THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER - The Most Authentic High School Film Ever Made

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  • Опубликовано: 17 сен 2024
  • A deconstruction on why Stephen Chbosky's THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER is the most authentic high school film ever made for my generation.
    Written and Edited by,
    Alejandro C. Guzman
    Disclaimer: This is NOT an analysis of or video essay on the film.
    These videos are simply an ode to the films I cover.
    "I like to think that when we’re going into high school, we imagine it like “Oh! It’s gonna be like Mean Girls or Ferris Bueller’s Day Off!” But when we leave, we look back and just know that we’ve learned the perks of being a wallflower."
    THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER, or PERKS, was originally a novel written by Stephen Chbosky and published in 1999. It follows Charlie, an introverted writer, through his first year in high school as he’s adopted into a loving friend group known as the wallflowers. He traverses the highs and lows of freshman year as he learns what it means to be outspoken about one’s feelings, experiences, and wants.
    Link to article on mental illness in PERKS:
    cpnp.org/persp....
    Link to interview with Stephen Chbosky on the film:
    www.complex.co....
    Follow me on Instagram for more updates!
    @AlejandroGooseman
    (I do not own all of the footage and music presented in this video. Pls no sue.)

Комментарии • 947

  • @stevechbosky
    @stevechbosky 2 года назад +1188

    I don’t know if you will ever see this or believe it’s me. But somehow I found your video tribute to my movie at 2 o’clock in the morning. And I wanted to say thank you. I was very touched by it and the great care you took in editing the images. You’re a very talented editor. You should make trailers.

    • @roundedborderscinema
      @roundedborderscinema  2 года назад +305

      If it really is you Stephen, you caught me at the end of my shift at Dominoes and I had to gather around the remaining employees to freak out over something they have no idea of. It’s a dream of mine to edit trailers and because of artists like you, I wanna push myself even further everyday. Thank you for your stories, and thank you for your kindness. Glad you enjoyed. - Alex

    • @abhzt
      @abhzt 2 года назад +55

      @@roundedborderscinema you know you have made it when the director and writer appreciates you!

    • @ddbsiblings7265
      @ddbsiblings7265 2 года назад +19

      I'm not sure it really is him- follows Mr.Beast and your usual young tween gaming channels.

    • @moonlitsunwoo
      @moonlitsunwoo 2 года назад +2

      I can relate to him so much as well
      It feels like I know him and reading the book really broke me

    • @darkslivery-_-9096
      @darkslivery-_-9096 2 года назад +6

      @@ddbsiblings7265 could be his son yk

  • @jey7421
    @jey7421 3 года назад +3464

    id do ANYTHING to watch this movie for the first time again

    • @jaysleepy339
      @jaysleepy339 3 года назад +17

      I sweaaaaaar

    • @danielcarr1479
      @danielcarr1479 3 года назад +49

      I just watched it for the first time and I would too

    • @marge9149
      @marge9149 3 года назад +17

      just saw it for the first time about 3-ish days ago and it was the best experience

    • @danielcarr1479
      @danielcarr1479 3 года назад +5

      @@marge9149 I literally only watched it because it was on my list for a while (cause of Logan and Paul) and I saw that it was getting taken off of netflix, so I literally watched it on the last day available 💀 actually somehow I watched it like 3 hours after it was supposed to be taken down, but it was the best decision of my life. As soon as I exited out it was gone tho 😢

    • @danielcarr1479
      @danielcarr1479 3 года назад +1

      @Mr. Panda Yes I highly recommend it

  • @cheyennerose2177
    @cheyennerose2177 3 года назад +3772

    I never related to a high school main character like this. This was pretty much my high school experience. Just living in my head while everyone else seemed to move and operate just fine. Feels good to know others understand too.

  • @hannahb1338
    @hannahb1338 3 года назад +804

    The scene when Charlie gets off the wall, nervously walks to the dance floor, feeling so vulnerable, and his friends are so happy to see him and he immediately feels welcomed is so heartwarming and beautiful

  • @finnm7265
    @finnm7265 3 года назад +3497

    when i read the book and watched the movie for the first time it was at a low point in my life. i could relate to charlie so much. he didn’t feel like a character he felt real, and he felt like me. When i watched the movie i sobbed so so hard. I was going through some of the same things Charlie was. I suffer from PTSD and id never related to any movie more. The second time i watched it i was doing better, so instead of charlie’s break down scene that stuck with me the most, it was the ending scene. Showing that things do get better. I watched it for the 4th or 5th time last night. i feel every time i watch it it hits something different inside of me. It’s a film i will never get tired of.

    • @roundedborderscinema
      @roundedborderscinema  3 года назад +110

      i’m so sorry to hear you had to relate to it on that level. But i’m glad that there’ll always be artists for every person to relate to in a way, or many ways. thank you for sharing and glad you’re better than before

    • @gsx6757
      @gsx6757 3 года назад +9

      Yeah i really related to the movie too. Watched it so many times and I feel like it captures feelings that I won't be able to describe and maybe can never explain but it hits me so hard every time. Its a great feeling though to have something expressed when you can't say it.

    • @KurosakiRuka
      @KurosakiRuka 3 года назад +3

      Same for me buddy, i related almost on every level with charlie, because i had almost the same traumatic experience that my mind repressed, and only reapered in the 9th grade. Every time i saw the movie couldnt stop crying, and my friends who discussed which characters they were, said i was like charlie and i thought "you cant imagine how right you are", but i recently i watched the movie again, 3 or 4 years from the last time i saw it, and i almost didnt tear up. I am much happier now and i am glad to be it. I hope you doing well too.

    • @rodrigocarrillo9267
      @rodrigocarrillo9267 3 года назад +3

      I relate to this movie so much, cause I don’t have any friends this is my junior year and the only thing I am trying to do is having a group of friends like Sam and Patric. I think I haven’t succeeded at any of this because I just try but everyone is so into there stuff, that they only relate with others that they have known for some time. And I am really sad because I can’t have a genuine conversation or friendship with anyone.
      And I think I am a person hard to relate with because I just moved from another country 4 months ago, I am much more innocent than the others, I am really struggling with school, I talk different than the others and I don’t know a fucking thing of where I am living.

