, so smartly does the film enfold this loving couple in the cocoon of evanescent intimacy. In the screenplay by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber — whose scripts for (50o) Days of Summer and The Spectacular Now also apotheosized the angst and ecstasy of young love — Hazel and Augustus are all either of them needs. The movie gives them exactly one friend, Isaac (Nat Wolff), for misanthropic commit relief, and cannily excludes Hazel’s parents (Laura Dern and Sam Trammell) from the best parts of her luscious, endangered world. Though they have become expert at fretful optimism and pre-grieving, the parents can be chaperones but not confidants. And they must be denied access to their daughter’s tree house of love.

(READ: Corliss’s review of (500) Days of Summer )

Movies about adolescence as a secret garden, where only misfits fit, bloomed in the 1960s, beginning with David and Lisa : Keir Dullea as the boy who won’t let people touch him, and Janet Margolin as the girl with dissociative identity disorder. Otto Preminger’s Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon turned the duo into a trio: a literally and emotionally scarred young woman Liza Minnelli), an epileptic (Robert Moore) and a gay paraplegic (Ken Howard). Love Story , in 1970, streamlined these mental and physical disabilities into the plot wallop of leukemia, which befalls poor girl Ali MacGraw as her rich young husband Ryan O’Neal sobs and endures. All these decades later, The Fault in Our Stars sets the most toxic misery among the most adorable company.

Fault has a few. A meeting in New Amsterdam with Hazel’s favorite author (Willem Dafoe) seems a bilious detour with an improbable payoff. The trip also affords the filmmakers an egregious scene in the Anne Frank House, where a Jewish girl’s descent into the Holocaust is straight-facedly compared to a teen’s cancer. No, we have to say; they’re different. To paraphrase Hazel’s maxim on infinities: some atrocities are bigger than other atrocities.

(READ: Roger Rosenblatt on Anne Frank, one of TIME’s 100 People of the 20th Century )

Yet Hazel and Augustus will live in film lore because of the young actors who play them. Woodley, who graduated from supporting roles (George Clooney’s rebellious daughter in The Descendants ) and indie leads (the bo0kworm in The Spectacular Now ) to her own YA movie franchise ( Divergent ), has the gift of acting internally: she makes you watch her watch something, lets you read the mind of her character like a good book. Often photographed in dermatological closeup, Woodley’s face is its own engrossing movie — an autumnal symphony of darker and lighter browns. She makes Hazel the ideal narrator and receptive audience to Augustus’ agreeable showmanship.

Elgort, who can also be seen as Woodley’s brother in the Divergent films, has a natural screen appeal and suave chemistry with Woodley. He could almost make smitten girls in the audience think it would be worth getting cancer to meet such a paragon. And though you know that Fault , like Love Story , is bound to have a body count, the symbiosis of these stars is so strong, you’ll wish there could be a sequel.

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The Fault in Our Stars Review

Cry-vergent..

The natural Shailene Woodley and a handful of solid supporting performances can't keep The Fault in Our Stars from succumbing to the toxic effects of sap.

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‘the fault in our stars’: film review.

Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort star in Josh Boone's adaptation of John Green's best-selling young adult novel.

By Justin Lowe

Justin Lowe

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The Fault in Our Stars Woodley Elgort Walking - H 2014

With interest in adapting John Green’s fourth novel running high even before its 2012 debut atop The New York Times best-seller list, Twilight producers Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen managed to snatch up the film rights to the hugely popular narrative, which may have been a bit of a “be careful what you wish for” moment. With the book’s millions of adoring fans eagerly anticipating the movie’s release, a distinct risk of blow-back was practically built in to the project.

Fortunately, director Josh Boone and his filmmaking team appear to have minimized the downside, in part by casting fast-rising star Shailene Woodley in the lead, along with her Divergent franchise co-star Ansel Elgort . Both are likely to be strong selling points with the film’s youth-skewing target audience, which is being further softened up by a robust marketing campaign and Green’s own substantial social media presence. With the onset of summer vacation and few similar distractions in theaters at the outset, The Fault in Our Stars should perform strongly out of the gate, with the potential to show significant staying power in the weeks following.

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Cancer is usually treated as a battle. Words like "fight" and "survive" are used. We use these violent words because cancer causes pain and death. Words like "humor" and "love" rarely enter the conversation unless they're provided in the most mawkish context. These words want to turn a blind eye to suffering and instead dance around in sunshine and rainbows while tumors metastasize and organs fail. Josh Boone 's The Fault in Our Stars attempts to embrace the positive by smirking right back at cancer. It turns cancer into a club where only members know how to truly live, and that life on the inside has a unique set of values. Although the movie can sometimes get lost in its fluffy fatalism, The Fault in Our Stars still manages to tug at the heartstrings thanks largely to the mature, charming, shining performances from it lead actors.

Hazel ( Shailene Woodley ) is a terminal cancer patient who reluctantly attends a cancer survivors' support group. There she meets the incredibly charming, confident, and handsome Augustus "Gus" Waters ( Ansel Elgort ), whose cancer is in remission after having his leg amputated the year before. He quickly sweeps Hazel off her feet, and the two teenagers bond over understanding the cancer community, the near-brushes with death, and a unique perspective on the absurdity of life. As their romance grows, Hazel must grapple with her feelings for Augustus and her fears about how her death might affect the loved ones she leaves behind.

the-fault-in-our-stars-shailene-woodley-ansel-elgort

Boone quickly establishes his film as a rejection of sappy cancer stories by having Hazel's opening narration call out these kinds of movies, and then launch into the reality of life as a young person with cancer. But the real opening salvo comes when we meet the support group's leader, Patrick ( Mike Birbiglia ), a well-meaning buffoon who tries to put a happy, sing-song tune on having cancer. It's a sign that it's okay to laugh in a movie where young people are slowly dying, and that there is appropriate comedy other than gallows humor.

But The Fault in Our Stars never wants to be cynical, and that's where Gus comes in. Gus is, in some senses, a "Manic Pixie Dream Boy", a dreamboat who can confidently tell a girl he just met that he's using a metaphor when he holds an unlit cigarette between his lips because it doesn't have the power to kill him unless he lights it. It's either one step shy or one step beyond telling someone to marvel at your forced affectation. Gus also always knows the right thing to say, he's rarely vulnerable, and his whole purpose is to get Hazel to come out of her shell and realize the value of life no matter how short it may be.

But dammit, Elgort is too damn charming. In John Green 's novel, Gus' charm is met by Hazel's wariness. The book is from her point of view, so her inner resistance counterbalances his outer whimsy. In the movie, Hazel's narration is limited, and so we're given no choice but to completely give into Gus' personality. We have to fall for Gus like Hazel does and Elgort makes it easy. His comic timing is excellent, his smile is so easy, and there's just enough of an "Aw, shucks" attitude to temper the character's precociousness.

He also has a perfect partner in the immensely talented Woodley. It would have been easy for Woodley to lapse into a retread of her character Aimee from The Spectacular Now —shy, sheltered girl who falls for an outgoing, confident guy. But Hazel, although she shares some of Aimee's circumstances, feels like a completely different person. She possesses the knowingness of someone who's had to grow up too fast because her life could be cut short. Her trepidation comes not from being sheltered as much as it comes from a constant reminder of her own mortality, symbolized by the oxygen container she drags around since her lungs are weak. Even though Woodley's 22-years-old, there's no actress better at playing real teenagers.

the-fault-in-our-stars-nat-wolff-shailene-woodley-ansel-elgort

And yet the movie always feels like it's skipping across the surface. Hazel tries to keep Gus grounded, but he ends up lifting her and us away from the reality that's necessary to keep The Fault in Our Stars from being a sappy melodrama. It's one thing to make audiences cry. Given the right formula, it's actually pretty easy. The hard part is earning those tears, and the movie is always a little too eager to drawn them out.

