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The Perks of The Perks of Being a Wallflower
By Emma Cooper
Published: July 31, 2014
On my very first day of high school, I was late to class, and in my rush, I tripped up the stairs as my shoes fell down the stairs. To add insult to injury, I picked myself up and turned around only to realize that an entire classroom of seniors was watching my humiliating ordeal. I flushed, picked up my shoes, and scurried off to my first class of high school five minutes late. High school is a time full of awkwardness, trials, successes, failures, and most of all, growing up. No matter the background from which someone hails, the teenage years are ones of growth and discovery. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, a film directed and screen written by Stephen Chbosky, portrays these experiences in an extremely relatable and moving manner which creates a lasting impression and perspective on the teenage experience.
Perks is adapted from Stephen Chbosky’s book, The Perks of Being a Wallflower , and was released in October 2012 with little initial success. On it’s opening weekend it only grossed approximately $228,000 (IMDb). Eventually, however, the box office did begin to pick up and the movie became fairly monetarily successful. Logan Lerman, of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief , Emma Watson, of the Harry Potter series, and Ezra Miller all deliver stellar performances as they lead Perks ’ cast. The film, set in mid-1990’s Pittsburg, PA, portrays a timeless feel as it focuses on the narrator, Charlie, played by Lerman, as he enters his first year of high school an anxious wallflower who is struggling to find his place. However, he soon befriends the radiant and understanding Sam, portrayed by Watson, and her quirky and lively brother Patrick, portrayed by Miller. In fact, one of the best features of the movie is the spectacular acting chemistry and believability between Lerman and Watson. Additionally, Miller’s performance as the charismatic and slightly eccentric friend adds to the overall enjoyment and quality of Perks . Together, the friends open up and deal with issues such as unhealthy relationships, drugs, family pressures, bullying, and more. Almost immediately, Charlie and Sam grow very close and it becomes obvious that there is chemistry between them. As their friendship unfolds, the movie addresses a range of typical and not so typical high school dramas. Furthermore, the atypical issues that Perks deals with are what I believe make the film enthralling and different from other generic high school, coming-of-age movies.
Some critics say that Perks deals only with the same, redundant, teenage, “angsty” dramas that other high school movies commonly deal with. For example, Jordan Mintzer of the Hollywood Reporter said, “… The Perks of Being a Wallflower , a heartfelt but rather generic coming-of-age dramedy” (Mintzer). I believe, however, that his review is short sighted and that the film does, in fact, address more than just the run-of-the-mill problems. Although I cannot spoil all of these details, it becomes very obvious in certain scenes that Charlie is dealing with more than the average high schooler. This can be seen in the consistent references to his Aunt Helen’s death. While it is normal for one to be troubled by a death in the family, the number of times and situations in which Aunt Helen’s death is brought up gives a hint that there is more to Charlie’s issues than meets the eye. For example, any time that Charlie gets very stressed, Aunt Helen is mentioned. In fact, she is brought up enough that she eventually becomes a major character. While, one is not initially sure why so much attention is paid to Aunt Helen, it is obvious that the movie is dealing with more than just generic high school problems.
Another factor that makes Perks a good movie is the quality acting and the resultant depth of the characters. Some critics, such as Richard Corliss, bash the movie for casting adult actors: “Oh to be 20 again, and in high school! That’s the implicit theme of The Perks of Being a Wallflower … and of the many other rite-of-passage movies that cast actors in their early twenties to play kids four to six years younger” (Corliss). While it is true that Perks ’ actors were, in fact, in their early twenties, they all look and act convincingly like students in high school. Furthermore, Corliss’ criticism is invalidated by the quality of the acting portrayed consistently throughout the film. Lerman does a fantastic job of playing the anti-social wallflower, Charlie, and Watson is the perfect depiction of the confident and upbeat Sam. Together, their chemistry reels the viewer in to experience every emotional moment. In one of the best scenes exemplifying their stellar acting, Sam kisses Charlie for the first time. Charlie’s stuttering, hesitation, and even body language contradict but also mesh perfectly with Sam’s deliberate and reassuring actions in order to create an extremely believable first kiss sequence. Lerman and Watson play their leading roles in such a perfect manner that anyone can believe they are in high school. Additionally, everyone can relate to them and their experiences no matter what one's personal background may be.
