The Perks of Being a Wallflower

There's something quite special about discovering a small film, a movie that none of your friends have mentioned, whose ads don't blow away the newspaper pages. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is one of those films.

I must say, however, I've read many a quick review, which has told me this is definitely a film to see. There's even some veiled Oscar talk.

Small films like this don't get their actors nominated, but this brilliant screenplay (by Stephen Chbosky, based on a novel by Chbosky) might force a second look. And, as to the acting, it's really superb. The Academy might reconsider its guidelines.

We first see Charlie when he's about to go to high school for the first time. You learn almost immediately that Charlie hasn't been to school because he's been in a hospital. Knowing no one, this introvert goes about trying to find his way through the hell of high school, and tries to make friends. With a little bit of effort on his part, he finds one in Patrick (Ezra Miller), and through Patrick's connections, Sam (the all-grown-up-Hermione from Harry Potter, Emma Watson).

One of the great parts about this film is that we follow all three characters, not just Charlie, and each has moments that reveal. Most of these moments are quite painful but quite real. You may recognize yourself in one of these lives.

A nice little perk is the appearance, albeit short, of Paul Rudd as one of Charlie's teachers.

Thumb's up.