The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

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

Director:

Stephen Chbosky

Writers:

Stephen Chbosky (screenplay), Stephen Chbosky (book)

Stars:

Logan Lerman, Ezra Miller, Paul Rudd

Top 250 #240 | 14 wins & 19 nominations.

Cast

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

Storyline

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

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Plot Keywords:

friend | freshman | suicide | teacher | gay | 

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Taglines:

We are infinite.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

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

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Facebook (German)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 October 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

Las ventajas de ser invisible

Filming Locations:

Peters Township High School 264 E McMurray Rd McMurray, PA 15317

Box Office

Budget:

$13,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

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

Gross:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Summit Entertainment, Mr. Mudd

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Datasat

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In Entertainment Weekly, Emma Watson reported that she took the role because director/writer/novelist Stephen Chbosky told her that "Not only is this going to be one of the most important parts you play, you're also going to have the summer of your life and meet some of your best friends." She also reported that the claim came true.

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Goofs

When Charlie and Sam talk outside following the cafeteria fight, Sam's hair repeatedly switches between in front and behind her right ear.

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Quotes

Charlie: I don't know if I will have the time to write anymore letters because I might be too busy trying to participate. So if this does end up being the last letter I just want you to know that I was in a bad place before I started high school and you helped me. Even if you didn't know what I was talking about or know someone who has gone through it, you made me not feel alone. Because I know there are people who say all these things don't happen. And there are people who forget what it's like to be ...

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Connections

Featured in Chelsea Lately: Episode #6.135 (2012)
A clip of the movie featuring Nina Dobrev is shown.

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Soundtracks

"No New Tale to Tell"
Written by Daniel Ash, Kevin Haskins, and David J (as David Jay)
Performed by Love and Rockets
Courtesy of Beggars Banquet Records
By arrangement with Beggars Group Media Limited

User Reviews

We are infinite

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

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

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

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

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