The Fault in Our Stars

PG-13
Starring: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff, Laura Dern, Sam Trammel and Willem Dafoe
Running Time: 2 Hours and 5 Minutes

WOW!!! What a moving story this is. A movie with reality and true grit that will send your heart into a talespin! The situation that many people unfortunately find themselves in and how they have to learn to live with cards they are dealt. This is the story of a young seventeen year old girl named
Hazel Grace (Shailene Woodley) and her battle to stay alive. She was diagnosed with cancer when she was thirteen years old. Her cancer is fatal and she battles the symptoms and the reality of it everyday! She is an only child who is very close with her parents, mother Frannie (Laura Dern) and her father Michael (Sam Trammell). They are there by her side every step of the way. They do all that is humanly possible to assist and help her, they love her dearly, she is their whole world! They encourage her to attend the cancer support group with other teens around her same age, she is opposed and does not want to go. While attending the support group she meets a handsome young eighteen year old man named Gus (Ansel Elgort) who is also afflicted with cancer. He had to have his leg amputated but still carries on with a prosthetic leg and a super-great attitude!!! He was a basketball star in high school, athletic and looking forward to his future.
They were attracted to each other instantly, they were able to relate to each other and support each other. Hazel had been very isolated and had not had many opportunities to socialize under her circumstances where Gus was able to live a fairly normal teenage life. Hazel would read the same book over and over again, she tells Gus he has to read her book so he tells her she needs to read his favorite book too. Finally after he finishes her book he contacts her and thus their story begins.
They were able to go to Amsterdam to seek out the author of her favorite book and have quite an eye opening adventure.
This story was moving beyond words! It shows the true story of what these young people go through and the agony they have to endure. Gus has a great friend named Issac (Nat Wolff) from the support group who is battling his own cancer demons and ends up losing his eyes, he was an amazing young man who was a true friend. Laura Dern did a great job portraying her loving mother, very touching! Cancer is such a monster, it is definitely no respecter of persons! I lost my sister Sheila to cancer ten years ago. My sweet little six year old niece Gabrielle is battling her way through leukemia right now. This was a difficult movie to watch but I also think it is important too because it helps those who have fortunately not had a brush with cancer to understand and have more empathy for those who have!
Parents be advised: I am recommending that this movie is for the thirteen and over group. Not only is it highly emotional and realistic, but there is one sex scene in the movie that is very suggestive and the F-bomb is dropped once.
I am giving "The Fault in our Stars" three bags of popcorn.