One scene that shows the overall excellence of Perks is the final tunnel scene. In this sequence, the trio of friends drives through a tunnel and stands up while listening to “the song,” an experience which has played a major role in their friendship. Many critics did actually praise this scene for its effectiveness, and I agree whole-heartedly with them. As critic Ian Buckwalter, said, “The film is filled with moments like [the tunnel scene], where the director triggers genuine sentimentality and waves of nostalgia through interaction between sound and image” (Buckwalter). Charlie narrates the scene, as he does many other scenes, as if he were writing a letter to the audience. The reoccurring narration allows an element of insightfulness and depth that many other coming-of-age movies lack. In addition, the background music behind the narration is a light twinkling variation of bell sounds that compliments the narration perfectly. At the end of the narration, Charlie’s voice cuts out and David Bowie’s song, “Heroes,” swells to the front just as the trio exits the tunnel. This combination of music emotes a feeling of inspiration, bravery, and hope. The tunnel scene is just one example of the film's fantastic soundtrack and audio mixing, which is consistently effective throughout the entire film. Even further, the cinematography and camera angles used in the tunnel sequence focus heavily on the faces of the characters with bright bulbs of light all around them. These two images, when put together, create in the viewer's mind the image of hope and the idea of heading towards the light at the end of the actual and figurative tunnel. Together, the narration, background music, and cinematography create a scene that sends chills across one’s skin every single time. The tunnel scene, and the entire film, effectively uses film techniques and ethos in order to appeal to the audience’s emotions and cause them to feel as if they are in the movie, in the situations, and personally connected with the characters and their teenage experience.
Finally, I strongly recommend The Perks of Being a Wallflower to anyone because I believe it is well produced, superbly acted, effectively uses film techniques and ethos, and is a relatable story which strongly conveys the fact that many issues which may seem tragic oftentimes actually help one grow and mature. I especially recommend the film to its target audience of teenagers, as the lesson about life’s issues is one that every high schooler needs to understand. Perks is a timeless and relatable movie which I have already seen twice and would gladly see again.
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Works Cited
Buckwalter, Ian. "How 'Perks of Being a Wallflower' Breaks an Old Filmmaking Curse." The Atlantic . N.p., 12 Sept. 2012. Web.
Corliss, Richard. "The Perks of Being a Wallflower: A Teen Angel’s Dreamy Angst." Entertainment . N.p., 13 Sept. 2012. Web.
IMDb. IMDb.com , n.d. Web.
Mintzer, Jordan. "The Perks of Being a Wallflower: Toronto Review - The Hollywood Reporter." The Hollywood Reporter . N.p., 07 Sept. 2012. Web.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower . Stephen Chbosky. Summit Entertainment, 2012. Film.
- Where and how does the author of the piece engage with counterarguments? Do you think that the author’s interaction with these critics is ethical? Why or why not? Give at least one example.
- One of the challenges and opportunities of discussing films is that films often incorporate different media (sound, still images, moving images, lighting, text), all of which contribute to the rhetoric of the piece. What specific multimedia aspects of the film does Cooper mention that strengthen the claim of her review?
- The second paragraph of the essay offers background information for the film and a summary of the plot without spoilers for the reader who has not seen this film. What kind of information does Cooper interweave in the review that seems to be important for readers to determine whether they should watch the film? How does Cooper summarize the plot, giving specific details, without giving away the end?
Emma Cooper
Emma Cooper is a biology major and international development studies minor from Wichita, Kansas. On campus, she calls Lewis Hall her home and is passionate about working with GlobeMed and Best Buddies. In the future, she hopes to attend medical school and become a pediatric neurologist. Her piece, "The Perks of The Perks of Being a Wallflower ," is a movie review and analysis of Steven Chobsoky’s movie, The Perks of Being a Wallflower . Inspiration for this piece came from the viewing of the movie and the strong impact that it had on Emma. She would like to thank her Writing and Rhetoric instructor, professor Deborah Forteza, for all of her help with this piece and for improving her writing ability.
