THE FAULT IN OUR STARS: Flawless performances! Flawed Direction! [2.5/5]

When life gives you tough times, you better learn how to bounce back and have a good laugh at it. Immensely inspired by the idea of diluting the pain with humor, THE FAULT IN OUR STARS is a love-story between two young teenagers fighting for their lives with cancer and its after-effects. This romantic journey, at the very start swears not to be ‘sugarcoated’ or ‘melodramatic’ like other fairytales but apparently ends up being a too simplistic, sentimental & single-tracked tearjerker. May be youngsters in love could relate to it more, I find it just another love-story with some good performances and a few moments to cherish. And my subject of concern here is only the film and not the book.

With an attached oxygen tank and a tube to her nose, cancer patient Hazel Grace [Played by Shailene Woodley] meets Gus [Ansel Elgort], a charming cancer survivor with an artificial metallic leg in a Cancer Support group…and the chemistry between two gets ignited from the very first encounter. Together they smile at their disabilities in life with wit and humor and also take the journey to fulfill Hazel’s dream to meet her favorite novelist [Williem Dafoe in a delicious appearance], but the stars have their own set of fate written all over.

Based on John Green’s hysterical bestseller of same name, THE FAULT IN OUR STARS captures the essence, excitement and enthusiasm of first love beautifully with wide-eyed lovers passing on never-ending smiles, crackling one-liners to make other happy and more and more of sweet talks on phone chats but it goes on and on in a single dimension till the second part decides to turn you a puddle of tears by adding melodramatic events. At one point of time, even the witty one-liners lose their steam because of your preempt participation in what comes next.

Performances are saviors. Shailene Woodley’s charismatic presence as a sadistic but sensible teenager is worth looking at screen. Even in her emotional outbursts, she maintains her promise. Ansel Elgort succeeds in winning hearts [of girls] through his lovely portrayal of a diehard lover who doesn’t leave any stones unturned to make sure Hazel could fulfill her wish. Nat Wolff plays Issac, a partly blind teenager who has been ditched by his girlfriend. He shares some of the good enjoyable moments mostly where he’s seen expressing and throwing off all his anger on things like Gus’ trophies and his ex-girlfriend’s house.  Williem Dafoe, after year’s THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL is in top form. As a grumpy moody novelist who doesn’t hesitate to talk rough with even his fans, he is brilliant.

Overall, THE FAULT IN OUR STARS is a big letdown on the part of Josh Boone. A more cleared vision and a gripping screenplay would have done better. Probably, it’s just another ‘lost in translation’ effort that is better restricted to words and not visuals on screen.  Strictly watchable only because of performances!  [2.5/5]           

DIVERGENT: …this hunger game needed more on entertainment! Still a good watch!! [3/5]

Not all Sci-fi action thrillers are heaving with meticulously detailed and extensive visual recreations of a futuristic world only can be constructed from the immeasurable usage of creativity and technology. Some play it subtle, delicate and translucently in synced with human emotions at the base. Neil Burger’s DIVERGENT is one such science-fiction based on the bestselling novel of same name by Veronica Roth.

In the futuristic society of Chicago, natives get segmented in five major factions based on their human instincts of selflessness, tranquility, honesty, intelligence and courage. A classified social structure that gives everyone a well-deserved chance to actively take participation in the growth and smooth run of the culture looks more than just impressive at first but it starts losing its sheen soon when a girl [Shailene Woodley] of her own set of fears and complexities gets identified as an another kind who doesn’t fit any of the five factions. From the time she had to choose for her preferred faction to the heartless phase in the training camp, this so-called ‘Divergent’ girl constantly fights with her inner uncertainty about her identity, abilities and the emotional strength that could drive her to any extent till she smells conspiracy against the more human-less mechanical ‘Divergents’.

‘DIVERGENT’ represents an ultra-modern version of a society that is very much identical to our caste-system where every group has its responsibility well-designed, defined and pre-decided but technology-driven. It also dares to question our missing sensitivity and compassion against each other. The combatants are being produced endlessly like on a conveyor belt but with literally no sense of right and wrong. Film slips assertively into a human-emotional drama rather going the way awe-striking action sequences charm our regular sci-fi viewers. And that makes us uncomfortable in our seats sometimes because of its a bit stretched duration and a pace that rebels to move story ahead. Though the film has a cautionary declaimer as ‘all the stunts seen here have been performed under expert supervision and it is advised to do not attempt this at your own’, leave a couple of scenes in the first half and you would hardly notice any such pulsating action sequences to fulfill the promise. Lacking in the entertainment quotient here is a big letdown.

On the performances, Shailene as a puzzled individual about her identity carries the film on her shoulders. Her character graph promises a good wide playground to perform varied emotions and she utilizes that very efficiently. Theo James supports her well as Four-the instructor at the training camp. Kate Winslet plays an important cameo and does it beautifully. Film’s biggest strength is the comforting cinematography, bright music score and visual effects that transit you in a futuristic world that’s less complicated and very much relatable. 

At the end, Neil Burger’s DIVERGENT is a good watch despite its occasionally dead pace and the shortage of jaw-dropping action sequences but not for regular hardcore science-fiction lovers. [3/5]