3. The Fault In Our Stars (2014) – Directed by Josh Boone
The plot: John Green’s bestseller hardly needs explanation anymore. The novel was released in January 2012 and in that same month, the rights were optioned for an adaptation. The Fault In Our Stars follows the story of Hazel Grace Lancaster, a teenager battling cancer. Reluctantly, she visits a support group for cancer kids, where she meets Augustus Waters. The two share sarcastic humor, life philosophies and an undeniable love.
Why the adaptation works: Josh Boone’s film perfectly captures the feel of John Green’s #1 New York Times bestseller. The film is funny and tragic, both at the same time, but never too much. “Director Josh Boone does a wonderful job of celebrating the sentimentality,” writer Richard Roeper from Chicago Sun-Times, “without shying away from the tough moments.”
The performances by the two main actors are phenomenal. Shailene Woodley channels the main character, Hazel Grace Lancaster, brilliantly. She is witty, she is smart and she is strong. The most impressive aspect of her performance in “The Fault In Our Stars,” is the fact that she portrays terminal illness in a very believable way. Woodley never overacts that fact, but instead, she puts in a beautiful yet heartfelt way. Woodley’s co-star, Ansel Elgort gets overshadowed by her acting, but nonetheless, he does a fine job in portraying Augustus Waters. He is handsome, charming and witty – but it is Woodley who, rightfully, takes the spotlight.
