Paper Towns (2015)

Summary :
Adapted from the bestselling novel by author John Green, this is a coming-of-age story centering on Quentin and his enigmatic neighbor Margo, who loved mysteries so much she became one. After taking him on an all-night adventure through their hometown, Margo suddenly disappears - leaving behind cryptic clues for Quentin to decipher. The search leads Quentin and his quick-witted friends on an exhilarating adventure that is equal parts hilarious and moving. Ultimately, to track down Margo, Quentin must find a deeper understanding of true friendship - and true love.

Genre : Mystery/Romance
Country : USA

Cast :
Nat Wolff : Quentin
Cara Delevingne : Margo
Austin Abrams : Ben

Director : Jake Schreier

My opinion

"Marriage, children, career.
Then you will be happy.
Is that what you're saying?”

I like to watch a feelgood college movie once and a while, with its peculiar weirdos and goofy situations. Although no movie will ever surpass "The Breakfast Club". And surely when it has additional similarities with "Serendipity", one of my favorite teenage love chick flicks ever made, it can't get any better. Ok, it's a collection of known clichés used in all kinds of situations and eventually it's not that big of a deal. Mainly it's about the close friendship between some guys who don't even belong to the club of the most popular students. They're all off to another university scattered over the US. And most important there's the quest they undertake together to find the childhood love of one of them. A special and mysterious young girl whose life appears to be one big adventure.

My favorite character was Austin Abrams as the loony Ben, who thinks Q's mother is an incredibly attractive woman and there's nothing he rather would do than spend some time with her in a bathtub. He's a sperm cell on two legs whose hormones repeatedly go bezerk whenever there's a C-cup to admire in the neighborhood. Radar (Justice Smith) is the sober, reserved member of the gang who does everything according to the rules. He even wants to postpone the act until prom night, because it should be something special. His parody of an Italian is the only moment he doesn't stick to those rules. And Quentin (Nat Wolff) is the main character who after a nightly adventure with Margo (Cara Delevingne) comes to the conclusion that he must do his utter best to win her heart forever. He even travels to a ghost town on paper.

You might say all elements are present for a typical teen movie full of romance. Initially, this is also the core of the story. However it comes with an unprecedented twist as the story unfolds. The mysterious Margo initiates an adventurous quest. A search Quentin starts together with his two closest friends with clues left behind by Margo as a main guidance. What we get is an entertaining road movie in which the close relationship between the three schoolmates gets all the attention. A mix of good old camaraderie and melancholic musings. And this peppered with funny dialogues. The end result is both surprising and original, when you take other teen films into consideration. To be honest it's more realistic and it's an attempt to break the enchanting of teenage love.

The three main characters form a tight group and interact in a natural way. Three close friends who know each other thoroughly. Each of them deliver some solid acting with Austin Abrams being the most successful one. Wolff looked a bit wimpy and dryly but was convincing enough as the key figure. Delevingne had a mysterious appearance which was necessary for her part. On the whole, this was definitely not a boring film, but I couldn't shake of the impression that it all went ahead rather leisurely. What remains is an unpredictable search for the girl Q is in love with since his childhood. However, I am sure many young people also have undertaken such a quest in their own way.