One kid’s lucky freshman year
We are republishing this review in honor of the 10th anniversary of the passing of Roger Ebert . Read why one of our contributors chose this review here .
All of my previous selves still survive somewhere inside of me, and my previous adolescent would have loved “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” The movie has received glowing reviews, and some snarky ones that seem to have been written by previous adults. The film is about an alienated high-school freshman who sees himself as a chronic outsider, and then is befriended by a group of older kids who embrace their non-conformist status.
The movie confirms one of my convictions: If you are too popular in high school, you may become so fond of the feeling that you never find out who you really are. The film is based on Stephen Chbosky’s best-selling young-adult novel, which was published in 1999 and is now on many shelves next to The Catcher in the Rye . It offers the rare pleasure of an author directing his own book, and doing it well. No one who loves the book will complain about the movie, and especially not about its near-ideal casting.
The story, set in the early 1990s, tells the story of Charlie ( Logan Lerman ), who begins it as a series of letters to a “friend.” He enters high school tremulously and without confidence, and is faced on his first day by that great universal freshman crisis: Which table in the lunchroom will they let me sit at? Discouraged at several tables, he’s welcomed by two smart and sympathetic seniors.
They are Sam and Patrick, played by Emma Watson in her own coming-of-age role after the “Harry Potter” movies, and Ezra Miller , who was remarkable as an alienated teenager in “ We Need to Talk About Kevin .” Charlie makes the mistake of assuming they are a couple, and Sam’s laughter corrects him; actually, they’re half-siblings. Charlie is on the edge of outgrowing his depression and dorkdom, and is eerily likable in his closed-off way. One of the key players in his life is the dead aunt ( Melanie Lynskey ) he often has imaginary meetings with.
Patrick is tall, gangly and gay; Sam is friendly and lovable. Charlie gets a quick crush on her, but she explains she has a b.f. and encourages his friendship. Through them, he meets the quasi-punk Mary Elizabeth ( Mae Whitman ), who definitely is interested in dating him, and a pothead named Bob (Adam Hagenbuch), who nudges Charlie toward adventures most teenagers have once in life, and few should have twice.
We learn a lot about their high school crowd by finding out they’re instrumental in the local midnight showings of “ The Rocky Horror Picture Show .” When Charlie is unexpectedly pressed into service playing a key role one night during their performance, it provides him with a turning point that may be contrived but is certainly entertaining.
Their crowd is artsy, outsider, non-conformist. They become the influence that rescues Charlie from his deep insecurity and his depression over the suicide of a friend; they teach him it’s OK to be who he is. In his first year, he learns a little, very tentatively, about sex, drinking and drugs, and a lot about friendship.
He’s also guided by Mr. Anderson ( Paul Rudd ), his English teacher, who steers him toward seminal books including, yes, The Catcher in the Rye . Why is it that English, drama and music teachers are most often recalled as our mentors and inspirations? Maybe because artists are rarely members of the popular crowd.
Note: This review includes material from my Toronto Film Festival blog post about this title.
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
- Paul Rudd as Mr. Anderson
- Kate Walsh as Mom
- Ezra Miller as Patrick
- Logan Lerman as Charlie
- Emma Watson as Sam
- Mae Whitman as Mary Elizabeth
- Dylan McDermott as Dad
- Melanie Lynskey as Aunt Helen
Written and directed by
- Stephen Chbosky
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The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Charlie, a 15-year-old introvert, enters high school and is nervous about his new life. When he befriends his seniors, he learns to cope with his friend's suicide and his tumultuous past. Charlie, a 15-year-old introvert, enters high school and is nervous about his new life. When he befriends his seniors, he learns to cope with his friend's suicide and his tumultuous past. Charlie, a 15-year-old introvert, enters high school and is nervous about his new life. When he befriends his seniors, he learns to cope with his friend's suicide and his tumultuous past.
