The halfway convincing but heartwarming film adaptation of Steven Chbosky’s “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” hurts. It’s painful depiction of first love, teenage insecurity and ultimately, human sacrifice and friendship.

The film centers around Charlie (Logan Lerman), a high school freshman with a messy past and run-down self esteem. Charlie enjoys reading and is smart, so he has that going against him.

He eventually stumbles upon an offbeat senior named Patrick (Ezra Miller) in his shop class who introduces him to the sensitive but darling Sam (Emma Watson). In early 1990’s Pittsburg, the self proclaimed “Island of Misfits” skid off the usual “coming-of-age” path with their uplifting joy.

While Sam has a less than convincing accent, Watson’s convincing charm is enough to look past her shaky American drawl. Charlie is the perfect witness to the plots perfect mess of universal hurt.

The one who shines the brightest, however, is Patrick, the gay class-clown who’s shining warmth and acceptable flaws bring out the best in those around him. Ezra does what Watson can’t through his joyous, but not cookie-cutter, banter and ability to inject true passion into any scene.

The importance of his role cannot be understated. Patrick is not stereotypical in the sense of being just a “sassy gay friend”. His secret relationship with the schools quarterback is one of the most touching points in the plot. Twenty years later, imagining their relationship without any secrecy is almost impossible.

While it is rare to see an author work so strongly on a film adaptation of their own work, that does not make movie adaptation any better. In “The Perks of Being a Wallflower”, it is obvious that Chobsky is relying entirely on source material. Long stretches of time without any background material might confuse some viewers who haven’t read the novel. Charlie’s long and seemingly endless letters to a mysterious friend complicate the storyline, but then again, they fogged the plot in the novel as well.

However, a story about imperfect teenagers isn’t supposed to be flawless. The story is filled with human weakness and the crushing blows that high school brings.

By: Paige Crenshaw