''Paper Towns'' engages audience, lives up to hype

THE WOODLANDS, Texas - Adapted from the best-selling novel by John Green, Paper Towns hit theaters on July 24th, 2015. It’s centered around high school seniors, Quentin Jacobsen (Q for short), and his mystery-loving neighbor, Margo Roth Spiegelman, during their last few weeks before graduation in the “paper town” of Orlando, Florida.

As someone who read the book long before the movie came out, I naturally had high expectations for the film. The screenplay was adapted by the same three men who took John Green’s other novel, The Fault in our Stars, to the big screen over a year ago. The three had done an amazing job staying true to the book back then and made sure to do the same this time around. So once again Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber, and John Green were able to closely replicate the contents of the book for movie-goers.

Not only did the movie successfully bring the story to life, but it brought the quirky, interesting characters to life with an even quirkier, more interesting cast. Nat Wolff and Cara Delevingne, who played Q and Margo, did a phenomenal job embodying their characters. Their acting felt so real and honest throughout the entire movie. It almost seemed as if they were the two people that John Green based the characters off of while writing the book. Wolff is funny, slightly awkward, and always wearing that adorable grin on his face. I felt that he was the perfect choice for Q. I will admit that I had my doubts when Cara Delevingne was announced to be portraying Margo months ago, but I was thoroughly surprised during the screening. The director of the movie, Jake Schreier, had told the media that Delevingne’s audition was “something special” and after seeing her actually play Margo, I understand. She is exactly the type of girl that I envisioned Margo as when I had read the book.

To say that Paper Towns is a good, family friendly movie would be a lie. It is rated PG-13 for a reason. There are brief scenes involving teen drinking, language used throughout, and some suggestive dialogue at times. However, I wouldn’t say that it’s too much for a younger teen to handle seeing. Aside from the scarce, more adult themes, Paper Towns is an exciting coming of age story with plenty of comedy, romance, and mystery in the mix. The beginning and end of the movie are narrated by Q, drawing you in to his story and fascination with Margo within the first few minutes and leaving you with a feeling of closure just before the end credits. The events in the middle feel very real. It made me laugh and think, and at one point, it brought tears to my eyes as Q and his friends reminisced on their time in high school together as it came to a close.

Paper Towns surprised me in a lot of ways. Not many movies come close to being as good as their books. I would go see this movie again in a heartbeat if anyone asked. As silly as it can be at times, this is a movie that engages its viewers and leaves them feeling good and satisfied.