The fault

I asked my girl if I could call her a BIG FAN of John Green and she said no. She says she's at best, a fan. My girl is quite specific that about such things. Like she is a BIG FAN of Sherlock but she's just a fan of Benedict Cumberbatch (who plays Sherlock).

But honestly I couldn't really tell. Because sometimes she can go on and on. Which was the case with the movie, "The fault in our stars". She soooooo badly wanted to see the movie. She had read the book "The fault in our stars" is based on and had cried her eyes out. That was two years ago. So when the movie came out recently, she haaaad to go see it.

I promised her I would take her. She warned me though that I would cry. Like bawl my eyes out kind of cry. She said watching the trailer alone already reduced her to a weeping mess. I think this has to be the first time I am told I would cry at a movie.

Last night we finally went to see the movie. I brought THREE hankies. One for each of us. My girl said it wasn't enough. So we telephoned son who was coming later to bring 5 more - all for her.

First of all, I want to say I've never read any of John Green's books. I have only heard of him through my daughter. So I am untainted by his awesomeness. I know his books sell very well. I have no idea how much of his materials went into the movie. But with all the hype, I went to the movie expecting to be swept away.

It didn't happen. But did I cry? Hell, yes. I almost felt like I went prepped to cry. I mean, we brought EIGHT hankies for heaven's sake. On reflection, the director manipulated me into crying. I didn't bawl my head off. Just a few tears here and there, especially at the end. Geez, I mean, the sad music plus the dialogue... you have to be made of stone not to tear up.

My girl totally controlled herself and only soaked up THREE hankies. She left the cinema with swollen eyes. My son had a few tears as well. He didn't need any hankie. So good to know he's not made of stone either.

Other than the tear inducing parts, the movie was quite draggy. I am definitely not the target audience. It's a sweet, simple story. Maybe the book is better. I don't know. I didn't plan to read the book. But perhaps I will. Just to compare. It's a girl (Hazel) meets boy (Augustus), boy makes girl fall in love, someone dies kind of thing. I feel there's something missing from the movie that will wrench my heart out and make me think of my own life, my own troubles, my own mortality, my kids' mortality. The fact that none of that happened makes me wonder if perhaps I am made of stone after all. And I really didn't understand why the tourists at Anne Frank's bedroom clapped when the main characters kissed. That was soooo confusing. Yes, I understand that was the moment when the girl umm.. gave in to her feelings for the boy. But the applause? Really? In Anne Frank's bedroom?

Strangely, I thought Augustus' blind friend was a more interesting character... Wouldn't it be interesting if he had told the story instead of Hazel seeing how he lost his sight 1/3 in the movie. I actually think a sequel to this movie would be great. Like how the ones who live cope with the death of their loved ones. How you go about your day to day. How you make sense of the death and be okay.

As a parent of two teens in the cinema, I was frankly quite disturbed by the sex scene. I never knew PG13 allowed that much nudity and well, the sex scene.

Do I recommend this movie? Sure, if you're going with your teens, but really, one hankie is more than enough.