If there's a recurring thread in the teen-centric novels of John
Green it's the defying of expectations. The
Fault in out Stars took
everything we expected about an illness drama and flipped it around; creating a
funny and soulful romance that was surprisingly uplifting. Many of the same
things can be said for Paper
Towns, a film about first loves, unobtainable dreams, and the early
touchstones that define our lives. Few have Green's level of understanding of
what it means to be young, in love, and facing an uncertain future. But two
people who share that insight are screenwriters Michael H. Weber and Scott
Neustadter, who along with penning Paper
Towns wrote The Fault in our
Stars and the excellent The Spectacular
Now.
Paper Towns isn't quite on the level of those other
films; some of the central mystique it's counting on doesn't quite measure up,
but it's hard to fault any story that manages to make us feel good without
delivering everything we want. This goes back to the whole subverting
expectations thing, and it’s a lesson that the characters in this film are
learning right along with us. Nat Wolff (he played the blind friend in 'Fault')
is Quentin, a dreamer from a young age who tells us that everyone is entitled
to at least one miracle. His particular miracle happens to be the arrival of
Margot (Cara Delevingne), his mysterious, tough-chick neighbor who becomes his
partner-in-crime early on. But as they grow older she becomes part of the cool
high school clique while Quentin is in social Siberia with his geeky loyal
bros, Radar (Justice Smith) and Ben (Austin Abrams), each with their own unique
quirks. However, Quentin never stopped loving Margot, who managed to become
something of local legend over the years, known for wild adventures that may or
may not be true. Although they hadn't spoken for nine years, Margot arrives at
his window one night and takes him on one insane night of fun and criminal
activity, the first time Quentin has really broken out of his shell. And just
as he thinks something special is building between them, she up and disappears
the very next day.
The majority of the film centers on the
mystery of Margot's disappearance, but this isn't meant to be a high stakes
thriller. There's no fear that anything terrible has happened to her; instead
it's clear that the flighty Margot has runaway to some unknown destination, and
Quentin believes she has left clues so that only he, her one true love, can
find her.
We've been conditioned to expect that a
story like this will end a certain way, with grand dramatic gestures leading to
expressions of devotion. And for the most part, these movies are always from
the perspective of guys, who conjure up in their mind this idea of the
perfectly eccentric, tough yet vulnerable gal (aka the Manic Pixie Dreamgirl)
just waiting to be saved. And we see Quentin doing that, building Margot up in
his mind to such a degree that no woman could measure up. Green isn't
interested in embracing such conventions, though; shattering that myth of the
MPD with an honest and poignant encounter between Quentin and Margot that is
like a much-needed dose of reality.
Still, the best part of this film is the
road trip itself. Margot is ultimately not that interesting of a character. The
interest we have in her is fleeting (like a teenage crush, actually) and when
she leaves the film for a long stretch we begin to wonder why Quentin is so
obsessed. It's not a knock on Delevingne who brings the necessary enigmatic
quality to the role. The problem may be with the adaptation itself, which
likely cut out some elements from the book that helped define Margot's
personality. What works is the relationship between the guys, and the
screenplay does a fantastic job of switching gears to make this a movie about
them, their friendship, their fears, and final adventures before going their
separate ways. There's a real sense that these three very different people are
bonded by those differences and their shared experiences. Director Jake
Schreier previously directed the great Frank Langella in the underrated
sci-fi/comedy Robot &
Frank, and his particular talent is giving his actors the freedom to grow
into their characters. There's a natural chemistry between the cast that shines
brighter than some of the illogical and messy plotting of the central mystery,
which unfolds through a serious of razor thin coincidences.
Helping to define a generation similar to
the late John Hughes, John Green knows how to embrace the teen movie genre
while finding new ways to subvert it. Perceptive and funny, Paper Towns will be best remembered for its
engaging characters and defiant spirit.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