Hazel's concerned with the people she'll be leave behind when she dies. It's why she's obsessed with finding out what happened to the characters of her favorite book, An Imperial Affliction . But the movie would rather keep an eye on impending death because where there's love and cancer, the grave isn't too far away. Again, it's a formula, and while The Fault in Our Stars can play that formula well, it does so at the expense of emotional complexities. The story is willing to acknowledge the unglamorous parts of a doomed-love story, but never fully embrace them.

the-fault-in-our-stars-ansel-elgort-shailene-woodley

Instead, the movie will occasionally get up in the grand gestures at the cost of reality. In one terribly ill-conceived scene, the story attempts to be life-affirming as Hazel and Gus kiss inside the Anne Frank's house. I can understand the rationale behind the scene: Anne Frank died young and so two young people in love shouldn't waste a moment expressing that love. But it's a bit much to do it inside a solemn location like Anne Frank's house. That's about one step away from making out in a Holocaust museum. The scene becomes even more jarring when the other visitors applaud the young couple's public display of affection.

The Fault in Our Stars doesn't want to romanticize cancer, but it does have a tendency to fall in love with romance. When Gus asks Hazel what her story is and she begins to launch into an explanation about her diagnosis, he stops her and says, "Not your 'cancer story'. Your real story." The movie feints at truthfulness even though it occasionally flirts with becoming painfully twee. It wants to paint these two teenagers as real people, but the only real one is Hazel. The other is a dream, but the combination works. One side is grounded and the other uplifting, and while it may not fully embrace the truthfulness Hazel claims at the beginning, it weighs enough to put a lump in our throats.

Shailene Woodley

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DVD & Streaming

The Fault in Our Stars

Comedy , Drama , Romance

Content Caution

In Theaters

June 6, 2014
Shailene Woodley as Hazel Grace Lancaster; Ansel Elgort as Augustus Waters; Nat Wolff as Isaac; Laura Dern as Frannie Lancaster; Sam Trammell as Michael Lancaster; Willem Dafoe as Peter Van Houten; Lotte Verbeek as Lidewij

Home Release Date

September 16, 2014

Distributor

20th Century Fox

Movie Review

They called it a miracle.

It came when Hazel Grace was 13, as her young life was being devoured by cancer. Her parents and doctors watched helplessly as the girl—bald, bedridden, shackled by tubes—slipped slowly from them.

And then she rallied. Recovered a bit. She was put on an experimental drug that, to everyone’s surprise, worked. Hazel survived. And now, four years later, she’s still doing it.

But even miracles in this broken world aren’t always what we’d like them to be. Yes, Hazel is breathing, but weakly, painfully. She’s tethered to an oxygen tank, unable to last for more than a few seconds without it. Her world has grown small, almost claustrophobic. Sometimes she sits and stares at the old, ratty swing set her father built for her in happier times, remembering what it was like to swing and slide and run.

She cannot run now. She can barely climb stairs. She’s still dying, she believes. Just in slow motion.

Her parents think Hazel is depressed and send her to a cancer support group, hoping she’ll make some friends. And while Hazel hates the group, she does meet Augustus there. Gus knows something about cancer himself, having lost most of a leg to the disease not long ago. More importantly, he knows something about life and living. And when he asks to hear Hazel’s story, he doesn’t want to know about her cancer story, he wants to know about her personal one—what she loves and hates, what she hopes and fears.

So she blurts out her love for the book An Imperial Affliction —a story about cancer that ends in mid-sentence when the narrator, Anna, either dies or grows too sick to write. As a literary device, it works: Life often ends inconveniently with so much undone. Those with cancer know that better than most. But the ending’s left Hazel feeling unsettled, wondering, What happens to Anna’s mother? Her friends? What of the Tulip Man? Alas, there are no answers. The author, Peter Van Houten, is a recluse and never answers fan mail.

Gus, of course, refuses to accept defeat. He does a little sleuthing, finds the author and writes to him. Shockingly, the man writes back—insinuating that their answers await in Amsterdam.

It’s practically a miracle, almost as stunning as Hazel’s remission, a surprise too extraordinary to be believed. But the world is no less broken, Hazel no less sick. And sometimes even miracles aren’t what we’d like them to be.

Positive Elements

Death hangs over The Fault in Our Stars like the stars themselves, permeating every character and every interaction. And yet in the midst of mortality we see at least a sliver of something alive. Even in pain, hope can be found, we’re told. Even in disappointment, meaning comes.

Loving someone, truly, through severe sickness, isn’t easy. We see others fail under the pressure. But no matter what circumstances bring, Gus and Hazel care for each other throughout, often giving something of themselves in the process.

They’re both heroic characters in their own ways, facing disease and circumstance with as much grace and courage as they can muster. Hazel’s last few years have been something of a living sacrifice as she tries to cushion the blow of the inevitable pain that’s coming for her parents. Gus wants to live a life of meaning—one filled with adventure and importance, so that when he does go, he’s known and loved by millions.

There’s a little merit in both of those strategies. But when Gus and Hazel get together, they get a better sense of what the beauty of life is really about. Hazel moves beyond responsibility and finds joy in her difficult life. And when she learns that, should she die, her parents won’t die with her, that they’re making plans for a life without her, she treats it as the best of gifts: the idea that she won’t necessarily destroy everyone around her. And Gus, through Hazel, comes to understand that it’s not so critical to be loved by throngs, as long as you’ve loved by and have changed the lives of a few. Or even just one.

Hazel finds solace while visiting the house of Anne Frank, the diary-writing Jewish girl killed in the Nazi Holocaust. “Where there is hope, there is life,” we hear Anne’s words playing in the background. “Think of all the beauty in everything around you. And be happy.”

Unlike most teenage love stories, parents come across pretty well here. While Hazel and her folks have their moments of tension, there’s no question about how much they love one another.

Spiritual Elements

Hazel’s support group takes place in the basement of an Episcopal church and is led by a cancer survivor who’s a fervent—and, in Hazel’s eyes, goofy—Christian. He sings a song that includes the words, “Christ is your friend and He’ll be there to the end.” And he rolls out a carpet depicting the Savior, telling participants standing on it that they’re “literally in the heart of Jesus.” As the story proceeds, then, the idea of literally being in the heart of Jesus, when they’re literally in a church basement, is sometimes mocked.

Christianity is treated more reverentially during a funeral, wherein a priest reads Psalm 23 and people say a prayer. (Still, a much-loathed antagonist crashes the funeral and lets loose a quip about having to “fake pray.”)

Both Hazel and Gus think a lot about what might come after death. Gus fears oblivion in this life while hanging on to a belief in at least some sort of afterlife, saying he wants to crash his own funeral as a ghost. Hazel’s more cynical, telling Gus she doesn’t believe in angels but she may believe in God, and while she’d like to believe in an afterlife she’d need more proof first. Someone suggests that her life has no meaning and her disease is a “failed experiment in mutation.”

Sexual Content

Eighteen-year-old Gus and 17-year-old Hazel are attracted to each other from the beginning. And while Hazel tries to keep him at arm’s length for a while, their platonic relationship goes kablooey in Amsterdam. The two share a tender kiss in Anne Frank’s house. Then they tumble into Gus’ hotel room and have sex.

The scene shows Hazel and Gus taking off each other’s shirts, and she undoes her bra. (We see her from the back.) They caress and kiss as they give in to their passion. Afterwards, both are seen mostly naked, with the sheet covering only the most critical body parts. And it’s worth noting that much is made of Gus’ previously virginal “condition” … and that this union is seen as the perfect end to it. The couple cuddles and kisses elsewhere.

Gus’ friend Isaac makes out with his girlfriend in a parking lot, and we see him kneading her (clothed) breast. Later, Isaac, who has lost both eyes to cancer, comments on the size of another girl’s breasts. “I’m blind, but I’m not that blind,” he says.

We see Hazel’s mom wearing just a bath towel. Hazel cracks a joke about getting herpes.

Violent Content

Grief and anger cause Isaac to egg his ex’s house and car (with lots of help from Gus and Hazel), also to demolish (with permission) some of Gus’ sports trophies. Gus smashes a glass. Gus’ favorite book is based on his favorite video game—one filled, he admits (and we briefly see), with violence and blood.

Cancer is a violent disease, and we see its ravages here. Someone dies from it. When Isaac, Hazel and Gus are all together, Gus quips that they have four eyes, five legs and two-and-a-half working sets of lungs between them.