    • @miacarter5572
      @miacarter5572 3 года назад

      You exactly said all my thoughts in such a concise way. Thank you

  • @CrazyDuckie94
    @CrazyDuckie94 3 года назад +2930

    I come from England, so my high school/college experience was so much different... and yet, this spoke to my experiences so much

    • @daftbanna7202
      @daftbanna7202 3 года назад +10

      exactly

    • @Sophie_Pea
      @Sophie_Pea 3 года назад +47

      Loneliness and longing are universal, and even though they can be hurtful they’re also things that are able to connect us all. Like all of these people from different parts of the world not having an american high school experience but still being able to relate to it/see themselves in these characters, how special is that

    • @Lordinaschannel
      @Lordinaschannel 3 года назад +18

      I’m glad that my English teacher for GCSES got us to read the book and watch the movie as well, one of the most authentic movies Highschool movies too

    • @laurabelacqua9064
      @laurabelacqua9064 3 года назад +7

      same as a brazilian

    • @luquito46
      @luquito46 3 года назад +14

      Yesss, I'm from BRAZIL but I feel like this movie is universal

  • @Shockwave99999
    @Shockwave99999 3 года назад +1083

    As a 16 year old who is currently going through the sadness of not having many friends, seeing videos of people having fun or doing something on snapchat, friends and other people talking about how they have girlfriends, and me still crying myself to bed every night in my basement, this movie really helps me not feel completely lost. I had a really lonely experience for my entire freshman year, and it doesn’t seem like it’ll get much better since I don’t even get the chance due to COVID, but at least I’m learning how to find comfort in the hurt.
    Update: I just turned 18 on September 8, 2022, and I finally decided to watch this movie in its entirety on my birthday. It is now my favorite movie of all time, right next to Everything Everywhere All At Once and A Silent Voice. Ngl, after my previous comment, things didn’t get much better. It actually got worse and I’ve been through some things I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Between my mom moving out, getting caught being high on acid by my mom (she thinks it was just weed), getting injured during wrestling which took me out of a very important season, and getting put in the hospital for a day after admitting to self harm and suicidal intent, there have been some very shitty moments. But I’ve also managed to make some damn good memories within all the shit. I’ve been dreading turning 18 for around 5 years because there were so many things I wanted to do before I become an adult, and I could constantly feel the time passing me by as I continued to miss out on a happy, social, and fulfilled teenage life. When years and months finally turned to days til my bday, I realized that if I didn’t change my mind, I’d end up killing myself and it’d be the most miserable bday I’ve had yet. So the day before my bday I decided to finally take control and cancelled all my scheduled workouts and practices for wrestling. I decided I’d enjoy the day and spend it how I wanted to instead of being stressed out with constant commuting and training. I got to spend so much time and had so much fun with my friends that day. I felt like I was such a part of the group, something I rarely ever felt. I decided not to linger on about how much I ended up missing out on through the years and did my absolute best to just knock everything out and focus on being with my friends and just enjoying the day. And I feel I really did that. And when it came to my bday I did the same. While I wasn’t able to spend time with them that day, I refused to let my dark thoughts take over. And on that day I decided to finally watch this movie and holy shit was it amazing. I especially resonated with the hospital scene where Charlie was talking with the doctor which felt so real with regards to my experience. And it’s ironic cuz Heroes was the last song I listened to before I turned 18. I listened to Champagne Supernova, then 1979, and then finally Heroes. While I might continue to struggle a lot moving forward, this movie really gave me a sense of tranquility and just felt really cathartic in a time that could’ve potentially been my darkest. I’m grateful this movie fully came into my life at the time that it did, and now moving into adulthood, I hope one day I can truly feel infinite.

    • @welikelethabo
      @welikelethabo 3 года назад +16

      Omg
      I can’t totally relate but I’ve had a similar experience. Trust me things get better with time💕Stay safe

    • @leilapeigne8132
      @leilapeigne8132 3 года назад +28

      I’m from the UK but I went through a rough period when I was 16 and like you cried myself to sleep most nights. I’m 18 now and if only I would have known how much better life is and how better it got once I’d left school. But I’m so glad I went through that low patch because I learnt so much about myself and who I want to and don’t want to be. Trust me things will get better you just have to pull through the rough patch first. Wishing you best of luck!

    • @kgmkr800
      @kgmkr800 3 года назад +8

      Quit social media - it will be better for your mental health I've found.

    • @user-jy9rq8nj7q
      @user-jy9rq8nj7q 3 года назад +11

      As someone experiencing pretty bad social anxiety for the past few years and not being able to socialise despite really wanting to, it made me depressed to the point I wasn't able to go to public school anymore- I moved to a very small private school where the normal teenage experiences aren't the same and I still struggle getting 50% attendance, It feels like I'm never going to have the exciting fulfilling high school years and you know, that's pretty shit

    • @WBROTHERS
      @WBROTHERS 3 года назад +1

      Hey man itl get better in college

  • @LuisTorres-bu3ti
    @LuisTorres-bu3ti 3 года назад +458

    I was kind of like Charlie in high school, except that I never met my Patrick and Sam😔

    • @Ash-hx1jz
      @Ash-hx1jz 3 года назад +34

      Same. Never met my people. I was interested in so many people but nobody was interested back (both platonically and romantically)

    • @LuisTorres-bu3ti
      @LuisTorres-bu3ti 3 года назад

      @@Ash-hx1jz I totally feel 🙏

    • @giuk1987
      @giuk1987 3 года назад

      And..... 'you're exactly who i'll be'

    • @somethingunusual8456
      @somethingunusual8456 3 года назад +3

      At the same time I relate to this, I don't. Like, I have amazing friends who support me, but I don't have a friendship like the movies portray, I don't go out a lot, we're a little bit awkward around each other, we are tired more than excited about life... idk
      (I know my friends feel the same... they always say things like oh I need a friend like (insert name of fictional character here) it's kinda sad)

    • @opheliasouv
      @opheliasouv 2 года назад +4

      @@somethingunusual8456 my friends were similar but much more toxic. they lived in their heads and never left. on the bright side though they just dropped me last week for not being like them so ig that was a compliment lol
      but i'm already happier than when i was friends with them! i'm doing stuff for myself, not worrying about whether my interests are dumb, and going out and having fun alone! i realized that i don't need friends for my life to feel like a movie

  • @Vickyyxoxo
    @Vickyyxoxo Год назад +41

    The anger that he had, the blacking out, his childhood and him piecing everything together. The sexual abuse he endured & how he kept quiet for so long. He was a prisoner in his own mind & thoughts. This movie was beyond amazing.

