Film No. 51 (2015) Paper Towns. July 15th.

Film No. 51 (2015) July 15th.  6.30 PM GREATER UNION Innaloo. 

"It's a paper town with paper houses and paper people" (Margo discusses her impressions of the city she lives in with her accomplice, the wide eyed and innocent Quentin). 

 

Paper Towns


It is not surprising that after the success of The Fault in Our Stars that another John Green novel would be adapted for the screen. Paper Towns was written 5 years prior to Stars and was never as lauded but there is no doubting the business proposition it would represent for Fox 2000. I dare say this flick will do okay but it won't reach the heights of its predecessor because the meandering road movie (Towns) does not have the appeal of the heart felt, tear jerking, love story (Fault).  

What I do like about the film adaptations of Green's novels is the naturalistic way the key young characters interact. There is a humour and an unforced ease that unfolds in each scene. It's not surprising seeing Green has had input on both films. The issue I have is that Paper Towns is perhaps better in this respect but far more meandering to the point of being slightly chaotic in its narration. It had so many themes that I wondered a few times during the screening if there were important points I was not grasping. 

So, re-imagine that brilliant masterpiece of a Film, Stand By Me. In it, four good mates set off on a journey of discovery up a train track leading out of their small up-state town, soundtrack and all. In Paper Towns, we meet Quentin (Nat Wolff) who's had a longstanding infatuation with his neighbour Margo (Cara Delevingne). When she goes missing it comes time for him to prove his undying love for her and off he goes looking for her, following her trademark clues. His best mates come along for the ride and to offer assistance. Using a tag line like, "its the journey not the destination that holds the key to truth".

I'm being flippant I know, and Paper Towns is engaging because it's not too cliched. The fact is the film has too many themes to leave a lasting impression. Also, I didn't like Margo enough to care whether Quentin actually found her. Maybe the early scenes didn't establish enough of a connection between them.  What is good however is the scenes between Quentin and his mates. Ben (Austin Abrams) and Radar (Justice Smith) are excellent and there is real chemistry emanating from this threesome. I sometimes make the mistake of comparing the best (Stand By Me) with a film that is just okay! 7GUMS