- Stephen Chbosky
- Logan Lerman
- Emma Watson
- Ezra Miller
- 833 User reviews
- 393 Critic reviews
- 67 Metascore
- 20 wins & 51 nominations
Top cast 99+
- Mr. Anderson
- Senior Bully
- Nose Tackle
- Ponytail Derek
- Mr. Callahan
- Mean Freshman Girl
- (as Emily Callaway)
- Shakespeare Girl
- Freshman Boy
- (as Justine Schaefer)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
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Did you know
- Trivia Stephen Chbosky wrote the book that the movie is based on. He also wrote the screenplay and directed the movie.
- Goofs Mr. Anderson claims that it was Charles Dickens who left a character literally hanging by his fingers in a serialized story, thus contributing to the term "cliffhanger." In fact, the author was Thomas Hardy , in his 1873 serial novel A Pair of Blue Eyes.
[last lines]
Charlie : [voice-over] I don't know if I will have the time to write any more letters because I might be too busy trying to participate. So if this does end up being the last letter, I just want you to know that I was in a bad place before I started high school, and you helped me. Even if you didn't know what I was talking about or know someone who's gone through it, you made me not feel alone. Because I know there are people who say all these things don't happen. And there are people who forget what it's like to be 16 when they turn 17. I know these will all be stories someday. And our pictures will become old photographs. We'll all become somebody's mom or dad. But right now these moments are not stories. This is happening. I am here and I am looking at her. And she is so beautiful. I can see it. This one moment when you know you're not a sad story. You are alive, and you stand up and see the lights on the buildings and everything that makes you wonder. And you're listening to that song and that drive with the people you love most in this world. And in this moment I swear, we are infinite.
- Connections Featured in Chelsea Lately: Episode #6.135 (2012)
- Soundtracks Could It Be Another Change Written by Sean Kelly Performed by The Samples Courtesy of W.A.R.? - What Are Records? Ltd.
User reviews 833
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- Oct 17, 2023
- Is 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower' based on a book?
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- What did Aunt Helen do to Charlie?
- October 12, 2012 (United States)
- United States
- Official Facebook
- Las ventajas de ser invisible
- Fort Pitt Tunnel, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA (Tunnel scenes in the back of the pickup truck)
- Summit Entertainment
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- $13,000,000 (estimated)
- $17,742,948
- Sep 23, 2012
- $33,384,127
Technical specs
- Runtime 1 hour 43 minutes
- Dolby Digital
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How “the perks of being a wallflower” helped me understand mental illness, the movie that explained it all, charlie from “perks” will open your eyes to the struggles of dealing with mental illness..
By Joanne Paquin , Emerson College
I was sitting in an empty movie theater with two close friends on a weekday night, expecting an uplifting, coming-of-age story about friendship and high school struggles starring our hero Emma Watson—a judgment based solely on the trailer for the film since none of us had read the book.
The film made me feel both recognized and invisible, and I didn’t know what to make of it.
It helped to talk about it with my friends once we were able to compose ourselves. Later that evening over milkshakes and French fries, one of my friends discussed how she saw Charlie’s suicide attempt coming.
To both of us, Charlie represented mental illness. He represented depression, social anxiety and isolation. He put into words thoughts and feelings that a lot of people struggle to understand, including myself.
For example, toward the end of the film, Charlie talks to his doctor played by Joan Cusack :
I understood, I wanted to tell him. It’s your close friends stressing out over bad grades and home problems. It’s your parents’ financial crises and the death of your cat. It’s knowing that there is so, so much unnecessary and misplaced hate in the world. Not only are you bearing the weight of your own problems, but you’re carrying everyone else’s pain as well. And at a certain point it becomes too much.
He says, “I can see it. This one moment when you know you’re not a sad story. You are alive. And you stand up and see the lights on the buildings and everything that makes you wonder. And you’re listening to that song and that drive with the people who you love most in this world. And in this moment, I swear, we are infinite.”
And for that I owe Charlie a whole lot.
Joanne Paquin, Emerson College
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Analysis Of The Main Messages In The Film Perks Of Being A Wallflower
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