Crude or Profane Language

One very forceful f-word is used as a sexually derived insult. Also, a half-dozen s-words and a smattering of other bad words, including “a‑‑,” “b‑‑ch,” “b‑‑tard” and “h‑‑‑.” God’s name is used as an expletive about 30 times, twice paired with “d‑‑n.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

Gus clamps an unlit cigarette in his mouth as a metaphor—allowing the instrument of death to sit between his teeth, powerless. (We see him with it throughout the story.) He and Hazel are served champagne during a fancy dinner in Amsterdam (where it’s legal for 16-year-olds to drink “adult” beverages that contain less than 15% alcohol). Both teens are very enthusiastic about its taste, and Gus tells the waiter they’ll need a bit more of it. They pop open another bottle during a sad picnic back in the States.

It’s clear that a man Gus and Hazel meet is an alcoholic. He asks his assistant to bring him another drink before he’s even had breakfast, and he offers the kids Scotch. We see him regularly taking swigs from a flask.

Hazel jokes about getting a fake ID and “taking” pot.

Other Negative Elements

We’re asked to watch as someone is overcome with nausea.

“Apparently, the world is not a wish-granting factory,” Gus says sadly.

It’s a truth we all know. Even we Christians, whom the movie portrays as fairly naive, see that all too well. We wish it was. We want our happily ever after endings. But we know that happiness on earth is fickle and fleeting.

In The Fault in Our Stars (based on John Green’s best-selling young adult novel) we find, indeed, that the stars haven’t been especially kind to these two lovers. They don’t have the time we’d wish for them—time to get jobs and have kids, to grow up and grow old. They’ve been given a finite number of days together—and even those days are filled with the looming problems and anxiety that cancer inevitably brings. And whenever it seems like something wonderful might finally happen, it goes awry. Each star they cling to, including each other, has a fault inside—a scratch, a split.

But even given such faulty stars, the two find joy and fulfillment. They have each other. They’re loved. They live. Yes, maybe their days are built on borrowed time, but it’s better than no time, and Hazel confesses that she’s “grateful for our little infinity.”

“You don’t get to choose if you get hurt in this world,” Hazel says. “but you do get to choose who hurts you.” That’s a strangely powerful statement, I think.

Sadly, one fault Hazel and Gus share is that they don’t always make the wisest of choices. They sleep together. And they prefer to see themselves as pawns of the stars, not beloved by those stars’ Creator.

This isn’t an anti-Christian film, exactly—just spiritually uncertain. Nor is it saturated in sex or depravity. This isn’t a bad movie, really. In many ways, it’s quite good.

But here’s the thing: Because it is quite good—a persuasive, emotional story with strong, positive messages about sacrifice, hard truths and true love—the bad stuff can come off as more persuasive than usual. It’s harder to see a loving God yourself when the characters you grow to care about can’t, or won’t. It’s harder to object to premarital sex while weepily watching Hazel and Gus—teens who might never get the chance to ever have sex again—get so much pleasure and fulfillment from it.

The Fault in Our Stars is, I suppose, a little like its title. For all its sparkly power, it has scratches and splits. We know immediately when a movie like Noah drifts away from its moorings. But it’s hard to see a film with crystal-clear eyes when you’re always dabbing them with a Kleenex.

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

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10 star wars fan theories i desperately want to be true, the hunger games' new movie means a huge district 12 character can finally be introduced after 12 years, fans of the book as well as uninitiated moviegoers looking for a thought-provoking character piece will find plenty to enjoy and ponder in boone's latest film..

The Fault in Our Stars follows sixteen year-old Hazel Grace Lancaster (Shailene Woodley) who has fought thyroid cancer since she was thirteen. After the disease spreads to her lungs, Hazel entered an experimental study to help battle the cancer but, in spite of minor improvements to her overall comfort, she remains hooked to an oxygen tank, is easily tired, and, as a result, lives a hermitic life. Hazel fills her days with books, reality TV, and studying - until her mother (Laura Dern) pressures Hazel to join a support group for young cancer patients. Reluctant to cause her parents additional stress, Hazel agrees to attend the meetings.

The sessions are a chore - until she meets osteosarcoma survivor Augustus Waters (Ansel Elgort). Augustus is living cancer free, after doctors amputated his right leg, but attends the group in support of his best friend, Isaac (Nat Wolff), who is days away from an operation that will leave him blind. Following the meeting, Hazel and Augustus strike up a fast and flirty friendship but as Augustus encourages Hazel to break out of her shell, challenging her to live before it is too late, she is reminded of her biggest fear: she's a grenade, terminally ill, and when her day comes, she wants to protect everyone from the blast - even if it means holding someone she is growing to love at arm's length.

Shailene Woodley as Hazel Grace in 'The Fault in Our Stars'

The Fault in Our Stars film was adapted by writing partners Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber ( (500) Days of Summer ) from author John Green's 2012 young adult novel of the same name - with Josh Boone ( Stuck in Love ) sitting in the director's chair. Understandably, discerning moviegoers have become doubtful of young adult novel adaptations - following a string of hit or miss Hollywood cash grabs in the genre. That said, even though certain aspects of The Fault in Our Stars rely on teenage romance tropes, clever directing choices from Boone, challenging performances, and an uncompromising premise, elevate the final film far above its melodramatic contemporaries.

While the plot centers on a tale of star-crossed lovers, The Fault in Our Stars is in fact a surprisingly authentic and moving story of life in the shadow of death. Some viewers might be put-off by a story of teenage love but the narrative strives for much larger insight than simply following the ups and downs of a budding romance. From the opening moments, it's clear The Fault in Our Stars seeks to be a spotlight for the truth (both the victories and the horrors) of those who have been touched, either directly or indirectly, by cancer (among other illnesses). While Hazel laments that her life isn't normal, she provides the foundation for a more poignant tale of what it means to love and be loved.

Ansel Elgort as Augustus Waters in 'The Fault in Our Stars'

Following critical and commercial success in The Descendants and Divergent , respectively, Shailene Woodley offers her sharpest performance to date. Beyond the challenge of depicting terminal illness with responsibility and authenticity, Woodley proves she can make teenage drama credible - in a way that should resonate with all viewers, regardless of age. It's a brave performance, not because she's once again playing a beloved book character; because the message of the movie is important - especially for women and men on the verge of adulthood. For those touched by tragedy, the struggles of Hazel (as well as her friends) will hit close to home but her actions and outlook offer a unique perspective on illness and death - one that might even provide comfort to audience members that have struggled (or will struggle) with loss.

Of course, that perspective grows out of Hazel's encounters with Augustus and, after mostly understated roles in Carrie and Divergent , Ansel Elgort is a scene stealer in The Fault in Our Stars . The character offers a fun and exuberant juxtaposition to Hazel, often embodying the larger themes and messages of the film, without resorting to caricature or violating the movie's hard-hitting representation of life as a sick teenager. In the young adult genre, where young men are often presented as standoffish, muscly hunks, it's refreshing to see a male hero that expresses his love through thoughtful deeds - not fist fights and eye-rolling dialogue.

Nat Wolff as Isaac in 'The Fault in Our Stars'

A strong cast of supporting players join Woodley and Elgort, including film veterans Laura Dern and Sam Trammell as Hazel's parents, Mike Birbiglia playing the leader of Hazel's support group, as well as Willem Dafoe in the role of reclusive author, Peter van Houten. While everyone in the cast turns in a quality performance, Nat Wolff ( Admission ) is particularly charming as Augustus and Hazel's friend, Isaac, a character that weaves in and out of the main storyline but adds an extra layer of insight, and comedic relief, to The Fault in Our Stars .

Skeptics might scoff at its young adult-centric romance but The Fault in Our Stars has the potential to touch moviegoers both young and old - especially those that have battled sickness or cared for a dying loved one. Fans of the book as well as uninitiated moviegoers looking for a thought-provoking character piece will find plenty to enjoy and ponder in Boone's latest film. The Fault in Our Stars succeeds a heartfelt drama, where a pair of teenage protagonists set the stage for an ageless (and uplifting) message about human life - highlighting both its frailty and beauty.

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The Fault in Our Stars runs 125 minutes and is Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, some sexuality and brief strong language. Now playing in theaters.

Let us know what you thought of the film in the comment section below.

Follow me on Twitter @ benkendrick for future reviews, as well as movie, TV, and gaming news.

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Movie Reviews
4 star movies

The Fault in Our Stars

By Peter Travers

Peter Travers

A crappy cancer movie from a crappy cancer book. Be honest – that’s what you’re thinking. Prejudging is easy when it comes to The Fault in Our Stars , the movie version of John Green’s 2012 young-adult bestseller about a present-day Romeo and Juliet, both starcrossed by the Big C.

