The Fault in our Stars

I saw this today, I haven't read the book and didn't really know much about it. I'd been told it is a great book & that it's really sad and I'd assumed this was because the girl is sick and dies(the oxygen thing in the girls nose was my clue). My husband doesn't understand why I would subject myself to a sad movie when you could watch a happy one (and I don't understand why he bother to watch/read the news so that makes us equal) but I wanted to see it because I was in a bit of a funk and needed an excuse to cry... And cry I did!

It was sad but not for the reasons I'd thought it would be, yes the main girl character - Hazel Grace Lancaster (or something like that) is sick and dying and yes she and the boy Augustus Waters(Gus) fall in love  but the love isn't instantaneous love, it is a slow growing love formed around a friendship as described in the movie "I fell in love the way you fall asleep: slowly, and then all at once." It was beautiful to watch develop and I think the cinematography really displayed it so well I felt the excitement, nerves and flirtation.

The thing that I found saddened me was not the fact that Hazel Grace was sick it was more her obsession around what happens when she dies, is everyone going to be okay? It made me think about the comfort we provide to the dying verses what they need from us. It isn't necessarily to provide comfort that they will be ok or we are here for them in their time of "need" but that WE will be okay without them. Another line that stuck with me was after the funeral and Hazel had chosen not to read the words she had written she said "a funeral is not for the dead, it's for those that have been left behind."

Another thing I found saddening and thought provoking was a conversation late in the film between Hazel and Gus about his fear of oblivion, or being forgotten - he wants to be great, remembered as a hero and have stories written about him and she replies that isn't her love and admiration enough. I found it thought provoking in respect to my own craving for stardom and admiration. It made me question myself and my own relationships with people. Isn't it better to be deeply loved by one person than adored or known by many? Isn't one persons total love and admiration enough? What more do you want in life?

I found this film was layered with so many thought provoking moments and I was still quiet emotional an hour after I'd seen it. The emotion I was expecting (after all that's why I went to see it), it just wasn't the way I expected to feel. I really enjoyed the film 
so I give it 4.5 (.5 short of perfection because there was a single moment I was wanting the end to hurry up and come).

M xo