  • @reath117
    @reath117 3 года назад +501

    I was 17 when i caught the film in cinema. I watched it alone and didn't know what it was about. I cried. I felt like i related to Charlie in school. To this day, this is my favourite movie of all time. Also, the music is awesome.

    • @maricamargo21
      @maricamargo21 3 года назад +2

      Same for me. I related so much that I didn't realise that were set in the 90s

    • @AngryPotatoGod
      @AngryPotatoGod 3 года назад +1

      Man I’m 16 I dead ass just did it today at 9/30/21 around 12 -1 am lmaooo feeling a lot from this movie Honestly never thought I would find something to make me feel idek feeling a lot rn

  • @ollies.6844
    @ollies.6844 3 года назад +658

    The most accurate depiction of high school I’ve seen are perks of being a wall flower, the breakfast club, Book smart, and the first 2 seasons of the TV show Skins

    • @mkazmi
      @mkazmi 3 года назад +18

      Skins YES

    • @ilincabogza
      @ilincabogza 3 года назад +81

      I personally also like the edge of seventeen! And skam is the most realistic tv show about teenagers i've seen.

    • @emilyliu2750
      @emilyliu2750 3 года назад +49

      Booksmart absolutely, especially for the way it portrays my generation I think. The way that the John Hughes high school "clique" tropes have dissolved, the mess between striving for college and just living as a whole person, how multi-layered everyone is... I loved it. It's the only comedic teen film that's actually felt relatable to me.
      I also recommend The Half of It :)

    • @lokifairy888
      @lokifairy888 3 года назад +26

      and lady bird

    • @ollies.6844
      @ollies.6844 3 года назад +15

      Honorable mentions: the dead poets society, also in a strange deranged way rebel without a cause I don’t know why there’s something about that movie that’s stuck with me, also Napoleon Dynamite

  • @nooraishah2034
    @nooraishah2034 3 года назад +566

    this commentary drived me to tears. ugh perks of being a wallflower is one of the best movies ever.and thank you for reminding me of that

    • @screwyou1199
      @screwyou1199 3 года назад

      The first time I watched this movie, I watched it a second time right after. There are not many movies I can do that with, it’s so so so special.

    • @Wesley.adams07
      @Wesley.adams07 Год назад

      the book is also perfect too

    • @memelorddanknessthesecond
      @memelorddanknessthesecond 4 месяца назад

      @@Wesley.adams07l lmk kkk

    • @SillyiswhereXanagoes
      @SillyiswhereXanagoes Месяц назад

      Dude I cried for 3 hours afterwards without even having to think about it or the story because it just made so much sense, I’ve never even felt this way about a movie at all.

  • @mophead_xu
    @mophead_xu 3 года назад +434

    high school was quite the odd time for me. i was one of the popular kids, nearly everyone on my year knew me by name or at least face, and all my friends were great. yet, often i still feel extremely isolated. later on i realised there was nothing wrong with me life, or me friends, i was just going through depression. funny how everything could be right, yet i was still fucked up in the head, lol.
    so when i watched The Perks, i thought i shouldn't have related to Charlie as deeply as i did, but it happened anyway. he started with no friends, a phase i'd gone through years before but the memory of it was still vivid in my mind. and even when he had his friends, there was that tint of loneliness and isolation i too felt even among my closest group. the movie, the story just spoke to me: the confusion, the lingering emptiness, and everything else.
    now i understand that being a teenager's just going to be hard for pretty much everyone. sure some things could make it easier, like actually having friends (i firmly believe had i actually been isolated with no friends, i very most likely won't even be here rn) or a good home life; and some aspects would definitely make it harder, like being bullied, troubles at home, or pre-existing medical/neurological problems. but at the end of the day, one thing we all had/have in common was: we were all just kids, often expected to behave like adults, yet treated like children nonetheless; shouldering expectations from adults around us, be it parents or teachers or even neighbours; we're just trying to find where exactly do we fit in the world and what role are we exactly supposed to play, all the while internally our own biology was having its moments of chaotic development. excuse the possible ignorance, but i believe depression and anxiety are a common issue amongst teenagers not for nothing, lmao.
    anyway the point i've been trying to make is that: not only is The Perks of Being a Wallflower the most authentic high school film ever made, i think it's also one of those movies that are just timeless. the story being told doesn't rely on technological advancement or popular slangs or trends to be bound to time. it instead hinges on that feeling of being at a crossroad, that momentary phase of transitioning from childhood to adulthood that everyone goes through. whether in this century or the next, the movie will always speak to teenagers and possibly even adults. anw, time to rewatch it again i guess.

  • @ethanporter3709
    @ethanporter3709 3 года назад +318

    just watched this for the first time, and as a junior in high school i’ve never related to a film more in my short life. The first time in a while where i cried watching a movie

  • @yasminestray
    @yasminestray 3 года назад +275

    The first time I saw Perks, it was with some friends. It made me cry then and I wasn’t completely sure why because something about seeing movies with other people takes away from the experience for me. So, I sat down and rewatched it by myself because I felt that I needed to. Up until recently, I’ve had a pretty solid group of friends in school but this movie spoke to me so much because I haven’t met my people yet. My intimate group of people to listen to David Bowie with. My intimate group of people to bust out pre-planned dance moves with. My group of people to go on car rides with; the windows down and wind ripping at our hair. And I simply can’t wait to meet them. Even if, up until my senior year, I’ve been trying to convince myself that they were already here. I love this movie, and every single time I see it it somehow manages to get even better. This is going to be something I show my kids. The Perks of Being a Wallflower is something I will watch over and over again, until the end of time because nothing else has ever gotten it right before.

