PAPER TOWNS
Directed by Jake Schreier
Screenplay and book by John Green
Starring Nat Wolff and Cara Delevingne
Adapted from the bestselling novel by author John Green, Paper Towns is a teenage story centering on Quentin (Wolff) and his beautiful/offbeat neighbor Margo (Delevingne), who loved mysteries so much she became one. After taking him on an all-night adventure through their hometown, Margo suddenly disappears - leaving behind cryptic clues for Quentin to decipher. The search leads Quentin and his friends on an adventure that is a little bit funny and also moving.
Before I start with my review, a big THANKS to Regal and 20th Century Fox for the pass I received for the sneak peek at Paper Towns tonight with a Q and A afterwards with the stars and John Green which was simulcast from Anaheim and Toronto. More on the after show following the review.
I did not read the book, so I went into the screening with out much knowledge of the plot.
The good:
Casting Delevingne and Wolff as the leads were perfect, with great chemistry. The friends on the road trip all with different personalities. Halston Sage (My favorite) as Lacey the understanding and kind friend of Margo. Justice Smith as Radar as the friend who has a girlfriend but is a bit embarrassed of his friends so he tries to keep the two worlds separate. And Austin Abrams as Ben the friend who wants to push the limits, however he is kind of clueless.
The film also had some small funny bits, that worked and some did not.
Well that is all the good, sadly, just casting and chemistry, and some humor.
Margo is the most interesting person in this movie and she is not on the screen that often. In fact the character development here is really lacking. I have to wonder if there was more to these characters in the book. The movie was about 109 minutes, why not make the film over 2 hours and give us some character development? I found Quentin boring, I did not really care about him and he was the lead! Margo, who I still cannot put my finger on whether she is mean and selfish (for leaving without a notice to anyone) or brave (for deciding to live a different life then others expect of her), is an interesting character but not in the movie very much. When she is not in the film, it dies. I could have had the movie twist around and just follow her travels. The film is billed as a road trip of high school friends, I did not see much of a road trip, maybe 15 minutes of the movie was the road trip . Was the road trip longer in the book? I don't know. The film was also booked as a coming of age story, I did not see that at all. Just an oh well, crap happens story. In fact I think The Duff from earlier in the year was a better coming of age film.
Damn!!! I wanted to really like this. It is just a paper town, with paper houses and paper streets and paper people. I would give it a little better than average maybe 3 1/2 out 5 stars. I understand the film is not for me but for teens, still, I did not read the book, and the book was popular and well received, so I imagine too much was left out. It is funny after that tough review I was thinking I would love to have the two leads meet up again in a future movie like 7 years later, ala the Before Sunset Series, and see what became of them (In hope Quentin became more interesting). There is a Margot story that can be told here.
Now there is not much to add from the after show.
We heard a song sung live by Saint Motel and they were pretty good.
The Q and A with the cast was flat. I got the feeling they may have decided to partake in some liquid refreshments before hand because the cast was kind of too giddy and off topic most of the time. I was shocked however that Delevingne is from London with a thick accent. I would have never guessed from watching the film.
We finished with a fantastic musical performance from Nat Wolff and his brother Alex. Very talented.
Well as always from the shadows thanks for your time.
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