The book of The Fault in Our Stars, written by John Green, is an incredibly emotional story about two teenagers who meet at a cancer support group and fall in love. Though clearly aimed more at a teenage audience, it is a story of first love and coping with loss and pain, and therefore has a much wider appeal.
The romance is the central focus but Green realises that the story does not simply belong to Hazel and Gus. There are friends and family, people in their lives to consider. Of these, the parents are spectacular, especially Hazel’s always-lingering, always-trying mother. However, it is Gus’s best friend Isaac who really steals the show. His story is fantastically written, with all the anger, frustration and humour you can imagine perfectly wrapped up together in this fascinating character.
Despite the power of the book, it’s easy to see why some readers have taken issue with the very adult voice of the two teenage leads. While the implication is that they have become deep and profound (and extremely well-read!) due to the sheer amount of time spent in and out of hospital with nothing to do but think and read, the very adult tone to their voices really doesn’t fit perfectly within the story.
Despite this, it’s a powerful book that really stays with you after you finish it. While it is incredibly emotional and sad, there is humour and love to be found within its pages. It’s cute, endearing and so utterly beautiful that it’s not surprising that readers around the world have read and fallen in love with the story.
In the film adaptation Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort take on the roles of Hazel and Gus. In their hands, these incredible characters – so elegantly created by Green – become that little bit more relatable, the way they speak to each other no longer an issue.
THE FAULT IN OUR STARS really is a phenomenal example of a great adaptation, translating the feel of the book to the big screen flawlessly. It is compacted and tweaked, rather than altered, in order to fit into the time restrictions of a feature film and manages to keep the essence of the original. Director Josh Boone shows real maturity in his filmmaking, despite being a relative beginner (he only has one prior feature film under his belt before this one!). There is no shying away from the pain of the story or glossing over anything here.
The cast are all superb – and not just Shailene Woodley who is, unsurprisingly, brilliant. Ansel Elgort is a revelation as Gus, taking the real severity of his part in his stride and putting in a jaw-dropping performance that will surely mean great things for him in the future.
The greatest strength of the film, apart from the cast of course, is that those behind the scenes understood the importance of the secondary characters. Hazel and Gus’s story really wouldn’t be quite so powerful if it didn’t also include Isaac and their parents. It is Laura Dern and Nat Wolff who so often steal the show in the film, with their quietly heartbreaking performances. Every single actor involved in this impressive ensemble cast has their part to play and plays it well.
Though the film ever so slightly tops the book, simply because of the incredible cast and how they bring each character to life, it is a privilege to have experienced such a story, in both book and film form. Either are worth the effort, and certainly worth the tears. THE FAULT IN OUR STARS will break your heart and then put the pieces back together again bit by bit until you learn to appreciate your own little infinity.
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THE FAULT IN OUR STARS is out now in UK cinemas
