The problem may be that “The Fault in Our Stars” is based on a book by John Green this certainly wouldn’t be the first time a strong literary narrative had troubles translating to the screen. The problem is, once those things start happening, those things need to get resolved, and this leads to a bloated film. If you can stick with the movie to Amsterdam, “The Fault in Our Stars” shifts into a much more engaging narrative, because, well, things start happening. Hazel is determined to get the author’s interpretation of his ending, but, unfortunately, Van Houten has become a recluse - because, like all writers, he’s deep and eccentric. Van Houten wrote her favorite book, “An Imperial Affliction,” which perfectly captures the sense of dealing with death but has an ambiguous ending. Things don’t get interesting until the pair takes a trip to Amsterdam in search of Hazel’s favorite novelist, Peter Van Houten (Willem Dafoe). Granted, both characters are dealing with different stages of cancer, but aside from a little hesitation on Hazel’s side and a little resistance from her father (Sam Trammell), the kids’ road to true love doesn’t hit much more than a speed bump or two. The first half of the film, then, shares the linear story of their awkward courtship. Gus meets Hazel and is smitten immediately. Gus attends the same group, which is run by the kind of stereotypical clueless zealot that Hollywood loves to use as a cheap stand-in for Christianity. She also carries around a cynical outlook on life, which comes to the forefront when her mother (Laura Dern) persuades her to join a support group at a local Christian church.Īnsel Elgort plays Gus, also a teen dealing with cancer, but he's in recovery from a bout that took his right leg below the knee. Because of this, she has to carry an oxygen tank to breathe. Shailene Woodley plays Hazel, a teenager with stage-four terminal cancer. The key to a good story is conflict, and an early lack of conflict undermines “The Fault in Our Stars,” a well-intended film about loving life while dealing with death. “ THE FAULT IN OUR STARS ” - 2 1/2 stars - Shailene Woodley, Willem Dafoe, Laura Dern, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff, Mike Birbiglia PG-13 (thematic elements, some sexuality and brief strong language) in general release
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