    • @LoverScratch
      @LoverScratch 3 года назад +7

      I hope you find your people

    • @nabii2907
      @nabii2907 3 года назад +4

      I understand this so much!

    • @yasminestray
      @yasminestray 3 года назад +4

      @@LoverScratch and, if you haven’t found your’s yet, i hope you do too

    • @rigamic3253
      @rigamic3253 3 года назад +3

      i relate to this so so much!

    • @mikeexits
      @mikeexits Год назад

      @@LoverScratch I hope so too. I found mine and I'm eternally grateful, but it's sad seeing both my brother and sister not finding theirs. We're a pretty distant and toxic, dysfunctional family (mostly from the top-down) so it's a tricky situation to navigate. They can't understand why I spend most of my time alone or with my close friend-family, and it's incredibly hard to explain it without them feeling like I'm blaming them for all of my problems, when I'm trying my absolute best not to come across that way. It always devolves into deflection, projection, and ad hominem. I am the only one in this family who consistently pushes against those things and tries to be a pillar of honesty and dignity to keep everyone honest and a bit humble every now and then (respectfully and tactfully of course; I never try to "put someone in their place" or even approach it from that mindset), but it's so exhausting when they always insist on sticking to the toxic behavior patterns they're so familiar with. I have no solution or answer to this other than living by example, dropping little seeds of growth in their subconscious by way of cleverly picked word choice during conversation here and there, and just hoping for the best, and helping when they want it.

  • @nonny6780
    @nonny6780 3 года назад +103

    makes me feel so safe how many people relate to charlie, he's my all time comfort character

    • @lanabanana9492
      @lanabanana9492 3 года назад +1

      it feels nice to know i'm not the only one💛

  • @imhappy5266
    @imhappy5266 3 года назад +1146

    Great movie, but that "kiss the prettiest girl in the room" scene makes me want to rip my eyeballs out oh lord the secondhand cringe from that scene I just need to skip it

    • @hanna3395
      @hanna3395 3 года назад +140

      This is one of the best movies, but that scene is one of the worst. I hate it soo much

    • @bobfatso7210
      @bobfatso7210 3 года назад +56

      My jaw actually dropped

    • @marge9149
      @marge9149 3 года назад +38

      i always laugh at that scene lmao

    • @thatgirl1785
      @thatgirl1785 3 года назад +60

      this is my favorite movie but I can't watch that scene. I can feel the awkwardness of being there with them

    • @anna-lu8jp
      @anna-lu8jp 3 года назад +68

      that scene is physically painful JAHRUQHDHA

  • @clarityonyx
    @clarityonyx 3 года назад +1028

    because of conora, my high school experience has been cut short, and i'm so scared that in my last few years of going to school i won't be able to go to prom or go to a party, and i'll be stuck in my room behind my computer screen because people won't stay home and wear their masks :/

    • @valeriasanudo3
      @valeriasanudo3 3 года назад +78

      Same. I'm a junior and wasted my first two years of school staying at home with the intention I would go out and have fun my junior and senior year. Well, look at us now.

    • @thenonsenseguy2364
      @thenonsenseguy2364 3 года назад +18

      @@valeriasanudo3 same bruhh ... I am just scared that I won't be able to expirence the joys of this time ever

    • @clarisse_sbl
      @clarisse_sbl 3 года назад +7

      me too... We're all there together ✊

    • @astoldbynickgerr
      @astoldbynickgerr 3 года назад +11

      @@valeriasanudo3 at least you can always make up for it in your young adult life :)

    • @prinbot
      @prinbot 3 года назад +19

      @@astoldbynickgerr that's what I'm planning to do, it's sad I didn't get a senior year. It was supposed to be my best year yet but then corona happened:/

  • @mayalavenu3849
    @mayalavenu3849 3 года назад +38

    "it makes me feel like the strawberry dress". wow. i could not have summed it up better

  • @621beachgirl
    @621beachgirl 3 года назад +74

    Having this movie come out WHILE being "weird" in high school was next level

  • @dhruviibauva384
    @dhruviibauva384 3 года назад +331

    the style of the video and everything about it, too fucking good. keep going, great work, cant wait to see another review of yours!

    • @roundedborderscinema
      @roundedborderscinema  3 года назад +12

      that means the world !! thank you so much. i really appreciate it :’D Next larger video should be out by the month’s end. Follow me on instagram if you’d like more updates and smaller content too @alejandrogooseman

  • @colbyborder6756
    @colbyborder6756 3 года назад +98

    I love how he referred to them as Katara and Young Neil. Lol. Thats what I knew them as as Well.

    • @colbyborder6756
      @colbyborder6756 3 года назад +1

      Also, I love that this is just an appreciation post. 😁

  • @Doctordier
    @Doctordier 3 года назад +88

    The movie perfectly shows both the beauty and the pain that comes with growing up. I related to Charlie's insecurities alot, but also his strength and emotional growth.

  • @miamackk119
    @miamackk119 3 года назад +84

    watching the movie for the first time and hearing charlie say "I thought no one noticed me" made me cry because I realized that someone could put the way I felt into words. such a beautiful and genuine film that I could watch an endless amount of times and always seem to see myself in charlie

  • @troubadour_malin
    @troubadour_malin 3 года назад +83

    Living in France, I've never actually experienced most of the things the movie portrays, yet I've never related to any other high school themed movie as much as I did with PERKS. It's like this movie is the embodiment of the universal experience of being a teenager and going through shit, it's still one of my favorite books and my favorite movies ever.

  • @ZehraDimlioglu
    @ZehraDimlioglu 3 года назад +115

    i discovered Perks on the summer of 7th grade. first time i watched it, i didn't really like it. some scenes were way too explicit for me and i couldn't fully understand what Charlie meant in some scenes. and then after I graduated boarding school, I watched it again. Everything made much more sense.
    Charlie really spoke to me that time. I cherish friendship with him. I cried so hard when he cried. And soon after it turned into a tradition for me. I rewatch it at least once every school year. This year, I graduated high school and I watched it 2 weeks before my online geaduation (yes, covid sucks!) ceremony. It perfectly summed up my whole high school experience. I love, love, love Charlie. I'll be eternally grateful to Stephen Chbosky.

