The Perks of Being A Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wildflower 
Written and Directed by Stephen Chbosky
102 minutes
Summit Entertainment, 2012
Rating:  PG-13
Genre:  Movie 
 
Annotation/Teaser:  Charlie enters his freshmen year of high school and befriends a group of seniors who introduce him to a world of music and parties.  Will Charlie finally be able to deal with the trauma and deaths that he experienced in his past?

Plot Summary:  After the suicide of his best friend,  Charlie enters his first year of high school.  He has no friends except for his English teacher who wants to be a writer.  When he attends a football game, he meets two seniors, Patrick and Sam and is quickly accepted into their group of friends.  Despite his lack of social ability, he is introduced to a new world of drugs and parties.  He is also introduced to a new kind of music and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. 
Charlie is finally in a place where he feels loved and accepted but he is still repressing some things from his past.  Even though, his parents are supportive and loving, Charlie is keeping a horrible family secret and has a mental breakdown.  Charlie's story is told through a series of letters written to a stranger as he maneuvers his way through his first year of high school. 
About The Writer/Director:   Stephen Chbosky was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on January 25, 1972, to Fred, a former CFO consultant, and Lea, a tax preparer. He grew up in Upper St. Clair, graduating from the local high school. He received his Bachelor of the Fine Arts degree from the University of Southern California’s film writing program in 1992.
Chbosky is a screenwriter, television writer, and stage writer. His first film, The Four Corners of Nowhere, which he wrote the screenplay for and also directed, premiered at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival, the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. The film won Narrative Feature honors at the Chicago Underground Film Festival. According to an All Movie Guide plot description written by Sandra Brennan, The Four Corners of Nowhere is a “humorous film [that] attempts to explain the nihilistic attitudes and terminal ennui of the X-generation.” The film follows the lives, relationships, and opinions of a group of twentysomethings living in Ann Arbor, Michigan. In addition to his honors for The Four Corners of Nowhere, Chbosky has been recognized for other films to which he contributed. Chbosky is most well-known in the literary world for his popular, coming-of-age novel, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, published by MTV/Pocket Books in February 1999.  Most recently, Chobsky was a creator, writer, and executive producer of the CBS television series Jericho, which was an action drama show delving into aftermath of nuclear attacks in a fictional town in Kansas called Jericho. Jericho premiered in 2006, but was canceled in 2008 at the end of the second season.  Chbosky lives and works in Los Angeles, California. He is an active gay rights supporter, and he continues to work on films.
Stephen Chbosky Biography Retrieved from http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu

Critical Evaluation:  The character of Charlie develops throughout the novel.  When his best friend kills himself, he is unsure how to move forward into his freshman year in high school.  That is, until he meets Sam and Patrick.  He starts off as an immature and naive young boy who has not dealt with the past.  He is extremely shy and really just doesn't know a lot about being a teenager.  But through his friendship with the artsy group of older kids, he breaks out of his shell.  This is when he starts to really grow and become a normal teenager.   Sam and Patrick help him overcome his shyness by taking him to parties, introducing him to music and experimenting with drugs.  He even takes an active part in acting in the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Another element that was great in the movie was Charlie as the narrator.  I loved that he was telling the story as we watched the scenes take place.  And the movie jumped between his narrative and the actual scene.  I would highly recommend this movie.  I think because it is directed by the author, it is a fantastic piece of work.  He already had the images because he is the creator so that really worked for this movie.  

Curriculum Ties:  English, Psychology, Sociology

Book Talk Ideas:  Talk about acceptance and how Charlie feels before he is accepted in his new group of friends and how he feels after his acceptance.  

Controversial Issues:  Sexual Abuse, suicide, underage drinking and drug use

Defense:  

*I will keep the library's selection policy on hand and memorized with a good understanding  of the standards and policies to show that the selection meets the standards. 

*I will keep good and bad reviews (both electronic and print) and make sure they are from reliable and respected sources such as School of Library Journal, Booklist, and YALSA. I will have copies of these reviews to give away. 

*I will confirm the library's position to provide intellectual freedom as stated in the Library Bill of Rights and keep a copy of this.

*I will keep a written rationale to justify the reasons this material is included in the collection, such as educational significance and curriculum ties.

*I will be respectful and calm and practice "active listening".

*I will make sure I read the material and are very familiar with it.

   

* I will keep a reconsideration form on file in the event that my other strategies don't work. 

Why I Chose This Movie?  This was a great movie based on a book.  This movie deals with real issues that teenagers might go through as far as friendship.  I think lots of teens can relate to this movie.