The new movie THE FAULT IN OUR STARS is based on the book by John Green, and stars Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort as two young people who find an unlikely romance with one another. As it deals with cancer, and the effects it has on the people with it and those who care for them, this is a story filled with emotional resonance. The film not only captures the spirit and impact of the source material, but also becomes one of the most powerful film experiences of the year.
Hazel (Shailene Woodley) is a teenage girl fighting cancer, forced to constantly wear a breathing apparatus and cart around an oxygen tank on wheels. She reluctantly goes to support groups where others like her speak about their personal conflicts. Her parents Frannie (Laura Dern) and Michael (Sam Trammell) are trying to make the best of things for their daughter, even though they’re aware time is not on their side. One day while attending the support group, Hazel meets Augustus (Ansel Elgort), a confident and somewhat funny boy who takes an immediate interest in her, though she can’t understand why. It’s revealed that Augustus, or “Gus”, actually had cancer himself and got past it, though not without losing part of a leg. He sees Hazel for her beauty, and becomes transfixed on her. The two become friends, and Hazel even gives him a book by her favorite author, Peter Van Houten. As the two become closer, Gus arranges the trip of a lifetime for Hazel, heading to Amsterdam to meet Van Houten in person. But her health makes this a risky venture, and there’s some big surprises in store for this budding couple, some good and some heartbreaking.
These types of films have been done before, and sometimes are done quite well – 50/50 comes to mind. While THE FAULT IN OUR STARS may seem like a Young Adult tearjerker (and in many ways it is), it’s also an honest and sincere look at youthful romance and living with cancer. Everyone has either been affected by cancer or at the very least known someone who has, but the idea of two teens finding each other in spite of it is surprisingly heartwarming in its execution. Shailene Woodley reminds us all just how good she can be on screen. She shined with strong performances in THE DESCENDANTS and THE SPECTACULAR NOW, but some (myself included) found her a bit out of place and uninspired in DIVERGENT, despite that film’s great success at the box office. FAULT is a return to form for the actress, and in many ways her most likable role to date. We find sympathy for her without taking pity, and we root for her without feeling coerced. There’s such honesty in her acting here that the character works even in moments where it shouldn’t, and is the glue that holds the entire piece together. Ansel Elgort is also rather great as Gus, immediately likable and charming, playing the kind of guy all fathers and mothers could only dream of taking an interest in their daughter. Elgort plays the strengths of the role with perfection, and excels when the character finds moments of weakness – it should be a star-making performance for him. Nat Wolff is also quite good as the best friend to the young couple, who starts off the story finding unusual victory with his cancerous condition, and eventually dealing with its debilitating effects. Nat’s revenge against an ex is one the standout scenes in the film.
The adults in the movie are also solid, and compliment the leads quite nicely. Willem Dafoe has a small but very memorable role, and Laura Dern and Sam Trammell plays Hazel’s parents with just the right amount of sympathetic hope. But make no mistake, this story belongs to Hazel and Gus, and Shailene and Ansel have solidified themselves in cinematic history as a couple most will never forget. Director Josh Boone finds the right balance of situational comedy and heartbreaking tragedy. He allows us to go through the wealth of emotions our characters encounter, and makes even the most obligatory scenes feel natural and honest. To call a movie like this a “tearjerker” sets an improper expectation. Make no mistake, you will cry, and more than a few times… and hard, but that’s not to say it’s a sappy or manipulative experience. You will walk out wiping the tears away, but filled with a sense of hope and peace. There is no way to know what living with cancer (or someone with cancer) is truly like until you’ve been there, but THE FAULT IN OUR STARS feels about as realistic as a movie of its type can be, and the audience benefits greatly because of it.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