  • @orchid34
    @orchid34 3 года назад +74

    i watched this movie for the first time in my first year of highschool; wasn't really paying attention and just kind of had it on in the background. after watching it again now, i am so mad at myself for not paying attention and not appreciating it for how amazing it is. im a senior now, and two days ago decided to read the book as i somehow have read every coming of age, young adult book there is except for perks. read the entire thing in two days, and probably would have finished it in one if i hadn't stayed up doing homework the evening i started it. i dont think i have to tell u that i cried my eyes out, its a given. same goes for the movie, which i immediately watched after finishing the book. this story was so real, almost too real. it kind of scared me how much stephen chbosky just got it; he took every thought, feeling and experience of a highschooler and turned it into the perks of being a wallflower. it hits especially hard now that im almost done highschool, almost done with this period of my life. this is the part where your supposed to know things, but i feel like i dont know anything. i'd be lying if i said i was excited to become an adult - a day doesn't go by where i dont mourn my youth. however, i have to grow up someday. i know that its something we just gotta do. yes, im scared. but i know that if i ever feel that twinge of nostalgia, i can look back at this movie (and its book) to relive the bad, the good, and the beautiful moments of highschool.

    • @mophead_xu
      @mophead_xu 3 года назад +4

      _"this is the part where you're supposed to know things, but i feel like i don't know anything."_
      i graduated years ago and now approaching mid 20s. me and all me mates still don't know jack shit. even when i finally had the courage to talk to me parents about it, they admit they, too, don't know jack shit. apparently we were all just supposed to wing it and pretend like we knew what we were doing when, in fact, no one actually knew wtf is going on.
      it's terrifying nonetheless; i won't lie. because at least for me it feels like there's this disconnect between the rationale and the emotional. rationally am aware of those things i spoke above, but emotionally it's hard not to look around and feel like everyone's got it together, or at least even if they don't at the moment, then they're able to work through it. meanwhile, am stuck here stagnating.
      one thing i can confidently say about adults and adulting without any disconnect is this: we're all actually just kids inside. we adjust (or try to adjust) to our roles and do our responsibilities, but at the end of the day "grown ups" is a myth and everyone is just older kids. for better or for worse.

  • @SuperSara924
    @SuperSara924 3 года назад +3

    Perks *is* that real and honest. I read/watched it at 16 when my mental health was at it lowest, I was on the verge of ending things. Perks spoke to me in a way no other media had before, it said everything I wanted to but couldn’t and helped me feel less unusual, less alone. I’m almost 25, and I don’t know if I could’ve fought out of that deep depression without this book and film. Great analysis and video here

  • @Cubannerd
    @Cubannerd 3 года назад +65

    I would add Lady Bird to the list of genuine high school films.

  • @ZehraDimlioglu
    @ZehraDimlioglu 3 года назад +106

    you managed to eloborate the affect this movie left on me just like stephen chbosky managed to capture how high school is really like. hats off to you, my friend!

  • @thats_pretty_emo7922
    @thats_pretty_emo7922 3 года назад +18

    I’m currently 15, and a sophomore in high school, perks is the only book or movie that truly sees people like me. It makes me feel like I’m home, and like I’ll be okay in the end. I have struggled with anxiety, depression, and trauma for as long as I can remember, and this seems to be the most accurate depiction I've seen

  • @elenavash.7718
    @elenavash.7718 3 года назад +13

    This is literally the best high school teenage life movie I've ever seen.
    It hits so deeply.

  • @julissamelodygarcia7161
    @julissamelodygarcia7161 3 года назад +5

    There was nothing more real than the perks of being a wallflower. As an “introverted writer” I can’t even begin to explain how emotionally attached to this novel/ movie. There is nothing more that I wish I had was a friend group that could’ve supported me like that when I was in the lowest place of my life. And that is all I wish I can be for people. I don’t think anything will effect me like perks of being a wallflower did.

  • @eshadhawan3020
    @eshadhawan3020 3 года назад +3

    I read this book in college first year and somehow related so much. Unlike many people, I had a nice school life but as soon as I entered college I was lost. And Perks helped me then

  • @velvetbec
    @velvetbec 3 года назад +16

    The part about getting your back off the wall and experiencing something worth writing about hits hard when the pandemic makes me feel so stuck

  • @seb______
    @seb______ 3 года назад +26

    I watch this movie from time to time and it never gets old. Always gets me in my feels and imo one of the best movies I’ve seen. Charlie is one hell of a character that I relate to a lot

  • @ibra2ibra
    @ibra2ibra 3 года назад +29

    You know when you sometimes watch a movie and feel so
    astonished at how good the movie is, and you can't really look at it from a higher perspective?
    This is the perspective you need.
    The way that you can explain all the most important details of how incredibly good the movie is, in such a calm, relaxed and coordinated way is just amazing.
    Thank you so much. This video added up to my life.

  • @paigehammond847
    @paigehammond847 3 года назад +14

    genuinely one of the best books/movies i've ever read/watched. it is so indescribably beautiful and just makes me feel alive.

  • @wrenoir5251
    @wrenoir5251 3 года назад +21

    This movie gives me chills throughout but also comfort that things that I felt are expressed so simply aaaah

  • @sypersonified
    @sypersonified 3 года назад +13

    I watched it last night, I can relate to Charlie so much. I've recently started being on medication for depression and anxiety (a week on it as of now) and I'm 15. I've been molested too, and have always been a quiet observer type kid who loves poetry. This movie is so amazing. It really makes you feel something.

  • @anxietymoment1016
    @anxietymoment1016 3 года назад +10

    this book and movie made me feel seen. it was like a representation of mental health and the mixture of good and bad experiences. i too had a terrible high school experience and i was shy, this movie is beyond amazing

  • @nabii2907
    @nabii2907 3 года назад +14

    Okay this made me cry. Perks of Being a Wallflower is my absolute favorite movie. I have never related to a character more, and still don't. This movie felt so real to me, and I still hope to have that infinite moment. Also, I really liked that your analogy of the Stawberry Dress, I know what you mean and completely agree

  • @cupholder189
    @cupholder189 3 года назад +31

    A very wonderful analysis. Based on a recommendation from a friend, I discovered the book back in high school and instantly felt a kinship with Charlie. My first two years of high school were very lonely. It's been 14 years since then and no matter where I am in my life, I can pick up the book, flip to any page and instantly connect with what I'm reading. While the movie isn't as impactful as the book at times, it's likely one of the best book-to-movie adaptations, and every time I watch, which is almost annually at this point, I sob. The book and the movie transcend time for me. In 10 or 20 years from now, I can still see myself picking up the book or watching the movie and re-connecting with Charlie like an old friend.

