People have had a strong connection to "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" since the book came out in 1999. Many say it saved their life, others related to the characters, and most thought it was an honest depiction about high school. I read "Perks" during my "awkward teen novel" phase during 2011, which also included "Its Kind of a Funny Story." The book is one of my favorite, just because even if you haven't exactly been through those situations, everyone understand how it feels to be alone.
The movie, like the book, is set in the school year of '91-'92, and is told in a form of letters that the main character, Charlie, is writing to an anonymous person. He heard this person is nice, and didn't sleep with a person they know they could at a party, and a good listener. Charlie this chronicles his life through these letters, starting with his first day of Freshman year, after the summer his best friend committed suicide. Why Charlie is at first a wallflower, Freshman shop with a senior student, Patrick, leads to him having the courage to talk to him at a football game. There he meets Sam, Patrick step-sister and best friend. The movie then chronicles his first year in high school and all the awkwardness that comes with growing away from the wall.
While the movie is good, since I already knew the ending, it wasn't as exciting to me compared to someone who hasn't read the book. The movie was very true to the book, the screenplay was written by the author and he also directed he movie, of course its impossible to transmit the same connection. A few things are left out or changed to make more since in a movie, which is understandable, however, takes away from the impact of the punch.
I would definitely recommend this movie, but please do yourself a favor and read the book. You will really understand and connect to the characters more and understand the perks, and downsides, to being a wallflower.
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