Though peppered with clichés like “we accept the love we think we deserve,” The Perks of Being a Wallflower is not a typical teen movie. Director Stephen Chbosky’s adaption of his own novel feels genuine—at times, heart-wrenchingly so. Fans of the book will welcome the film’s loyalty to the original.

Charlie (Logan Lerman), the film’s outcast protagonist, sends letters to an anonymous reader, searching for the outlet he lacks. These letters detail Charlie’s struggles to connect with a world outside of his family and overcome mental trauma. Rather than becoming a dreary plot-advancement device, the letters allow the audience to become his “dear friend,” to whom he turns to in his times of need. Lerman’s portrayal of Charlie is orchestrated to the last detail; his manner of speech and body language betray how lonely and anxious this wallflower is, even without dialogue.

During one high school football game, Charlie walks up to Patrick (Ezra Miller), a senior in his freshman woodshop class. Later that night he meets Patrick’s step-sister, Sam (Emma Watson), and Charlie begins to (quite literally) dance away from his wall as he connects with them.

While Patrick is the vibrant class clown, he also happens to be dating the high school football star Brad on the side, and he steals all of the attention away from Charlie, perhaps intentionally. While Miller handles Patrick’s range of emotions, from punchlines to despair, with ease, Watson falls flat. Her mediocre performance as a damaged music lover, with a line of awful boyfriends, is decidedly forgettable. Nevertheless, the three grow close; as Charlie is exposed to drugs, alcohol, and the Rocky Horror Picture Show, he finally experiences a world outside of his crippling depression.

The aesthetics of the film, especially the cityscapes, make it a pleasure to watch. The cinematography effortlessly depicts ‘90s Pittsburgh, from mix-tapes to walkmens. During one of their first encounters, Patrick and Charlie drive through a tunnel while Sam stands triumphantly in the rear, the city’s skyline emblazoned in the background. The skyscrapers, with their bright lights and monumental longevity are a tangible representation of how, in that moment, the trio “feel[s] infinite.”

The pacing translates well from the novel. Charlie’s experiences feel like snapshots of his life, and his perspective is told through his letters. However, the movie feels rushed and glossed over. There are several sub-plots that feel irrelevant because they are not properly fleshed out.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower isn’t really a boy meets girl story—more like boy meets lots of emotional issues. However, it never feels fake or forced. It’s definitely worth seeing for its rising stars or excellent soundtrack alone. Much like Charlie, the film thrusts the stuff of life—both happy and sad—onto view. The Perks of Being a Wallflower isn’t just comedy—rather, it’s humour interlaced with a sombre look at what it means to stand up and take part in life.

The Perks of Being  a Wallflower is currently showing at Cineplex Scotiabank Theatres, 977 rue Sainte-Catherine.