  • @hey-zel
    @hey-zel 3 года назад +13

    I saw this when I was in 8th grade around the time it was still in the theater and I was going down deep dark hole. I was incredibly afraid of the world and I remember acting exactly like Charlie and it was really the first time I’d ever seen someone in play a misunderstood outsider so perfectly. I remember recently reading that the actors were actually really close to their characters age and it made sense as to why I definitely believed their performances so much. I didn’t even realize this took place in the 90s. I was so focused on the plot and their emotions. It was also the first movie I cried to. I later on experienced in my junior year of high school this same isolation. I had so much anxiety and my depression was sinking me badly. I was shut myself away from everyone and had moments where I just couldn’t take it. Whenever I had dark moments I’d just watch this and by the end I’d be crying and laughing. I never would’ve imagined that I would’ve related to this movie from my first time viewing it. I still struggle to this day but it’s not as bad as it once had before. I’m 23 and I can still say this is the most realistic film about teenagers/high school expert I’ve ever watched.This film will forever hold a special place in my heart because it’s truly the only film where I’ve felt understood.

  • @mayl3896
    @mayl3896 3 года назад +30

    Don't mind me sitting at my desk and crying because this video was so beautifully made and reminded me of just why I love the film so much. Thank you so much for creating this

  • @Kinsey6King
    @Kinsey6King Год назад +2

    I am 32 and always heard good things about the movie. I just finished it and damn, it lived up to the hype.
    The last 20 min had me bawling.

  • @isthisentertainment5673
    @isthisentertainment5673 3 года назад +3

    I still remember crying within the first ten minutes of the movie the first time I watched it. Hearing Charlie talk about his experiences made me feel so much less alone.

  • @perksbautista
    @perksbautista 3 года назад +10

    "Sometimes you just need to get your back off that wall and experience something worth writing about."
    👆👍👌

  • @girliboi
    @girliboi 3 года назад +6

    i feel like i've simultaneously seen too many, and not nearly enough, high school films to declare this "the most authentic", but i don't have any doubts our kids/grandkids will be able to appreciate the authenticity of these characters long after we've begun to forget.. definitely ranks up there as one for the ages.

  • @dylanblake230
    @dylanblake230 9 месяцев назад +1

    For me it’s the most vulnerable and soft experience reading the book or watching the movie. It’s so authentic and real and painful yet so unbelievably kind and gentle. I adore Charlie and the others. Each of them unique in their own way and yet the same. They are truly infinite, with us.

  • @deadsirius3602
    @deadsirius3602 3 года назад +6

    this movie just feels real and the way it makes me feel is why I watch it every month

  • @creationspringschurch
    @creationspringschurch 7 месяцев назад +1

    Perks is my favorite movie. From raising awareness for the survivors of sexual abuse to the radiant truth of incredible friendship and true love that sees beyond the romantic fantasy to being truly known and accepted and loved. I love Paul Rudy’s insight “We accept the love we think we deserve”. I carry this book and this movie with me deeply and always. If you haven’t read the Twentieth Anniversary edition of the book, get a copy and read the final letter from Charlie that Chbosky added for this edition. It is truly my favorite statement in print. Well worth the read.

  • @carlymitchell8487
    @carlymitchell8487 3 года назад +6

    I think I cried throughout this whole video. This movie, the book, the soundtrack, everything means so much to me I can't even describe it. I'm graduating high school this year and I'm terrified, but Perks makes me realize how important the present is and that it's ok to be scared as long as you don't let it define you.

  • @CHUb2Z
    @CHUb2Z 3 года назад +8

    I'm currently writing a screenplay that's technically a coming of age story. While it's not anywhere close to the plot of Perks, I'm approaching the treatment of characters in a similar way. Just like you said, I love how personal the story is. It's beautiful without feeling overly sentimental. The characters feel very authentic. Maybe it's because I'm a writer, but I relate so much to Charlie.

  • @universesflowers6404
    @universesflowers6404 3 года назад +9

    The fucking end of this with the song literally made me cry,,, felt like watching perks for the first time at 11 and discovering Bowie for the first time,, omg I'm literally in tears.
    4:58 making me cry just because of the soundtrack omg,,, but this was a great commentary,,, couldn't agree more with how relatable this movie and book is. I first read it my freshman year, and watched the movie when I was 11, it's still my favorite book till this day and I'm 20.

  • @sophiareis7295
    @sophiareis7295 3 года назад +2

    not me crying when heros played at the end of this video. but fr tho hearing someone else talk about what this film meant to them brought forth a almost similar level of emotion as simply watching the film or rereading the novel.

  • @thefuckisgoingon
    @thefuckisgoingon 3 года назад +22

    I live in Germany so my experience should technically have been completely different and parts of it certainly were but I have never watched a high school movie I could relate to more. Especially the character of charlie was someone so relatable to me at the time I watched it and the film really stayed in my mind and impacted me. I go back to watch it every once in a while.

  • @maddyt3137
    @maddyt3137 3 года назад +13

    I watched this for the first time in the end of my senior year during quarantine, and man I sobbed. I relate so much to Charlie, and like him, I found amazing friends and things began to get better. Words literally cannot express the way this movie makes me feel. When I finished it I cried a bunch and then immediatly made a T-chart that was 3 pages long with a list of all the similarities between the movie and my life because I couldn’t stop thinking about it

  • @anna-lu8jp
    @anna-lu8jp 3 года назад +3

    i relate so much to charlie and his story, his traumas and everything about him. i just love this movie with all my heart

  • @mvs1122
    @mvs1122 3 года назад +1

    no matter how many videos (commentary’s, essays, reviews etc) there are of perks, I will always watch them because I love hearing about its beauty and brilliance and people’s feelings about this wonderful movie

  • @sammi_23
    @sammi_23 3 года назад +20

    This is one of the best movie ‘deconstructions’ I have ever seen! It brought me to tears during the first minute just hearing how genuinely you felt and cared about it. I read the book and saw this movie the year before I started high school. And every time I come back to it, it tugs at a different part of my soul as I’ve grown up through the years. I love it so much. You capture its essence of high school perfectly and I’m so happy I stumbled upon this video :)

  • @lpkombi6685
    @lpkombi6685 2 года назад +1

    I was Bob, the 'He knows me guy' in high school. Just as much as he's a wallflower in this movie, I was in high school. I'm so happy in the way this movie portrayed everything it tried to portray. Great video, I felt every single sentence in my heart.

