By Maryna Mendez, Lakewood High School, Lakewood, Colorado

Based on the best-selling novel of the same title, The Perks of Being a Wallflower wowed audiences with a fantastic cast and an even better storyline. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is the perfect coming of age film to see on a date, with friends, or even alone, if you are a wallflower yourself.

Taking place in the 1990’s, the story follows Charlie (Logan Lerman), a high school freshman who had been depressed and in the hospital over the summer, as he navigates through his first year of high school. Charlie keeps to himself, making it difficult for him to make friends. Ultimately, he’s afraid to let anyone in and so the only friend he makes on his first day of freshman year is his English teacher Mr. Anderson (Paul Rudd), a man who inspires him to write and possibly pursue literature as a career. A few days later, though, he meets Patrick (Ezra Miller), a quirky senior who befriends him rather than make fun of him, and his step-sister Sam (Emma Watson). The three become best friends instantly and the two invite Charlie to parties and to hang out with their friends, pulling him out of his depression and making him feel like things would be okay for once. Everything is perfect until an incident flips Charlie’s world right back around and sends him back into his depression and reveals his deepest secret.

The cast of The Perks of Being a Wallflower was absolutely amazing, truly making the audience empathize with them and care about their characters. You will leave the theater believing that you just made three new friends by the names of Charlie, Patrick, and Sam. The producers did a great job of making the film legitimately look like it took place in the 1990’s, from the music to the wardrobe choices. Overall, the film was just very well made.

You definitely don’t want to miss out on The Perks of Being a Wallflower.