The Perks of Being a Wallflower Parent Guide

As a freshman just starting high school, Charlie (Logan Lerman) is dreading the first day of class. The start isn’t made easier by the fact his best friend committed suicide only a few months earlier, leaving him confused and hurt. Introverted and unconventional in his thinking, Charlie spends most lunch hours sitting by himself. Even his sister Candace (Nina Dobrev) is too wrapped up in her relationship with Ponytail Derek (Nicholas Braun) to pay attention to her little brother. In shop class, however, Charlie meets Patrick (Ezra Miller), a high school senior trying once again to pass the freshman woodworking class. At a football game, Patrick introduces Charlie to his stepsister Sam (Emma Watson). Although the siblings are several years older than Charlie, they invite him to a house party with their friends where he gets stoned. Underage drinking, illegal drug use and homosexual relationships are all commonplace for this group that refers to themselves as misfit toys. But for Charlie, their acceptance of him as a wallflower means he finally has somewhere he belongs.

Like many high school movies, most of the actors in this cast are in their 20s. As a result, it’s sometimes hard to remember the story deals with a 14-year-old and some 17 and 18-year olds who regularly imbibe or ingest without the hint of a responsible adult anywhere in the vicinity. Even a fistfight and beating in the school cafeteria doesn’t rouse any adults. On the other hand, Mr. Anderson (Paul Rudd), the English teacher, is an exemplary teacher and role model. Considering the film’s heavy themes of sexual and physical abuse, mental illness and bullying, it’s refreshing this teacher remains honorable in his actions and intentions. He is the one bright beacon in Charlie’s life and he encourages the young student by constantly challenging him to think deeper.

Although the topics and depictions are often unsettling, the filmmakers shine a light at the end of the tunnel, giving the teens a chance for a fresh start upon graduation. And while Charlie still has three more years of high school ahead of him, he is also given the opportunity to put his past behind him. The film is a story about how people see themselves, and the importance of recognizing that people change- sometimes faster than their self-image can accommodate. But for everyone, every day is an opportunity to change your life.

The film isn’t without content issues, but to a certain extent, these are things that students in almost any high school will have some exposure to. The perks of The Perks of Being a Wallflower are in its other uplifting messages about friendship, change, and acceptance. The film represents the constant changeability and uncertainty of high school- and reminds the audience that life is bigger than that, and that they are capable of working with the hand they’ve been dealt.

Release Date: 21 September 2012 (LImited)

About author

Kerry Bennett

Kerry Bennett is interested in media from both a journalist and parent perspective. Along with authoring articles for several family-oriented publications, she has written for Parent Previews for over 15 years. As a parent herself, she believes parents play a powerful role in teaching media literacy in their homes.