  • @reesespuffs1596
    @reesespuffs1596 3 года назад +3

    Man I forgot the feeling of watching this movie for the first time. I felt literal chills watching this video, and I’m so glad I did. It feels so beautiful to remember how full of love this movie was. Thank you

  • @comoascoisassao
    @comoascoisassao 2 года назад +1

    I had an amazing and horrable experience watching this movie for the first time. It was in a English Class, in school. Me and other 30 teenagers that I hated and made me feel like trash. I sobbed in the classroom; I didn't even care. They problably made fun of me in my back, but I was being seen for the first time in a long time. This has been my favourite movie for 10 years. The last scene is tattoeded in my skin (literally). I'm 25 now, but I will never stop thinking about those words, I will never forget how it feels to understand that your head can be broken, but this doesn't mean you need to be a sad history. This video express everything I feel about the perks. Thank you.
    Just a fun fact, the title was translated to "the perks of being invisible" in Portuguese, and I really love it that way too, it's how I first knew it. A group of invisibles finding a story wrote about them, about how they are not just that.

  • @SR-ml6mb
    @SR-ml6mb 3 года назад +40

    Have you ever watched The Dead Poets Society? I personally loved it.

  • @hazel-hg7du
    @hazel-hg7du 3 года назад +2

    I read the book in middle school, it was tough and I understood how Charlie felt. I cried and cried, having to reread chapters because my eyes were to blurry. The first time I watched the movie, I cried once again. I felt that burden Charlie was carrying. I felt lonely, sad, happy, infinite all at once. It made me appreciate life a bit more. It made me realize that sometimes what we think is love, actually isn’t. I had swallow my feelings and didn’t feel, but both the movie and the book made me realize that we should feel. I always wanted to hug Charlie at the end and tell him that he can do this and I’m here for him, even if he doesn’t know it. Sometimes I wished someone did that for me, but no matter. We can’t dwell on the past, but we can still learn from it

  • @hannahildibjartsdottirhans8679
    @hannahildibjartsdottirhans8679 3 года назад +5

    The movie really is a perfect adaptation - this video also made me feel warm and most importantly, infinite. Thank you for this incredible video! Perks Of Being A Wallflower is my favorite book and movie.

  • @jopunfromtarget-3667
    @jopunfromtarget-3667 2 года назад +1

    I've almost completed my freshman year of highschool, and this has become my favorite film of all time. Everything I desire to experience was depicted within Perks, and it makes me feel hopeful,; that as an introverted teenager, I can find people who want to experience their "tunnels moment," and feel infinite. I can get off that wall and live my life. Along with that, the music within the film is perfect. Pearly Dewdrops Drops' during the graduation scene was perfect. I plan to drive down to Pittsburg with my friends, rent a pickup truck, and drive through the Fort Pitt tunnel with Heroes playing. This movie has changed my life.

  • @LizzaRob160
    @LizzaRob160 3 года назад +3

    Why the hell do you not have more subscribers? This is one of the best written and edited video essays I’ve ever seen.

  • @mychalmay1738
    @mychalmay1738 3 года назад +1

    I had read the book during my junior year. I cried. Once I had finished, I'd turned on the T.v. and watched the film with tears pouring down my face.

  • @azul4904
    @azul4904 3 года назад +3

    the word i use the most to describe this movie (besides beautiful) is accurate, because not only its an amazing film but it’s SO accurate to everything in it. it feels real.

  • @its_me-nikki
    @its_me-nikki Год назад +1

    Now I get why this feels oddly reminiscent of my high school experience. This book was released my freshman/sophomore year of high school. This WAS my high school experience.

  • @roelmulderij311
    @roelmulderij311 3 года назад +3

    It’s been a while since I saw this movie, but seeing this video makes me cry 😭 Literally cried during the entire time watching

  • @fatbitch7168
    @fatbitch7168 2 года назад +1

    Perks is maybe the movie that represents my life struggles the most, and that's why it makes me feel a lot of painful things. But I also feel the relief of being seen and understood just by way of such fantastic representation. It's also very comfy, fun and moving. One of my fav movies ever. A true masterpiece.

  • @HaileyHebron
    @HaileyHebron 3 года назад +3

    This movie i in one of my top favs there are two types of crying, the sad type and the happy type and this movie has both. I feel like this movie is me I have friends but feel alone and my family isn’t exactly great so this movie gets all my sad crying out and makes me happy at the same time and I love it

  • @coolbeans5911
    @coolbeans5911 3 года назад +1

    "We accept the love we think we deserve"
    this line alone is one of the most profound things I've ever heard in my life, and i think a lot of viewers resonated with it

  • @theflowershopwiththomasflowers
    @theflowershopwiththomasflowers 3 года назад +7

    Superbad and Perks, two of my favorite movies, and I would have to agree about their authenticity. Great video.

  • @gabriel245
    @gabriel245 3 года назад +2

    This movie is beautiful and you talking about it is beautiful thank you for this video.

  • @officialsebvon
    @officialsebvon 3 года назад +4

    Awesome analysis!

  • @quanjuggiano8632
    @quanjuggiano8632 Год назад +1

    One of the Greatest Films Ive ever seen makes you feel like other people are out there goin through the same thing just a great highschool visual

  • @carolyn9034
    @carolyn9034 3 года назад +7

    I just watched this film today bc i took one of those personality test that match you to fictional characters and Charlie was my second closest match. I absolutely loved it and I’m so sad I didn’t watch it while I was in highschool bc i feel like it genuinely could’ve changed my life. Beautiful film and wonderful video! had to subscribe :)

    • @roundedborderscinema
      @roundedborderscinema  3 года назад +2

      What a sweet way to discover it! Thank you :,)

    • @gglopes
      @gglopes 3 года назад

      Do u have the link to the test?

