Note: Twentieth Century Fox has recently changed their screening policy and has stopped sending out physical Blu-ray media to most outlets. While Fox has provided an “online screening room” with this title available, the audio and video quality are nowhere near indicative of the final Blu-ray available to consumers. This Blu-ray was purchased with personal funds, but we felt coverage would be appreciated.
Plot: What’s it about?
“Okay.”
Considering all of the films that come out over the course of a given year, it takes a rare and special breed to succeed. Granted for every superhero movie out there that’s essentially guaranteed to gross $100 million in its first few weeks, there are a slew of films that are begging to be seen by the masses. Such is the case with The Fault in Our Stars, a film that surprised those masses and went onto become one of this Summer’s unexpected hits. It stars Shailene Woodley, who is in great demand these days, and coming off the heels of her success in Divergent (more on that later) the timing was right. Based on the best-selling novel by John Green, the movie isn’t the typical summer faire. A movie about teenagers suffering from Cancer isn’t something that audiences want to stand up and cheer about, but once again – the film impressed both critics and audiences alike. Admittedly I hadn’t read the novel (and had not even heard of it), but I figure that any movie made for $12 million and grosses $125 million did something right. Get your Kleenex ready, here we go…
Woodley plays Hazel Grace, a teenager from Indianapolis who has been diagnosed with Cancer at the age of 13. She was the recipient of an experimental medication which, in her case, seemed to work and has given her more time in life. Her parents (Laura Dern and Sam Trammell) have a pretty honest relationship with her though her mother forces her to go to support groups. It’s at one of these groups, however, that she meets Augustus “Gus” Waters (Ansel Elgort, who coincidentally played Woodley’s brother in Divergent). Gus, a former basketball star, has lost one of his legs due to Cancer and the two form an immediate, plutonic bond. As their relationship progresses, Hazel shares her affinity for the novel “An Imperial Affliction”, a story about a girl living with Cancer. Augustus manages to track down the eccentric author, Van Houten (Willem Dafoe) who lives in Amsterdam. After a few hits and misses, Gus and Hazel (with parents’ in tow) traverse to Amsterdam and meet the reclusive author. Suffice it to say, it’s not the experience they were expecting. To say much more would be to ruin the film and I don’t want to do that, so we’ll end this here.
The Fault in Our Stars isn’t an easy film to watch and I’d think it particularly difficult if a family member has succumbed to Cancer. Seeing these teens cope with the trials and tribulations of being a teen while suffering from a disease that they know will eventually kill them is hard to watch, though inspiring as well. It’s no secret that the chemistry between Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort is what makes the film work and if you can get past the “weirdness” of them being love interests in this film while being brother and sister in the Divergent movies, then you’ll enjoy it a lot more. Granted they’re actors and playing roles – I realize that, but still…Of note I have to say that it’s good to see Laura Dern in films again. After her father, Bruce, was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in Nebraska, maybe that raised a few eyebrows (or maybe she was just the right actress for the part). At any rate, it’s more than likely that you’ll have a lump in your throat for a couple hours, but I can say that it’s worth it. Highly recommended.
Video: How’s it look?
Presented in a 1.85:1 AVC HD image, The Fault in Our Stars is certainly indicative of what we’ve come to expect from a new to Blu-ray film. Colors are bold and bright and there are many scenes (particularly those in Hazel’s house) that are extremely colorful. Little things, like the hand-drawn text messages on the side of the screen, are sharp and crisp. Despite the tone of the film, I found a generally very warm color palette. Contrast is strong, producing some very solid scenes. All in all, it’s a great presentation and one that viewers will certainly enjoy.
Audio: How’s it sound?
The DTS HD Master Audio 5.1 mix has a few moments, but this isn’t a movie that’s meant to challenge the limits of your A/V system. Vocals are strong and crisp, Ansel Elgort’s character of “Gus” articulates his lines like he’s reading Shakespeare and it produces a very resonating, realistic effect. The front stage handles the majority of the audio while the surrounds add a bit of emphasis on some selected scenes. The soundtrack contains some jazzy tunes that heighten the mood and make for a very natural-sounding, yet soft, mix.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This is available in two different versions, a Blu-ray with the same supplements as well as this “Little Infinities” edition that contains the extended cut of the film. Here’s what’s included.
- Extended Cut – I chose to watch the Extended Cut of the film which contains 6 more minutes of footage than the Theatrical Cut. Both cuts are presented on this Blu-ray (not one on one disc and another on the other).
- Audio Commentary – Josh Boone and John Green deliver a very talkative and informative commentary track. I have to admit that it’s a bit odd for the author to be so heavily involved in a film, but perhaps that was a stipulation of having the movie made. Boone’s comments are more technical in nature and Green seems to promote himself at every given opportunity. Still, it’s a nice track and worth a listen.
- Deleted Scenes – Six (well five and a half if you discount the last one) in all and all are available with or without commentary by Green and Boone.
Hazel at Dinner
Isaac After the Operation
Airport Security
Hazel and Dad Talk About the Operation
Gus Comes Home From the Hospital
John Green Apologizes to the Characters
- The Scribe on Set – A sub-section broken down into four, one minute features.
- The Cast – Author John Green hams it up with some various members of the cast.
The Making of The Fault in Our Stars – Green introduces this amazing 1 minute “Making of…” featurette with a montage of clips shown in other features as well as the experience of working with movie stars and shooting in Amsterdam.
The Transformation – In its most literal form, we see Hazel (Shailene Woodley) shed her precious locks to morph into the character of Hazel.
Literature to Life – Green once again regales us with his antics and tells of us of the story that existed in his mind to see it in print and finally as a movie.