It turns out The Fault in Our Stars isn’t total crap on the page or on the screen. Green made the wise choice to be funny in telling his sad story. And the film, directed by Josh Boone from a wittily nuanced script by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, of (500) Days of Summer , follows suit.

It’s a fresh, lively love story, brimming with humor and heartbreak, and lifted to the heights by Shailene Woodley, 22, a sublime actress with a résumé, from The Descendants to Divergent , that pretty much proves she’s incapable of making a false move on camera.

Woodley plays Hazel Grace Lancaster, a 16-year-old whose thyroid cancer forces her to wear tubes in her nose and drag around an oxygen tank. As a look, it sucks. And Hazel knows it. Plus, she has a mouth on her.

What makes Hazel puke more than chemo is her cancer support group. That is, until she meets Augustus Waters (Ansel Elgort, wonderful), a full-on charmer who is in remission since his osteosarcoma necessitated that one of his legs be removed from the kneedown. Gus is in group to support his buddy Isaac, played by Nat Wolff, so fine in Palo Alto and equally outstanding here. Isaac has lost one eye to cancer, with the other likely to go.

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Depressing? You’d think. But the actors, under Boone’s astute direction, never hit the pedal on self-pity. Hazel tells Gus her literary obsession is An Imperial Affliction , by Peter Van Houten (Willem Dafoe, superb), a recluse who ended his novel in midsentence and high-tailed it to Amsterdam. Hazel is consumed with finding Van Houten. So off she goes to Amsterdam, with her clumsy breathing apparatus, her mother (Laura Dern) and loyal Gus. Hard truths are learned. On a visit to Anne Frank’s attic, Hazel and Gus share a kiss.

Hold on. It only sounds awful. Woodley and Elgort, siblings in Divergent , are way cool as lovers, putting a hip, hotblooded spin on what could be maudlin mush. They find the tale’s comic spirit without losing its tragic fervor. Say what you will about the faults in Fault . It gets to you.

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Review: The Fault in Our Stars Is Beautiful, Imperfect, and Completely Worthwhile

I held out a spectacularly long time. I would like that known. Tears did not leave my eyes until the film’s third and final act. This is not to shame those for whom the tears came sooner; for many the weeping was but a foregone conclusion. For some they never came at all. For others they were entirely the point.

But I’d just like it known.

A lot of what’s being written about The Fault in Our Stars right now can be (reductively) summed up as mass exclamations of “Pain! Glorious pain!” But the movie itself, for all its reputation, seems more committed to the story it’s telling than to whether or not you’re sobbing in your seat. There’s something cathartic about weeping through a theatrical experience, yes—but there’s nothing glorious about bearing witness to the bubbling over of a kid’s self-loathing over not being able to not be sick, or in watching saliva and vomit drip from their sobbing mouth, reminding us that dying is not about dignity, or beauty, or glory.

That is not to say, though, that The Fault in Our Stars is not interested in beauty; the film is endowed with the same lush colors director Josh Boone used in his debut film Stuck on Love . Does the richness distract from the harsh realities of the illnesses the film’s leads—Hazel Grace Lancaster ( Shailene Woodley ) and fellow cancer kid Augustus Waters ( Ansel Elgort )—live with every day? It’s possible. But the film also demonstrates a faithfulness to the depiction of these kids and their “situation,” and that comes through loud and clear even as Woodley and Elgort’s skin glistens a little too beautifully.

It makes sense that this film lives and dies (no pun intended, I promise) on the ease with which Woodley and Elgort fall into their characters and, as the story progresses, into each other. Elgort flourishes in the latter objective, engaging from the get go. Some will undoubtedly be put off by the sheer force with which his charm comes at you, but that’s always been a danger with the character of Augustus Waters. He’s at his best, then, when he’s letting it come naturally: In his back-and-forth with Woodley’s Hazel, and in the moments (a scene on a plane comes to mind) where Elgort made clear the direct throughline between Augustus Waters and TFiOS author John Green . When it comes to the mannerisms it’s unlikely to be readily apparent to anyone who hasn’t watched hours of Vlogbrothers videos or otherwise interacted with Green, but Green’s energy is everywhere in this film, from the dialogue pulled straight from the book (the vast majority of the novel’s most beloved lines stay in-tact, including most of Gus’ sweetly pretentious monologues), to the philosophical questions that haunt Gus. For the hoards of nerdfighters to whom this movie is more than just the latest teen flick to hit the theaters, those are things that mean a lot. I’m grateful to screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber ( The Spectacular Now ), as well as to Boone, for how clearly their affection for the source material shines through.

There has been a lot of rumbling around the Internets regarding the debatable appropriateness of the part in the story that has Hazel and Augustus swept up in kisses in the Anne Frank House. I’m not here to be the definitive voice on whether or not that was “okay,” but I will say this: The message comes through clear and strong as we watch Hazel struggle to make way through that building. In one particularly powerful shot she pauses, hunched over, struggling for breath, in front of a particular excerpt of Frank’s words:

“I long to ride a bike, dance, whistle, look at the world, feel young and know that I’m free.”

It’s that shot to me—not her kiss with Gus—that is the crux of that scene. Maybe it’s even the crux of the film.

One of this film’s most powerful elements has always been that at its center it is a story about a girl with a visible disability. Hazel Grace Lancaster is not Anne Frank, and the Holocaust and cancer are not the same thing. For many it will be regarded a clumsy move, and I get that. But, like many things throughout this narrative—cigarettes, an art installation of bones, an old swing set, a drawing of a pipe—it’s a symbol, not the thing itself. It’s also worth noting that this is the first ever film that’s been allowed to film in the Anne Frank House: The people who run it have never allowed as much of the actual house to be used before, and they made an exception because they felt this story treated it respectfully. They, too, are not the definitive answerers to what’s right and what’s not, but it’s a decision that speaks to what this story means to some people. And when my mind wanders back to this movie in the coming weeks, it won’t be that kiss that I’ll be remembering; it’ll be that shot, and Frank’s words, and the way those things drive home that the fault is in our stars, contrary to what Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar says.

As with any narrative propelled entirely by emotion, a lot rode on the performances in this movie. And, by and large, they were great. Nat Wolff , who will be starring in the next Green adaptation Paper Towns , gave a performance that did exactly what a supporting role’s supposed to do: He added color, and context, and humor, at once filling out Isaac as his own whole human while still leaving room for the story to be about the kids who are actually dying. Isaac’s sick, and that’s important and unfair, but this is still by-and-large a story about death. Which is why it was crucial, too, that Hazel’s parents were marvelously cast, and they were—somehow Woodley does seem like the sum of Laura Dern and Sam Trammell ‘s parts, the culmination of their combined wits, pathos, and physical attributes like Trammell’s facial shapes and Dern’s long-limbedness. Their performances ensure that Hazel’s relationship with her parents shine through as just as essential to this film as Hazel’s relationship with Gus. And though Elgort’s Gus is solid, he’s dwarfed by Woodley—not through faults in his own performance so much as that Woodley is practically seamless as Hazel. Her performance reigns as the most consistent and consistently impressive force of this movie. Considering this film couldn’t have succeeded without a Hazel you could really feel, that’s a thing that shouldn’t be underestimated. We go on this journey with Woodley—we’re in her hands, and she proves here what nimble hands they are.

Between The Fault in Our Stars and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire , this has been a good year for big film adaptations that stay true to the edicts of the beloved books they’re translating. As a proud fan of both YA and of movie-making, it’s a trend I am thoroughly in love with. Often the Hollywood system can take the books we love and make them feel like a business, like their only value is in their ability to turn out a franchise and please the masses. And sure, The Fault in Our Stars will probably please the masses much like Catching Fire did, albeit likely a few million dollars less. But I walked out of The Fault in Our Stars wrapped up not in the movie’s financial future, but in a feeling: That having our favorite stories spun into a different format for our further enjoyment can feel like a privilege— especially when it’s clear the people making it love these characters and their story just as much as you do.