  • @kirstenlunsford1778
    @kirstenlunsford1778 3 года назад +2

    This is the only movie I’ve ever cried to and I still cry every time I watch it. I love this movie.

  • @edelchristop7
    @edelchristop7 3 года назад +4

    Wow! Thank you so much for making this. This is possibly my favorite film ever and it was great to hear someone give it the recognition it deserves. Very well made video.

  • @Brainrotcakes
    @Brainrotcakes 2 года назад

    They say that there is no such thing as perfection...but this film is infinitely perfect in every way.

  • @bespectacled
    @bespectacled 3 года назад +3

    Beautiful video on a beautiful story. I always thought it was so cool that Chbosky went to film school at USC, wrote the book, and then held its hand all the way through the adaptation. Lovely job :)

  • @Morganhain
    @Morganhain 2 года назад +1

    Ok but why did I cry when he said "it makes me feel like the strawberry dress" i hear you man, I hear you 🥺🥺🥺

  • @mariapyne120
    @mariapyne120 3 года назад +4

    Why doesn’t this video have more views ! This was perfect

  • @NA-wd7cn
    @NA-wd7cn 3 года назад +1

    the way you describe this movie is so specific and idk. you’re the first person who has given this movie the credit it deserves

  • @makspiper3954
    @makspiper3954 3 года назад +3

    I wish that more individuals stumble upon this video. To understand the analysis that is provided and to embrace the beautiful editing and narration involved. But this movie/book are truly a realistic HS experience that all could relate in some part to.

  • @CarlSingsonvlogs
    @CarlSingsonvlogs 3 года назад

    that tunnel scene along with the music and dialogue still gives me *_goosebumps_*

  • @nina-ru6fq
    @nina-ru6fq 3 года назад +7

    i had never been lower in my entire life than when i saw this movie, and honestly, i am very happy that i saw it then. it made my stomach hurt and i cried like a baby at every little mannerism of charlie's that i knew i also shared and it hurt so bad knowing that i was not in a movie, and i would not have a resolution, and instead i was in real life. every little thing, from how he described it "getting bad again" to his love for the song asleep by the smiths. it touched my heart so dear and closely that charlie and the other characters in perks have cemented themselves forever into me. this was a great video.

  • @linaaviles1971
    @linaaviles1971 3 года назад +1

    I read this book when I was 15 and heavily depressed. It helped me so much. When I finally saw the film and learned what the tunnel song was, I was ecstatic to learn it was one of my favorite songs. Now 10 years later, I have the lyrics “we could be heroes just for one day” tattooed on my arm in typewriter font.
    I was never like Charlie, I was more of a Sam, especially in a way people messed with her. But Charlie still resonated with me.

  • @hippiecheezburger5457
    @hippiecheezburger5457 3 года назад +3

    I think it’s a well done adaptation of well written story. I love coming of age stories, it’s very powerful and meaningful

  • @kieraford9823
    @kieraford9823 3 года назад +2

    Logan Lerman's performance in this film was actually so believable and breathtaking i was rooting for him the whole time. my favourite movie of all time

  • @ayshastrange
    @ayshastrange 3 года назад +9

    when i'm feeling down i watch perks and by the end i feel a lot better. i actually watched it again a few days ago and i think out off all the times i've watched it, that was the least number of minutes i watched of the movie before i began crying LOL could it be another change started playing and I just lost it

  • @alexanderthemagnifcent2573
    @alexanderthemagnifcent2573 3 года назад +1

    I vividly remember when I watched this in the theater my mom broke down crying for hours after the ending.

  • @potter_productions
    @potter_productions 3 года назад +7

    I love this film only watched it a week ago, im 17 and instantly fell in love with it, I have 1/2 main friends at school but had a few outside school but I've recently gained a few more friends who are so much like me and enjoy the same things, it's been rlly nice to just to hang with these few new friends. I loved this vid, I also love avatar and that show is rlly fear to my heart - I always watch it when I feel super depressed, and then when I realised that u only had 99 subs for such good content I'm going to subscribe, as a content creator MYSELF, I know how difficult it is to get views, and for such good videos in going to be ur 100th SUBSCRIBER!!!

    • @potter_productions
      @potter_productions 3 года назад +2

      Also could i ask you review avatar, I apsolutely love it ❤️❤️

    • @roundedborderscinema
      @roundedborderscinema  3 года назад +1

      I appreciate this endlessly !! Thank you for sharing your experiences, and thank you for subscribing :D I'll definitely consider that suggestion on talking about Avatar tho...

    • @potter_productions
      @potter_productions 6 месяцев назад

      @@roundedborderscinema you know whats crazy, i just rewatched film being 21 and wanted to watch a review, saw this top suggested only to realise that i've already commented and i couldn't have said it better, but im now in a very different place in life, other friends gone and disappeared off to uni and man on this rewatch did i missive suddenly connect to the lack of friends but also regressed backing into being a wallflower where as before i massively connected with that "we accept the love we think we deserver". im also moving out of home soon and so connected with Sam leaving and not really wanting to leave some things and experiences behind. again i loved you review having totaly forgot i had seen it before - keep going and making awesome stuff and showing the world your thoughts!!!

  • @Linkskywaker
    @Linkskywaker 3 года назад +1

    I swear i've been looking for this video every since I watched this masterpiece of a film. This video made one of the roughest weeks in recent history better. Thank you.

  • @kaloy9568
    @kaloy9568 3 года назад +6

    Tbh I just wanted to know how Charlie is doing right now... the ending says he'll write soon if everything went wrong so this means he's fine..

  • @vinniethebee479
    @vinniethebee479 3 года назад +2

    I am from india and our high schools are nothing like America's. Like we have uniforms. But it still spoke to me, i can realte to this book and movie... so much. especially wallflower, a beautiful word for shy awkward introverts.