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Film Review: The Fault in Our Stars
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Release Date: June 5th, 2014
Rating: M
“I believe we have a choice in this world, about how to share sad stories. On the one hand, you can sugar-coat it, where’s nothing so messed up it can’t be fixed by a Peter Gabrielle song. I like that version as much as the next girl – it’s just not the truth….This is the truth, sorry.”
Based on the 2012 novel by John Green, The Fault in Our Stars is the story of Augustus Waters (Ansel Elgort) and Hazel Grace Lancaster (Shailene Woodley), two teenagers at various stages of their ‘cancer journey’ who meet unexpectedly at a support group Hazel’s forced to by her Mum.
Augustus quickly becomes the kind of guy all girls would hope to befriend – he’s confident when you’re not, funny, endearing, and loves unreservedly. He and Hazel fall in love “the same way you fall asleep. Slowly, and then suddenly all at once”. However, with the films’ promise of truth, the audience know a heartbreaking end is coming.
Within the beautifully portrayed sincerity of their relationship, a lot of space is given in The Fault in Our Stars to discuss Death.
For cancer patients it seems a near reality. Hazel, Gus, their friends and family, have all had to have the discussion – what happens? do you think there’s a God? Is this unfair? – they’re unashamed in their curiosity and intrigue. They wonder where they’ll end up, whether they’ll be remembered, and what the purpose of their “little infinity” will be. Their nearness to death gives them insight and understanding.
To imagine though that Hazel and Gus need to talk about death so early on in life, and ‘be aged’ by the bleak reality of their situation, is where the emotional pull of this film lies. To see a young couple in love be broken by a disease outside of their control is painfully sad.
But, one of the greatest deceptions in life is that it’s better to not talk about death.
It doesn’t make for pleasant conversation. It puts people in a position where they have to think about their faith, their beliefs, and we have come to think of this as awkward. We don’t know how to graciously handle these ‘big ticket items’ so just don’t talk about them.
The thing is however, all of us are going to die. We may not be 17, but the people we’re falling in love with too will die. We distance ourselves from the conversation because we think we have longer to ignore it, but we need to deal with death. We have to talk about it, and dare I say it, we’ll live a better life because of it.
Here’s my two cents to the discussion:
If you counter the prospect of a bleak eternity of oblivion with the free gift of eternal life through Christ, the matter’s settled. You’re biggest fear has been replaced with faith, peace and perspective. The daily decisions you make are under-girded by a foundation of freedom. When you know that someone deeply loves you, that they’ve got your back, and they’ve sorted out your future, you can take a breath.
…but really?…How do you know for sure?
Because choosing Christ means knowing God. Christianity isn’t about religion, it’s a relationship. We talk. I know God, he’s my friend. He’s my Dad and I trust Him.
….so why aren’t all Christians fearless?
Because to know God, to worship Him, is the BEGINNING of all wisdom and the foundation for knowledge (Prov 9:10, Ps 111:10). We still have to learn, but He’s the start. We know He’s the answer, but life will still be full of questions, and we have to discover the infinity of his fearlessness and grow in our confidence.
The Fault in Our Stars is a gift to its viewers. It’s not an easy watch, and doesn’t directly give solution, but it does give hope. For a young audience bombarded by stories, this one is a positive addition to the mix, and in cutting back the fairytale to offer up reality, it offers up truth, which does indeed set us free.
8/10.
