By Mayur Somalinga – Staff Reporter

“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” is a romance/drama film that has recently been made available on Netflix that is based on the novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.

[WARNING: This review contains spoilers for “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” Read ahead at your own risk.]

The movie features Charlie (played by Logan Lerman), a high school freshman and the epitome of introversion who has spent his entire summer cooped up in his house with no connection to people other than his family, writing letters to a friend of his as a recommendation from his therapist, who is later revealed to be his only friend in middle school who committed suicide. Naturally, Charlie doesn’t initially acclimate to high school very well as he finds it difficult to interact with others and would much rather observe from the sidelines, and thus he is, as the title implies, a wallflower. Charlie continues down this path of loneliness and sorrow until Charlie befriends Patrick (played by Ezra Miller), Sam (played by Emma Watson), Mary (played by Mae Whitman), Alice (played by Erin Wilhelmi), and Bob (played by Adam Hagenbuch). While Charlie enjoys all four of his new friends he instantly gravitates toward Patrick and Sam the most. Before long the three friends become immensely close and turn Charlie’s entire world upside down for the better and lead him to new experiences, such as his first high school party, albeit short, but a romantic relationship with Mary Elizabeth, and much, much more. 

“The Perks of Being a Wallflower” is a proper coming-of-age tale because it is so widely relatable as it tackles a multitude of issues that many kids, teenagers, and even adults struggle with. For one, it addresses the hardships that many people of the LGBTQIA+ community face as the viewers learn very early on that Patrick is a closeted gay who has a brief affair with a football player named Brad (played by Johnny Simmons), but Brad is not able to open up to his parents about it because his father is extremely homophobic, and consequently, Patrick faces harassment from his peers while keeping both of their secrets safe, and, at one point, even from Brad. The film also confronts the issue of sexual abuse on more than one count because it is explained that her past boyfriends have mistreated Sam, and although it is not mentioned explicitly, it is hinted that Charlie was abused as a child by his seemingly innocent and loving Aunt Helen (played by Melanie Lynskey). The movie also offers an apt representation of how mental illness can afflict people as it is very apparent that Charlie struggles with depression and anxiety to the point where he has a massive mental breakdown near the end of the movie that is easily one of the most moving scenes in the entire film.

While the movie can be praised for taking the initiative to represent tribulations that some know all too well, it also, arguably, more importantly, instills hope in those that identify as outsiders, like Charlie. Charlie goes from being an outcast in every facet of his life with his only friend no longer with him, trudging through his life all alone to being surrounded by friends who love and support him so that he can lead a happier, more fulfilling life. This drastic transformation that Charlie undergoes works to lift the spirits of those that consider themselves to be pariahs and give them faith that regardless of how secluded and displaced they may feel, things will eventually get better and they will meet their own Patrick and Sam.

The only complaint that can be made about this film is the realism, or, rather, lack thereof as most people can attest, popular or otherwise, as unfortunate as it is, that recluses are seldom adopted into a friend group, as Patrick and Sam did for Charlie. However, it can be argued that this is precisely why the film is so effective in inspiring people because it is an escape from reality that offers a more positive perspective on how their current situation could transpire.

Ultimately, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” is a testament to teenagers everywhere regardless of their backstory because as much as it is a film that presents the life of a lonely freshman in high school and his turn of fate for the better, it is, in its simplest form, a story of growth, and that, is truly universal. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

(Some information courtesy of imdb.com)