The Fault in Our Stars

Based on the bestselling YA novel by John Green, this poignant romance centers on a pair of teenagers who fall in love at a cancer support group: 16-year-old Hazel Grace Lancaster (Shailene Woodley) and 18-year-old Augustus Waters (Ansel Elgort). Together they struggle with the tough cards that life has dealt them, experiencing joy, anger, excitement, frustration, and pain—while also maintaining a sense of humor. Woodley is absolutely convincing as the thyroid cancer patient with compromised lungs, and she is strongly supported by Elgort, Nat Wolff, Laura Dern, Sam Trammell, and Willem Dafoe with the latter playing the reclusive author of Hazel's favorite novel—a man who turns out to be a nasty, jaded, ex-pat American living in Amsterdam. Directed by Josh Boone, The Fault in Our Stars (the title comes from Cassius' speech to Brutus in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar) is an emotional roller-coaster ride, a coming-of-age movie that replaces sentimental schmaltz with surprisingly wicked wit and barbed wisdom. Fans of the book may be bothered by some changes (including the dumping of a subplot involving an ex-girlfriend), but most will be moved by this heartbreaking, bittersweet adaptation of a genuine tearjerker. Highly recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director Josh Boone and author John Green, production featurettes (10 min.), “The Stars Align: Book to Screen” featurette (9 min.), deleted scenes with optional audio commentary (8 min.), a photo gallery, and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD, digital, and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a winning YA adaptation.] (S. Granger)