The Fault in Our Stars written by John Green, published in 2012 was a cultural sensation of our generation. The novel centers around Hazel Grace Lancaster, a teenage girl with stage IV thyroid cancer and an obsession with the novel An Imperial Infliction. The story takes off after Hazel meets the charming Augustus Waters. From there, an iconic romance ensues between the two teenage cancer patients. The Fault in Our Stars is a gripping novel filled with comedy, romance, and deep quandaries. If you haven’t read John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, I highly recommend it.
I read The Fault in Our Stars (TFIOS) by John Green years ago. So many years ago (or maybe not that many, I don’t know) that I can’t remember how old I was or what year it was. I do remember, however, that I read the book in one 24 hour period and that I sobbed like a baby before even reaching the end of the book.
I remember loving Hazel, Augustus, and Isaac. I remember loving the metaphors and the sarcasm John Green wrote. And honestly, watching the movie made me realize even more about the book than when I had read it.
I think TFIOS the novel has a special place in the corner of my heart reserved for books I’ve read because of the nostalgia it brings me. I can strongly recall the moment when I got to the Sad Part. I was sitting in the bottom bunk of my bunk-bed; my only light source was the paper lanterns I had strung up on the “ceiling” bed. It was after midnight, and I couldn’t put the book down because I was determined to get to the end. I remember that night so vividly.
I have wanted to watch TFIOS the movie since then. But I never had the right streaming platform and didn’t want to buy a movie I might end up hating. So I lived my years almost forgetting about Hazel and Augustus. Until this summer.
BEHOLD DISNEY+
I was shocked to see The Fault in Our Stars staring me in the face on the Disney+ home page under “New to Disney+”. This movie had been quite elusive throughout the years and now here it was, beaming up at me. So obviously I watched it then and there (finishing the movie around 12:30am). So here is a bullet-pointed, speed run review of the movie adaptation of The Fault in Our Stars.
WARNING! SPOILERS MIGHT OCCUR BELOW. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!
- Isaac remained a great character, however the actor was a bit iffy.
- If Augustus approached me the way he did Hazel at the beginning of the movie, I would not have a love story with him. He did get better as the film went on, however.
- The movie was cheesy sometimes. But you just gotta put on your cheese-colored glasses and embrace it.
- Going into the movie, I thought it was going to spell everything out for me. And while it did do that at some parts, I was still able to use my analytical skills and critical thinking to understand the deeper meanings of some parts of the film. It does help having read the book though.
- Why did they kiss in the Anne Frank House?? I honestly don’t remember that part in the book but like…read the room guys.
- This movie felt surreal because a lot of the interactions wouldn’t happen IRL. (Looking at you, Monica’s mom).
- The eulogy part is when I started crying.
- The ending was okay.
Rating: Based on multiple factors, including having read the book prior, the movie being a teenage romance that came out many years ago, etc…, I would give this movie an 8/10. I didn’t cry as much as I did when I read the book, but I still had a good time overall.