The Fault in Our Stars has as many questions for itself and for its audience as its young protagonists have for the author of their favorite book: What does (or what can) life mean in a world that allows so much suffering? Can the people we love move forward once we’re gone? What’s the impact of a life if it’s not a life that’s being written about in history books? How do you live a worthwhile life in a system so thoroughly rigged? Despite the potential nihilism in such questions, Fault is not a film interested in sitting endlessly in its own tragedy. In fact, from its most oft-repeated refrain—”okay”—to its final scene, The Fault in Our Stars might even—somehow—leave you hopeful.

Alanna Bennett is a pop culture writer living in Los Angeles. She got her start here at The Mary Sue and is now a full-time writer over at Bustle . She is the author of Veronica Mars, Girl Wonder: From Teen P.I. To Pop Culture Feminist Icon , coming out digitally this summer via Harlequin. You can find more of her writing here and watch her rant endlessly in realtime here .

Are you following The Mary Sue on Twitter , Facebook , Tumblr , Pinterest , & Google + ?

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Synopsis: Hazel and Gus are two extraordinary teenagers who share an acerbic wit, a disdain for the conventional, and a love that takes them on an unforgettable journey. Their relationship is all the more miraculous, given that they met and fell in love at a cancer support group.

Director: Josh Boone

Writer: Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber

Shailene Woodley as Hazel Grace Lancaster

Ansel Elgort as Augustus Waters

Nat Wolff as Isaac

Laura Dern as Mrs. Lancaster

Sam Trammell as Mr. Lancaster

Mike Birbiglia as Patrick

Lotte Verbeek as Lidewij Vliegenthart

Willem Dafoe as Peter van Houten

Milica Govich as Mrs. Waters

David Whalen as Mr. Waters

Emily Peachey as Monica

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79%

Metacritic Score: 70

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Hi, my name is Sam Trammell. I live in Los Angeles, born in New Orleans, raised in West Virginia, and spent a good deal of time in New York doing theatre. You probably know me as Sam Merlotte in True Blood , and I'm really excited about The Fault in our Stars, which comes out in theaters June 6, and a small independent movie called The Aftermath , which I made last summer and which we're still putting the finishing touches on (you can help support it here ).

I'm looking forward to taking your questions about everything from True Blood to stage acting to surfing - Victoria from reddit's going to be helping me with getting started today, so ask me anything!

https://twitter.com/SamTrammell/status/471413680957964289

Thanks so much everyone for submitting your questions. I have two little boys to feed now. So I have to go. Please go see The Fault in Our Stars June 6, and then True Blood starts a couple weeks later. And I look forward to coming back and talking this fall.

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Where storytellers of all kinds share the stories that no one really needs to hear, or just don’t fit in anywhere else. Pointless doesn’t mean boring. It means “without purpose or utility.” We want the stories that you wanted to tell, but just didn’t have a reason to. Until now. Sometimes, the stories that don't matter are the ones that matter the most.

I used to be a wilderness ranger for the U.S. National Forest Service. I worked seasonally in the summers between my college semesters so that I could afford to travel and see the most beautiful parts of the country.

I worked in the rockies one summer. It was day two of our work-week and my coworker and I had lugged out our backpacks, tools and other equipment ten miles out into the backcountry. Half of our job was clearing out downed trees on the trail, and logging GPS points where people were making campfire rings and leaving trash. The other half of our job was stopping hikers and backpackers to make sure they had a permit and a bear cannister.

My coworker and I had just finished moving a downed tree and packing up our crosscut saws when we saw a group of hikers coming our way. They were an attractive group of four, decked out in name-brand and stylish outdoor gear, and conventionally beautiful as well - two of the women in the group could easily have been runway models. My coworker and I made small talk as we asked to see their permits and bear cannisters, and then gave the usual warnings about the bear and moose we had seen on the trail. After we saw that they had everything required to be in the wilderness, we thanked them for being prepared and said our goodbyes. One of the backpackers - a woman with striking hazel eyes - said, "thank you for doing what you do! You girls are my heroes!" That felt really good to hear after talking to an out-of-breath man who had condescendingly tried to explain to us how to use an axe earlier that day.

After our encounter with that group, we ran into two men a few minutes later and asked to see their permits. While we were doing our routine, one of the men said, "did you talk to Shailene Woodley? We've been in [name of town] for a week and we keep seeing celebrities! Brett Favre was at the ranger station!"

It suddenly clicked in my head that I had just had an exchange with the lead actress in The Fault in Our Stars. I told my story about the encounter to my coworkers in the ranger cabin after we had all gotten back from our work hitches. One of the seasonal regulars told me that he had had many celebrity encounters over the years... from the Trumps to the Kardashians and that only the rich, famous, rich and famous or employees of the USFS could afford to vist and live in [name of town]. I think back to my summer there and all of the fond memories I made and now realize how special it all truly was.

After the summer season ended, I was given a performance review and an offer to extend my seasonal position into the fall. I turned the offer down because I was determined to finish my bachelors degree ASAP. In the end I chose to fly back East and major in psychology instead of environmental science, because I find people more interesting than plants. I now work in the disabilities field and I love what I do. I moved out west after finishing school and I still hike and backpack reguarly on the weekends. My love of the outdoors has not faded and I have seen how healing the natural world can be for people struggling with mental illness (including myself) and developmental disabilities. But sometimes I wonder what life would have been like if I had taken that job offer. I wonder if I'd be a different person. Maybe I'll have a chance to revisit that path in the next life...

Shailene Woodley is making quite the name for herself. Her breakout role in "The Descendants" landed her a Golden Globe nomination, and she followed up with a knockout performance in the vastly underrated, "The Spectacular Now". The streak continues for her in this adaptation of the John Green novel, "The Fault In Our Stars". And while she is certainly the heart of the film, there is plenty of love to go around to her fellow castmates, newbie Ansel Elgort and Nat Wolff (of "Naked Brothers" fame), who are both top notch as well. The cast shine brights here, which is essential in a character driven piece like this. The problem lies within the script. Adaptations are always tough. You don't want to disappoint the core fan base by leaving out favorite parts, but you also must craft a film - a separate medium entirely from a book. And while we could get into the semantics of "the book is always better", what we know for sure is - the book is always longer. And that's because a novel allows for that structure. A screenplay must follow a specific format or the writer risks losing those who aren't "attached" to the subject material. I am one of those people. Having never read or heard anything about this novel, it was tough to dissect the "point" of the film. While I'm sure the novel is lovely, a book allows more freedom with writing that must be limited when adapted to the screen. In short: the movie is too damn long and doesn't always know it's voice. The movie never feels cheap, or cliched, but it definitely does drag. The 'fault' in "The Fault In Our Stars" is when they try to overreach with plot lines and characters arcs that or either never follow drawn out or don't belong to begin with. When the movie is summed up in it's simple romantic core, it works charms, but when it asks us, the viewers, to have prior knowledge of certain elements - it becomes more of a supplement to the book than a standalone piece of art. While I can't comment on it's authenticity to the novel, I am positive that fans of the book will be pleased with the film. And I too was pleased with the film, if not slightly disappointed because it could've been so much more. 2/4 Stars.

Edit: I saw the film tonight at the nationwide Alamo Drafthouse pre-screenings. I was at the Yonkers screening.

"Eye-witness event(s) that cannot be explained with critical thinking." **Please read forum rules before posting**

There was a weird pop-culture related shift experience that happened to my wife and I a few years ago, and now that I’m aware of the glitch in the matrix phenomenon that’s what I think it could have been. I wanted to share this particular story because it’s been bugging us for years and we still reference it to each other. Has anyone else out there experienced this specific glitch or one very similar?

It’s important to note that my wife is a published young adult fiction author, and because of that we tend to keep up with the popular books and movie adaptations of books in that category. The year was 2014 and there were two pretty big book-to-movie adaptations that came out that year. Divergent and The Fault in Our Stars. Both of those movies stared the same female lead actress, Shailene Woodley ( http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0940362/?ref_=tt_cl_t1 ).

Anyway my wife and I saw the movie Divergent when it came out opening night in March of 2014. During the previews for the film, they had a trailer for The Fault in Our Stars. This was the first time either of us had seen a trailer for the film. We both clearly remember that in the trailer the main character was played by Shailene Woodley and in this trailer her romantic interest character was played by actor Miles Teller ( http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1886602/?ref_=tt_cl_t7 ).

