Rob has a hard time at school because of the bullies who make fun of his rash on his legs and partly because of the recent loss of his mother who died from cancer.
The two of them start to spend more time together, and soon they are inseparable. But as their relationship deepens, they begin to question whether it’s the right thing to do. They both have secrets that could destroy everything if they were to be exposed. ..
Sistine is having a hard time at school because of her attitude towards her peers. She thinks they’re all rednecks and doesn’t like them very much. Her first day at school starts out bad because she made such a big deal about it in front of the class.
Rob and Sistine fall in love after Rob reveals his love of art to Sistine. Their relationship is still a little fractious due to her prickly personality but barriers eventually start to fall as they get to know one another.
The film adaptation of “The Fault in Our Stars” is a study of grief and the unhealthiness of keeping your emotions bottled up when faced with overwhelming personal trauma. At first, their friendship is quite sweet and it’s fun to see them interacting with one another. However, this isn’t really a movie about childhood bonding. As those who have read the book will already know, this film is really a study of grief and the unhealthiness of keeping your emotions bottled up when faced with overwhelming personal trauma. ..
The film is largely unengaging and does not explore the themes of grief and death effectively.
Beauchamp is a shady character who runs the motel with his dad. He’s a mean guy and he doesn’t like tigers. He keeps them in a cage and makes them do tricks for tourists. But when Rob comes by, Beauchamp sees the tiger and decides to take it home with him.
Beauchamp is a bit of a coward so he asks Rob to feed the tiger, which of course he does. The boy forms an emotional attachment to the tiger, as does Sistine when she is later introduced to him.
The children in this story are trapped in their own lives. They all have different problems that they are stuck in, and the tiger is a metaphor for how they are all stuck. The town they are in is also a metaphor for their lives. It’s a place where they can’t go because it’s too dangerous. And Rob is at a point in his life where he can’t move on because he has no other options.
Rob and Sistine release the caged animal in an effort to show the public that they can be compassionate and have a heart. I won’t reveal what happens next, but be warned- if you have small children watching this, they may be traumatized by what follows. ..
The adults in the story are traumatized by the clunkiness of the script, but also by the opportunity to free themselves from their bottled-up emotions. The tiger is let free, and we’re back in metaphor territory.
I haven’t seen the movie, but I’m sure it handles the themes of grief and the need to express emotion better than the book does.
The filmmakers could be applauded for trying to handle such weighty subject matters, but the lacklustre script, heavy-handed dialogue, and unconvincing acting undermine what they were trying to achieve. This is a shame as there are children the world over struggling with loss due to death and divorce and this film could have been the catalyst for them to heal. Of course, the book can probably be recommended in this regard.
The film is not terrible, but it’s not great either. It can be recommended for families looking for something to watch on a rainy Sunday afternoon, but it’s not going to offer anything life-changing. Give it a go, especially if you have kids, but be prepared for a few tears at the end.
