It's not often you watch a movie and find yourself almost jealous of how much love two fictional characters have for each other.
But that's just what happened after experiencing Josh Boone's romantic gem The Fault in Our Stars. Based on John Green's epic novel, this movie has you in stitches and tears from one scene to the next. After meeting at a cancer support group, Hazel Grace Lancaster (Shailene Woodley, The Descendants) and Augustus Waters (Ansel Elgort) become best of friends. Soon after, they discover their common thirst for adventure and living life to its fullest. And they just might fall in love far from home.
Both suffering from rare forms of cancer, the star-crossed teens find that spending time together makes them forget their impending fate. Late night phone calls tickle viewers, where Gus and Hazel establish "okay" symbolizes how much they care for each other. Words aside, it's remarkable how much support they show, through sickness and in health, as is promised in marriage vows. When Hazel has trouble breathing and becomes hospitalized, Gus drops everything and ensures he's in the waiting room despite his inability to see Hazel. Then later in the film, when he becomes gravely ill, Hazel reciprocates his giving actions. Some love stories may seem corny, but this one renders endearing constellations.
The subplots contain weaker character developments. The scenes in which their blind friend laments over having gotten dumped might not have been necessary. And then, when Hazel and Gus meet her favorite writer Van Houten (Willem Dafoe, Spider-Man) and realize that he is off the rocker, Gus does not defend her. Rather, Hazel confronts Van Houten on how awful he has behaved.
Just when it seemed the picture would drag, Hazel has a realization in an historic Amsterdam house. Anne Frank's story has inspired Hazel. For just like Frank, Hazel did not call upon or cause her unfortunate situation. Rather, she would make due with what she's been given and appreciate each moment. Rising to the occasion of writing beautiful verse or allowing yourself to fall in love can pose challenges. Expressing how you truly feel on the fly is not easy, and emotions often get the better of us. The culmination of these thoughts leads Hazel to grab Augustus and lock lips for the first time. Everyone around them claps, and we too are clapping inside.
Unless you go all in, you might feel down the road that you wish you had said goodbye to a loved one whose time would come sooner than expected. But in this case, Hazel and Gus knew what they were in for. Per Gus' request, Hazel and his friend Isaac (Nat Wolff, Palo Alto) prepare and privately read Gus eulogies in the event that he soon passes. What Hazel has prepared brings tears to Gus' eyes. She regrets nothing and feels thankful for however many moments they have shared together, even if a morsel of infinity. When he does in fact pass away, Hazel revises her script as to please those attending his funeral. It's a sweet move, proving that she saved that eulogy for his ears only. Well, and those of his friend, who could have very well not have been there as his presence did not add much in that moment. Out of nowhere, Van Houten apologizes and shows Hazel the last words Gus had written for her, in a eulogy, no less. This once again shows how the two rode on the same wavelength and were meant for each other, preparing eulogies and thoughts shared only with the one whom they wrote about.
Gazing at the stars, who really knows what Hazel Grace believes her future holds, a future without her true love. One might wonder what the fault in their stars is. Is it that they were not granted enough time together? Or perhaps because they loved each other too much? Regardless of what that title truly means, one thing's for sure: Hazel Grace will make every moment count as though it's her last. Now that's a mentality everyone, regardless of age, physical condition or demographic, should adopt. - LIZ KOBAK