It was a good minute to a minute and a half long trailer featuring those two actors and we watched it intently since we like to discuss what we think about certain trailers. After the trailer finished we both turned to each other and laughed and whispered something to the effect of “That’s funny, Miles Teller is also in divergent and now he’s gonna be in this movie too, they must have connections with the production crews to be in both films.” My wife also wasn’t happy with the casting choice because Miles Teller isn’t exactly the kinda guy you’d expect in that role.

On the car ride home we discussed divergent (it was alright I guess) and we discussed the trailer for Fault in Our Stars. We kept ragging on their choice of Miles Teller for the boyfriend in Fault in Our Stars. We we’re also talking about another recent movie we had watched with Miles Teller called “The Spectacular Now” and how it was alright so maybe that’s why they chose him for Fault in Our Stars.

A couple on Months had passed since we saw divergent and we were watching TV when a trailer for the Fault in Our Stars came on. To our surprise, the lead male actor had changed from Miles Teller to a guy named Ansel Elgort ( http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5052065/?ref_=tt_cl_t2 ). And Ansel Elgort was also in Divergent. After the ad was done playing on TV my wife and I looked at each other with a confused expression. We both made comments to the effect of “where is Miles Teller, what happened to him”. It’s also important to note that Miles and Ansel look nothing alike (aside from both being White) so we stubbornly refuse to believe that we mixed them up somehow.

We came up with a theory that the trailer we saw in the theater a few months back was earlier in the production process and maybe they decided to go with a different actor??. But that theory didn’t really sit well with us, especially because not that much time had gone by, so we did what any Millennial couple would do and turned to the Googles. We started researching the Fault in Our Stars movie and we couldn’t find anything about Miles Teller ever being involved in the film at all.

Till this day my wife and I reference this glitch we both experienced. I didn’t really know what to call the experience until I had another glitch experience later (completely unrelated to films) and started researching the phenomena. I see that other people have experienced similar changes with films and songs and things, so I wanted to throw this one out there and see if anyone else remembers seeing Miles Teller in a trailer for The Fault in Our Stars?

I’ll admit that it makes logical sense to assume that we got our wires crossed between Divergent, The Spectacular Now and the Fault in Our Stars, (and that very well might be the case) but they all came out at different times and had varying casts. To us, the first time we saw the trailer for The Fault in Our Stars it was clearly Miles Teller, and we can’t explain how or why there is nothing in existence to back that up. It’s been 3 years and we still reference it and make jokes about it (we just kinda laugh it off), but none the less we do stick to our assertion that Miles Teller was originally in that damn trailer.

Does anyone else have that same memory, or a similar experience with trailers having different actors than the final film (with no residual evidence of a casting switch), or maybe even entire movies for that matter?

A24 (est. 2012) is an independent film & television studio that has helped bring indie film and filmmakers into the mainstream while also building a popular company brand

Post a picture and discover your doppleganger!

Hi, reddit! I'm John Green. With my brother Hank, I co-created several YouTube channels, including vlogbrothers and the educational series Crash Course .

Hank and I also co-own the artist-focused merch company DFTBA Records and the online video conference Vidcon .

I've also written four novels: The Fault in Our Stars , Paper Towns , An Abundance of Katherines , and Looking for Alaska .

The film adaptation of my book Paper Towns will be released on July 24th, and instead of doing, like, one AMA for 45 minutes the day before release, I thought I'd do one each month (if there's interest) leading up to the release of the film. Then hopefully you will all go on opening weekend because who wants to see that movie where Pac Man becomes real.

Edit: That's it for me this time. Until we meet again on r/books or r/nerdfighters or r/liverpoolfc , my friends.

cute and silly boy

This is a moderated subreddit. It is our intent and purpose to foster and encourage in-depth discussion about all things related to books, authors, genres, or publishing in a safe, supportive environment. If you're looking for help with a personal book recommendation, consult our Weekly Recommendation Thread, Suggested Reading page, or ask in r/suggestmeabook.

Hi. I'm John Green, author of the YA novels Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, and The Fault in Our Stars. I also wrote half of the book Will Grayson, Will Grayson and just under a third of the holiday anthology Let It Snow.

The Fault in Our Stars was adapted into a movie that came out last year, and the movie adaptation of Paper Towns comes out on July 24th in U.S. theaters.

I also co-founded Crash Course, vlogbrothers, DFTBA Records, Vidcon, and mental floss's video series with my brother Hank, but in those respects (and many others) I am mostly the tail to his comet.

EDIT: Thank you for 4 hours of lovely discussion. I'll try to pop back in and answer a few more questions, and I'm sorry I missed so many excellent questions. Thanks for reading, r/books !

Ask away! Disclaimer: This is an anonymous forum so answers may not be correct

If you look at Ansel Elgort's IMDB page:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm5052065/

So far he has been 5 movies since 2013 and 3 of them have been blockbusters.

How can an actor with no acting experience save for a small bit part in the Carrie remake move on to star in huge YA vehicles such as Divergent and The Fault in our Stars?

Memes! A way of describing cultural information being shared. An element of a culture or system of behavior that may be considered to be passed from one individual to another by nongenetic means, especially imitation.

I'm the author of young adult novels including The Fault in Our Stars, Looking for Alaska, Paper Towns, and An Abundance of Katherines.

The [movie adaptation of The Fault in Our Stars] ( http://thefaultinourstarsmovie.com/ ) comes out June 6th. I hope you like it.

I also co-created, with my brother Hank, the vlogbrothers and and Crash Course channels on YouTube. I help produce The Art Assignment , a collaboration with PBS Digital Studios.

I am also auctioning off my World Cup support to benefit the Sarcoma Foundation of America. , so please consider donating. I donate $3 for every dollar you donate!

EDIT: I'm off now but will do the standard AMA thing in which I promise to return later and answer more questions but then do not in fact do so. (Really, though, I'll try to answer a few more.) Thanks so much, reddit, for your thoughtful and fun questions. When you're deciding what movie to see on June 6th, JUST REMEMBER THAT TOM CRUISE NEVER DID AN AMA. I kid. But seriously though.

I was in college when I borrowed this book from a schoolmate. This novel by John Green used to be really popular and I figured that I might give it a try. My dorm roommate even told me to prepare some tissue when she saw me reading this book because she believes I would cry after reading it.

Much to my dismay, this book did not make me shed even a single tear. It is just some typical young adult love story where boy meets pathetic girl, they go on an adventure revolving on making every second count because the girl doesn't have much time left and by some plot twist, it is the boy who dies in the end.

I think it is overrated or have I missed anything?

EDIT: I read this when I was 16 (yes, I was already in college). So, saying that it wasn't for my demographic would be irrelevant. Objectively speaking, I recognize that it is a good point that Green has raised cancer awareness through the book. However, it won't change the fact that the plot is cliché.

Hi. It's John, here to do an AMA on my favorite subreddit.

My new book The Anthropocene Reviewed comes out on Tuesday. Signed copies are available for preorder now at amazon , bookshop , or wherever you get your books.

The book is based on a podcast I started in 2018, and contains revised reviews from the pod as well as several new reviews (on everything from wintry mix to the internet to the movie Penguins of Madagascar).

Ask me anything!

Subreddit for Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the now NBC TV show that stars Andy Samberg and Andre Braugher.

Teenage romance

Dying chick

Oxygen mask

Edit: *off. What a doofus.

Share your burning hot takes and unpopular opinions!

Firstly, the book: I read this about 2 years ago and the writing style is just god awful. It's choppy, tries to be angsty at some points, then philosophical and deep at other points. A lot of those "quotes" feel like the author just stuck them in there for Tumblr clout. The plot is okay, besides for the fact that a lot of main points in the book are seriously unrealistic. Two kids with life threatening cancer would not be able to travel across seas, away from medical professionals that could help them.

There are scenes in the book in which the plot is not driven forward at all, just unnecessary scenes that are boring to read and add completely nothing to the story whatsoever.

And then there's that scene in the book where they kiss in the Anne frank house, to which everyone replies with CLAPPING?? I'm sorry, that's the most npc shit I've ever read. Not only does this feel disrespectful (don't get it on during someone's speech about the Holocaust) but it's also severely cringe and I had to put the book down when I read it.

