Stranger: "You two are just so adorable."
Hazel: "We're just friends."
Augustus: "Well she is. I am not."
The type of movie I will never be watching again. I cannot recall exactly the time I watched it, but I do remember few things such as sleepless nights, me crying over a movie. It was a wholesome experience, as most of the time, I am a macho man. And crying over a movie? Nah man, never. Yes, if it were a book, there is possibility. And guess what, thhe idea was taken from the novel. So I am saved. Excuse right. Yesterday I saw this on "quick feed," and man, it really brought back all those memories.
One more thing, when I watched this movie, I was like: I am so ungrateful for my life. There are people who are suffering, and for them, there is nothing else in this life. Still they always manage to find a way to laugh, to live. So, thanks to it, i really stopped complaining about my life. The lesson is there; but it was a scary one.
Anyways let us move toward the story i.e. the plot. And I just hope not to spoil the ending in a direct manner.
The story.
Hazel Grace - such a beautiful name - is seventeen and living with terminal cancer. Because of that she always has to carry an oxygen tank around with her and has already accepted that her life is going to be short compared to others. So you can imagine her thoughts being all done with the life. However, thanks to her mother, she attends a cancer support group, where she meets: Augustus Waters. Gus has survived osteosarcoma but lost part of his leg, and unlike Hazel, he is all determined to live. This whole "determination" part resulted in great trauma though, for Hazel and for us.
Just like any other normal human being, their relationship begins with sarcasm, books and conversation about death. Little off-topic, I do not know why, but sarcasn reminds me Joey from "Friends." As he tells his sister you laugh when the guy is "funny." Strange connection, dah!
Back to the story. Hazel's favorite book, "An Imperial Affliction," acts as a pivot point for their relationship. Why? Because its unfinished ending bothers her. Us moment, Hazel Grace. She wants to know what happened to the characters after the book simply stops. This eventually results in both - Hazel and Gus - meeting the author.
But mind you, this trip towards aurthor is not the heart of the story. The heart is what happens between two people who know that their expirt date is near. Gus falls deeper into love while Hazel initially tries to protect this thing from happening. Of course, she knows she is going to die. This protection of her is the love itself. There is this scene where she calls herself a "gernade," afraid that one day she will explode and hurt everyone around her.
Characters.
Usually I skip this part, as it is easy to do make a google search, and you are good to go. However, for this movie, the characters felt like they were really living that life. So they deserve all the appraisal for it.
Shailene Woodley played Hazel; Ansel Elgort as Augustus.
It is their chemistry which makes the whole experience lively. The chemistry like a magnet, as opposite attracts. She is quiet a sadness; he is quiet a confident.
Personal Take i.e. Analysis
The central point, from my understanding is: Pain is part of being alive.
"Pain demands to be felt." - Gus
And in reply, Hazel says, "you are quoting my book." The context behind this quote is: Isaac, their friend, has been dumped by his girl. Best thing is: this quote is actually from the book.
The point here is simple. Feel the pain, but there is no way you can enjoy it. The movie does not try to convince us that suffering beautiful. Because it is not. Yes, it is inevitable, but something joyful? Not a chance. But it does accept that pain exists. Like you cannot love deeply without creating the possibility of loss. No matter what you are, who you are; at one point, you will have to lose something. And unfortunately, there is no escaping from it.
Second important factor is: Love does not need forever to be real.
Both the characters know that there relationship cannot have a happy-ending. Yet they lived, and Hazel describes this feeling so beautifully that her lines are still written in my diary: "You gave me a forever within the numbered days."
I do not think that this saying needs any interpretation. It is just a self-explanatory masterpiece.
Third thing is something, I cannot relate to: "forgotten."
Gus wants to be remembered; while Hazel, just like me, thinks differently. She believe that eventually everyone disappears from history, and sometimes, even the greated people become "forgotten."
Guess what, the ending proved them right. Gus will always be remembered. Because Hazel will be there to prove that Gus did matter for her.
And then, there is: "the world is not a wish-granting factory."
We all agree on that point. There are things we cannot control. No matter what we do, there is always something - such as death - to tear us apart.
But surely, we can choose to live rather than just surviving.
Finally: "The Metaphor."
I can relate that metaphor with "Vilen" saying, and the context is, cigarette is good until its not lighten up. And Gus does the same. He crushes the cigarette with teeth, but does not lighten it up. This is the metaphor.
In the end, "not that it really matters, but I am his girldfriend." Read the starting again, and this was almost the final lines.
Okay?
Okay.
Watch the movie and you will understand. Okay?
You know the writer really did a magic when you remember most of the quotes i.e. their sayings.
Ratings as of now:
IMDb: 7.6/10.
Rotten Tomatoes: 81%.
Personal: 95/100.
I still believe that those people had blurry eyes, otherwise this movie is a masterpiece compared to the ratings.
Peace 🕊️
Rating: 95/100
