Hazel and Gus are two teenagers suffering from cancer who meet in a support group and fall in love. Giving each other so much more hope than they could have ever imagined.
Unfortunately I missed this film at the cinema but had heard quite a lot about it. It certainly is a tear-jerker and you only have to know its a love story between two teenage cancer patients who meet at a support group. It was never going to have a happy ending I knew that, but it certainly did have some very happy and uplifting moments which make you smile and even laugh. But also the ability to make you cry all at the same time.
It is a very difficult film to watch with the subject matter but the characters are fantastic. Hazel and Gus’ story will warm your heart and put things into perspective. We have had quite a few different films with this subject matter, this one has a different take on it. With many twists and turns as they try to handle everything that is thrown at them.
The book which Hazel gets Gus to read and they live by comes as a very powerful part of the film as they manage a trip to Amsterdam to meet the author, Van Houten. Who is in fact horrible to them and shows no compassion whatsoever, but this is all answered in the end and you can probably guess what his problem is.
This was not a good film choice to watch on a plane, I could not hold back the tears at certain parts. It really did break my heart at times, because it was sad yes but because it was so lovely at the same time.
It makes you think how you would handle the situation and the film also deals with the parents and how difficult it would also be for them losing their child. Also how the child worries about them and how they will go on without them. Basically it shows how much of a horrendous ordeal cancer is and that it is something you really hope you won’t encounter. Worst thing is now each family has been hit by it at some point.
The friendship and love story really are inspiring, it gives you hope that no matter how sick someone is that they can still find a companion and someone to spend time with. Which equally adds to the heartbreak of watching this film, but the performances are very good and you will find yourself crying your eyes out. Once you start crying you won’t actually stop, just a small warning about how emotional the film is!