Then there's the movie: I guess the movie is slightly better, but not a lot. The plot is basically the same, with a few things changed. The Anne frank house scene was even more cringe here because you actually saw them going at it, while everyone around them was clapping. A lot of the movie dialogue felt very.. forced and unnatural. Just not a good execution at all. I didn't find myself getting emotional at even one part of the movie or book, yet everyone thinks it should win awards.

I think the idea was cute, but it was just really poorly executed in both medias.

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‘Hit Man’ Review: It’s a Hit, Man

Glen Powell stars in one of the year’s funniest, sexiest, most enjoyable movies — and somehow it’s surprisingly deep, too.

A woman with long brown hair leans her chin on the shoulder of a man wearing a leather jacket.

By Alissa Wilkinson

If I see a movie more delightful than “Hit Man” this year, I’ll be surprised. It’s the kind of romp people are talking about when they say that “they don’t make them like they used to”: It’s romantic, sexy, hilarious, satisfying and a genuine star-clinching turn for Glen Powell, who’s been having a moment for about two years now. It’s got the cheeky verve of a 1940s screwball rom-com in a thoroughly contemporary (and slightly racier) package. I’ve seen it twice, and a huge grin plastered itself across my face both times.

That’s why it’s a shame most people will see it at home — Netflix is barely giving it a theatrical release before it hits streaming even though it’s the sort of movie that begs for the experience of collective gut-splitting joy. Oh well. If you can see it in a theater, it’s worth it. If not, then get your friends together, pop some popcorn and settle in for a good old-fashioned movie for grown-ups.

The director Richard Linklater and Powell collaborated on the “Hit Man” script, which is loosely based on Skip Hollandsworth’s 2001 Texas Monthly article about Gary Johnson, a faux hit man who actually worked for the Houston Police Department. In the movie version, Gary (Powell) is a mild-mannered philosophy professor in New Orleans with a part-time side gig doing tech work for law enforcement. One day, he is accidentally pulled into pretending to be a hit man in a sting operation, and soon realizes he loves playing the role.

Or roles, really: The more Gary gets into it, the more he realizes that each person’s fantasy of a hit man is different, and he starts to dress up, preparing for the part before he meets with the client. (If this movie were solely constructed as a de facto reel demonstrating Powell’s range, it would work just fine.) Then, one day, pretending to be a sexy, confident hit man named Ron, he meets Madison (Adria Arjona, practically glowing from within), a put-upon housewife seeking his services. And everything changes for Gary.

A great deal of the enjoyment of “Hit Man” comes from simply witnessing Powell and Arjona’s white-hot chemistry. Seeing Powell transmogrify from nerdy Gary to five o’clock shadow Ron and back again is both hilarious and tantalizing, while Arjona has a big-eyed innocence crossed with wily smarts that keeps everyone, including Gary, guessing. Multiple layers of deception keep the movie from feeling formulaic — you’re always trying to keep track of who thinks what, and why. Eventually, when “Hit Man” morphs into a kind of caper comedy, part of the joy is rooting for characters as they make choices that are, at best, flexibly ethical. In doing so, we get to be naughty too. In a movie starring a philosophy professor, that’s especially funny, a wry joke on us all.

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‘Tuesday’ Review: Julia Louis-Dreyfus Takes On Death Itself – as a Terrifying 10-Foot Macaw – in Eccentric A24 Offering

First-time feature helmer Daina O. Pusić hatches a peculiar parable about a mother who refuses to accept that her terminally ill daughter must die.

By Peter Debruge

Peter Debruge

Chief Film Critic

‘Despicable Me 4’ Review: Illumination Adds a Baby and Five Mega Minions to Gru’s Already Overcrowded Family 2 days ago
‘Ultraman: Rising’ Review: The Iconic Japanese Superhero Wrestles Kaiju and Daddy Issues in Netflix’s Overcrowded Cartoon 3 days ago
‘The Day the Earth Blew Up’ Review: Daffy Duck and Porky Pig Save the World in Side-Splitting Looney Tunes Movie 4 days ago

Death takes the most unexpected of forms in “ Tuesday ,” a sui generis debut from Croatian director Daina O. Pusić . Her strikingly original if occasionally counterintuitive film brings the central idea of Ingmar Bergman’s “The Seventh Seal” into the modern era — trying to stall Death, if only for a matter of hours — anchored by a committed performance from a curiously miscast Julia Louis-Dreyfus .

Reviewed at Telluride Film Festival, Sept. 3, 2023. MPA Rating: R. Running time: 110 MIN.

Production: (U.S.-U.K.) An A24 release of an A24, BBC Film, BFI presentation, in association with Cinereach, of a Wild Swim Films, Gingerbread Pictures production, in association with Record Player Films. Producers: Helen Gladders, Ivana MacKinnon, Oliver Roskill. Executive producers: Eva Yates, Natascha Wharton, Elliott Whitton, Philipp Engelhorn. Co-producer: Tim Field.
Crew: Director, writer: Daina O. Pusić. Camera: Alexis Zabé. Editor: Arttu Salmi. Music: Anna Meredith.
With: Lola Petticrew, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Leah Harvey, Arinzé Kene.

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'Tuesday' is a heartrending, brilliant look at facing death starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus

What does death look like?

Humanity has given it many faces over the centuries: the monstrous half-Black and half-white woman, Hel, in Norse mythology. In Southeast Asia, there's the red-and-black form of Yama. In Western imagery, Death is a cloaked skeleton that often carries a scythe.

But what about the scarlet macaw?

That’s exactly the form death takes in Daina Oniunas-Pusic ’s latest film “Tuesday.”

Birds and death aren’t so strange. After all, vultures and crows are often seen as signs of death. But a rainbow tropical bird? Not so much.

'You Hurt My Feelings' review: Julia Louis-Dreyfus is back

What is 'Tuesday' about?

“Tuesday” is a story about a mother and a daughter — and death. Tuesday, the daughter, played superbly by U.K. actress Lola Petticrew , is suffering from a deadly illness.

Her mother, Zora, is desperate to ignore the fact that her only child is facing the end of her life — so much so that she avoids Tuesday altogether.

Zora is played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. She’s disconnected from her only daughter. She spends her time trying to pawn off so-called family heirlooms and wanders through parks listlessly eating cheese.

This is Louis-Dreyfus’ second film with A24 – the first being the 2023 comedy “ You Hurt My Feelings .” The highly decorated actress gets the opportunity to show once again just how versatile she is.

Despite this movie being about death, Louis-Dreyfus still manages to fit in some quirky moments of humor. In many ways, her character is the child in the relationship.

Back to the parrot. Death is a scruffy, dingy-looking macaw who lives a miserable existence. At every moment he hears the cries of the dying. But something magical happens when he’s with Tuesday. The cacophony stops. A tentative friendship is born.

Arinzé Kene voices Death, and he sounds unlike what you’d expect coming from a parrot. No high-pitched “Polly-wanna cracker” voice here. Instead, he sounds old, raspy and deep. The voice matches what you’d expect from a character named Death.

Things take an unexpected turn when Zora tries to prevent death from taking her child. In a bizarre twist, Zora manages to kill Death. But that is not a good thing.

'Tuesday' plays like a Roald Dahl story

“Tuesday” is a wholly original story, one that stands out brightly in a cinema landscape that sometimes feels rote.

Never before have I laughed and cried so much in a movie about dying. The effects in this movie are also brilliant. Far from the action-packed CGI movies with billion-dollar budgets, “Tuesday” pours its effects money into making Death so realistic. It’s been a long time since a CGI creature actually looked authentic.

At times, there’s a fairytale aesthetic that is reminiscent of a Roald Dahl story. You have clumsy adults and brave children with fantastical creatures. They go on an adventure — the final adventure.

In the end, “Tuesday” is all about learning how to say goodbye. It’s masterfully done. This movie will remain in my top three films of the year.

'Tuesday' 5 stars

Great ★★★★★ Good ★★★★

Fair ★★★ Bad ★★ Bomb ★

Directors: Daina Oniunas-Pusic .

Cast: Julia Louis-Dreyfus , Lola Petticrew , Arinzé Kene .

Rating: R for language.

How to watch: In theaters Friday, June 14.

Contact Kaely Monahan at k [email protected] . Follow her on our podcasts Valley 101 and The Gaggle , and X, formerly known as Twitter , @KaelyMonahan .

