Recently, tons of teenage TV series and films stream on OTT services like Netflix and Amazon prime, for instance, Sex Education, The End of The Fxxxing World, The Politician and so on.
The trend has reminded me of the film that came out almost 8 years ago, casting Logan Lerman, Ezra Miller and Emma Watson — The Perks of Being A Wallflower. I watched it a year ago as I had already half-read the novel when I was in elementary school. The reading experience wasn’t fascinating, to be honest, some plots were too much and too abstract for me as a 9-year-old.
But at the night the whole world went silent, I decided to comprehend the story again, and it totally blew my mind.
aesthetic, sophisticated & literary
The film tries to cover heavy issues like childhood trauma, school bullying and inferiority, whereas the tone doesn’t go sharp and unbearable.
Like reading a novel, the protagonist suddenly lives in your head and tells the story. Charlie (starred Logan Lerman) — the main character, as well as the protagonist and the narrator, begins the story of his life by revealing the fear of entering high school.
“1385 days to go.” He recites the sentence multiple times, trying to be calm, but actually the unease spreads around already. The scenes aren’t processed with vivid colors, but a bit shady, gray-toned filter; comparing to common teenage films, The Perks of Bring A Wallflower interprets the inside world of a teenage boy with no crowded extras.
The memorable first class Charlie has showcased the intelligence he’s equipped with for English literature and history. Audiences get to know better about the protagonist — he’s introverted, shy but informative. Other scenes like the mean girl bullying him at school or some silly school mates tearing his To Kill A Mocking Bird are dealt in shorter, more silent cameras as if Charlie doesn’t feel strongly about it — while expressing his feelings to only the mysterious aunt Helen.
The emphasis on different aspects of Charlie indicates the sophisticated, detailed methods, Stephen Chbosky, the director and the author of the book, applies. He hushes Charlie at times when he can’t fight back, making audiences sense the same suffocation he experiences — the internalized wounds that aren’t seen and can’t be protected.
Stephen Chbosky explains in an interview that Charlie’s story is very personal to himself, but refuses to tell which parts are real or happens to him in the past. However, through the film, the narration of novel is displayed.
“You see things, you understand. You’re a wallflower.”
Patrick (starred Ezra Miller), the first friend Charlie makes at school, toasts him and gives him the words. The film isn’t a hilarious celebration of the excitement and memories in teenage years, but a self-revealing, interconnecting of a chaotic mind, and other synchronizing minds alike.
“oh we can be heroes, just for one day…”
Driving through tunnels — “I feel infinite” — Charlie says, yet, the infinity doesn’t merely belong to Charlie.
Seeing from the party, Charlie may be the person who is invited and accepted, but as the story goes on, every soul appears to have its own issues. Patrick has gone through difficult time — his secret relationship with the popular football player at school, even the current condition sounds good, it is as sad as the past. Brad only told Patrick he loves him when drunk, but Patrick helped him get sober and the two can make out without drunkenness and alcohol.
Sam has her melancholic past, as she dated numerous men who never took her seriously — “treated me like shit” — she says, making her devaluate and belittle herself. “Because we accept the love we think we deserve,” Mr. Anderson tells Charlie, from Charlie’s perspective, Sam is a gorgeous, beautiful, kind person but doesn’t know she deserve more.
And Charlie, the beloved protagonist who is always considerate, has his wounded and bruised histories, too. Sometimes, people just wonder why troubles happen to kind person, not once, but twice, or repetitively. The year before, his best friend suicided, and there’s the aunt Helen that occurs in his head constantly. Just like an observer, or a wallflower, he records his own stories and keeps his friends in mind all the time, but he’s got underlying problem that doesn’t expose till the end.
The film is constructed with a main storyline, which is Charlie’s life, then interwoven with other characters’ lives as well. It is a delicate story about teenage, about life, about struggles, and about a group of friends saving and holding each other.
Patrick asks Charlie, “why can’t we save anyone?” “I don’t know.” answered Charlie. What they don’t know is, they’ve already saved each other, and as long as they are together, they’ll keep staying strong for each other.
rebuilding, recovery & seeking
“I can see it. This one moment when you know you’re not a sad story. You are alive. And you stand up and see the lights on the buildings and everything that makes you wonder. And you’re listening to that song on that drive with the people you love most in this world. And in this moment, I swear…We are infinite.”
The first time Charlie rides with Sam and Patrick, he says he feel infinite, but then it takes the whole movie, another one hour and a half for them all to realize that they are strong, thriving, splendid and truly infinite.
People tend to cover up themselves in front of others, but they have scars, they have sad stories that need to be admitted and slowly let go of. There are processes too tough to endure solely, in this film, the characters not only undergo the journey of self-acceptance, but also healing.
Charlie finally releases the facts about aunt Helen and the haunting illusions that keep blocking his sight. For so long, he convinces himself that aunt Helen is his favorite person in the world, but the deception is the internalized sword that intimidates him and makes him self-contained.
As the saying goes, “to recover from pain, one must experience it thoroughly.” To some extent, individuals need to take on their journey alone, but it’s the sense of company and support from close friends and family, or mentors like Mr. Anderson that walk people through the tangled roads of life.
“You can’t just sit there. You can’t just put everybody’s life ahead of yours and think that is love.” Besides all the hardship and heartbreaks, healing requires a very important step — self-love, and it’s not waiting too see loved ones be happy, but grab the chances and make them, as well as oneself happy.
From self-blaming, hiding, hurting to loving and healing, The Perks of Being A Wallflower is a story for reflections.
2020/02/23, Evelyn Yang
