Review of The Fault in Our Stars (2014) by Maksim B — 29 Oct 2014

A magnificent blend of medical drama, witty humor and romance, The Fault in Our Stars is a wonderful piece of cinematographic delight which entertains, breaks hearts and remains as an unforgettable experience. It overcomes all clichés of the medical dramas, stuns with breezy humor, down-to-earth realism and characters that in the end you could consider to be your friends.

Meant to be a mainstream teen-oriented tear-jerker, Josh Boone's delivery tells the story of the 17-years old, terminally ill Hazel (Shailene Woodley) who meets the cancel-recovered Gus (Ansel Elgort) and starts a sensitive and sweetly funny romance. Amidst the romance in the background, the breezy medical reality is mixed with dark humor, an exploration of life and dreams, only to show to the audience that life is much more beautiful than we think. The grip of director Josh Boone and his screenwriters on the audience is so strong, that the burst of emotions, tears or surprising laughs seem to be under his full control.

In addition to this wonderful story-telling blend, The Fault in Our Stars benefits from two extremely charming leading actors. Unknown to the wide audience, both Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort perfectly match the sharpness of their characters. The witty, intelligent and sometimes painfully realistic dialogues are among the biggest assets of Josh Boone's delivery. The verbal exchanges of ideas differentiate the movie from the clichéd cancer-dramas and speak truths that would make you smile, but also would make you cry.

The Fault in Our Stars is a tear-jerker that never exploits sentimentality and feelings to a level that would annoy. A beautifully constructed story, with magnificent performances and enough humor, sharpness and heartbreaking moments, this is one of the defining movies of 2014.A Must see!