Cast & crew
User reviews

Inside Out 2

Follows Riley, in her teenage years, encountering new emotions. Follows Riley, in her teenage years, encountering new emotions. Follows Riley, in her teenage years, encountering new emotions.

Kelsey Mann
Meg LeFauve
Dave Holstein
Amy Poehler
Kensington Tallman
64 User reviews
116 Critic reviews
74 Metascore

Embarrassment

Coach Roberts

All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Get Emotional With the 'Inside Out 2' Cast

Did you know

Trivia The first trailer received 157 million online views within the first 24 hours, more than any other Disney animated film, surpassing Frozen II (2019) , with 116 million views.

[from trailer]

Fear : This whole trip is just a series of deader and deader and deader ends!

Anger : Ever since that alarm went off, nothing around here works!

Fear : And I have never been inside so many jars in my life.

Disgust : And the Riley we knew is gone!

Anger : And if Joy can't see that, well then she's delusional!

[Joy faces them]

Joy : Delusional?

Joy : Of course I'm delusional! Do you know how hard it is to stay positive all the time? When all you folks do is complain, complain, complain! Jiminy mother loving toaster strudel!

[Joy proceeds to kick at the controls of the memory forklift. The emotions look shocked, except for Anger, who gives an appreciative smile]

Crazy credits After the credits, Joy opens the vault to try to find out what Riley's Deep Dark Secret is, but is disappointed with the reveal.
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June 14, 2024 (United States)
United States
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Walt Disney Feature Animation - 500 S. Buena Vista Street, Burbank, California, USA (Studio)
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$200,000,000 (estimated)
$22,300,000

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Runtime 1 hour 36 minutes
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The Fault in Our Stars movie review (2014)
Instead, the film version of the best-selling novel "The Fault in Our Stars" feels emotionally inert, despite its many moments that are meant to put a lump in our throats. Perhaps it's trying so hard to bludgeon us over the head and make us feel deeply that the result is numbing instead. There's something just off about it for the vast ...
The Fault in Our Stars
Wise, funny, and heartbreaking without resorting to exploitation, The Fault In Our Stars does right by its bestselling source material. Hazel Grace Lancaster (Shailene Woodley), a 16-year-old ...
The Fault in Our Stars Movie Review
Our review: Parents say ( 38 ): Kids say ( 238 ): While The Fault in Our Stars isn't a word-for-word translation (nor should it be), it's an adaptation that does Green, Hazel, and Augustus justice. Anyone who's ever loved a book knows the hesitance and wariness that mingle with excitement when a beloved novel is turned into a big-screen production.
Film Review: 'The Fault in Our Stars'
Film Review: 'The Fault in Our Stars'. A never-better Shailene Woodley anchors director Josh Boone's tricky cancer-themed melodrama. Though it's correctly categorized as a teen romance ...
The Fault In Our Stars Review: Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort
L-r: Ansel Elgort, Shailene Woodley, on the set of A Fault in Our Stars, 2014. James Bridges—20th Century Fox. By Richard Corliss. June 5, 2014 9:30 AM EDT. H azel Grace Lancaster (Shailene ...
The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
The Fault in Our Stars: Directed by Josh Boone. With Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff, Laura Dern. Hazel and Gus are teenagers who meet at a cancer support group and fall in love. They both share the same acerbic wit and a love of books, especially "An Imperial Affliction", so they embark on a journey to visit an author in Amsterdam.
'The Fault in Our Stars' Sets Out to Make You Cry
The Fault in Our Stars. Directed by Josh Boone. Drama, Romance. PG-13. 2h 6m. By A.O. Scott. June 5, 2014. "The world is not a wish-granting factory.". That line, from "The Fault in Our ...
The Fault in Our Stars Review
Fault's not a corny high school movie, but it's still dream-fulfillment with a GED. 500 Days of Summer writers Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber and director Josh Boone indulge in whimsical fluff ...
The Fault in Our Stars
Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Feb 1, 2021. The reason that The Fault in Our Stars works so well is that its main draw (the teenage love story) is tied so expertly to its emotional core ...
The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
The writing, plot, story, and screenplay were fantastic. Shaileen Woodley and Ansel Elgort's performances in the film as Hazel and Augustus were spectacular. The Fault in Our Stars is gorgeous, funny and sad at the same time and it shows true love can be found no matter what. Loved it so much.
The Fault in Our Stars
The Fault in Our Stars - Metacritic. 2014. PG-13. Twentieth Century Fox. 2 h 6 m. Summary Hazel (Shailene Woodley) and Gus (Ansel Elgort) are two extraordinary teenagers who share an acerbic wit, a disdain for the conventional, and a love that takes them on an unforgettable journey. Their relationship is all the more miraculous, given that they ...
The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
69. Metascore. 45 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com. 90. TheWrap Diane Garrett. The Fault in Our Stars may not show the true messiness of cancer, but it does grapple with death and the ability to survive great loss. Maybe that's enough truth for one movie. 79. Film.com Kate Erbland.
The Fault in Our Stars (film)
The Fault in Our Stars is a 2014 American coming-of-age romance film directed by Josh Boone from a screenplay by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, based on the 2012 novel of the same name by John Green. The film stars Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort, with Laura Dern, Sam Trammell, Nat Wolff, and Willem Dafoe in supporting roles. The story centers on a sixteen-year-old cancer patient ...
'The Fault in Our Stars': Film Review
'The Fault in Our Stars': Film Review. Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort star in Josh Boone's adaptation of John Green's best-selling young adult novel.
THE FAULT IN OUR STARS Movie Review
Matt's The Fault in Our Stars movie review; Josh Boone's The Fault in Our Stars stars Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff, and Laura Dern.
The Fault in Our Stars
Movie Review. They called it a miracle. It came when Hazel Grace was 13, as her young life was being devoured by cancer. Her parents and doctors watched helplessly as the girl—bald, bedridden, shackled by tubes—slipped slowly from them. ... In The Fault in Our Stars (based on John Green's best-selling young adult novel) we find, indeed ...
'The Fault in Our Stars' Review
The Fault in Our Stars film was adapted by writing partners Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber ((500) Days of Summer) from author John Green's 2012 young adult novel of the same name - with Josh Boone (Stuck in Love) sitting in the director's chair.Understandably, discerning moviegoers have become doubtful of young adult novel adaptations - following a string of hit or miss Hollywood cash ...
'The Fault in Our Stars' Movie Review
Prejudging is easy when it comes to The Fault in Our Stars, the movie version of John Green's 2012 young-adult bestseller about a present-day Romeo and Juliet, both starcrossed by the Big C. It ...
The Fault in Our Stars
The Fault in Our Stars is a novel by John Green.It is his fourth solo novel, and sixth novel overall. It was published on January 10, 2012. The title is inspired by Act 1, Scene 2 of Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, in which the nobleman Cassius says to Brutus: "Men at some time were masters of their fates, / The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, / But in ourselves, that we are ...
The Fault in Our Stars Review John Green Shailene Woodley
Review: The Fault in Our Stars. Is Beautiful, Imperfect, and Completely Worthwhile. "I long to ride a bike, dance, whistle, look at the world, feel young and know that I'm free.". Alanna ...
Official Discussion: The Fault in our Stars : r/movies
Official Discussion: The Fault in our Stars. Synopsis: Hazel and Gus are two extraordinary teenagers who share an acerbic wit, a disdain for the conventional, and a love that takes them on an unforgettable journey. Their relationship is all the more miraculous, given that they met and fell in love at a cancer support group.
The Fault in Our Stars: Film Review
By Aubrey D'Souza 03 July, 2014 3 min read. The problem with adaptations is that they have to live up to the book. In other words, the movie has to evoke the same or similar emotional response to the novel. The Fault in Our Stars doesn't. In fact, it isn't an emotional weepy tear-jerker. It is more along the lines of "Oh lord, stop the ...
Best The Fault In Our Stars (movie) Posts
The Fault in Our Stars was released 10 years ago this week. The coming of age romance film, based on the best selling YA book, grossed $124.8 million domestically and $307.1 million worldwide. I am actor Sam Trammell (Sam Merlotte on True Blood, The Fault in Our Stars, and various other things). AMA!
Watch The Fault in Our Stars
Two teens meet at a cancer support group, and together they face the challenge of building a relationship under the shadow of terminal illness. Watch trailers & learn more.
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