A description of a film like The Fault in Our Stars can never do justice to the essence of the story.  Such a powerful experience is nearly impossible to share properly.

The Fault in Our Stars has been tremendously popular since its Jun. 6, 2014 release; it has reaped 122 billion dollars domestically to date. The characters in the film are unique and compelling, so the renown gained both by the movie and its director Josh Boone is no surprise.

The movie is sad, of course, to which the rows of sobbing moviegoers will attest. However, more important than the depressing plot is the humor and hope woven into the characters.  This lightheartedness is a jarring contrast to the reality principle characters’ situations and brings an enlightening truth to the film.

Cynical, depressed and in denial, Hazel Grace Lancaster (Shailene Woodley) leads a solitary life in order to cope with her terminal illness. Believing herself to be a “grenade,” and desiring to “minimize casualties,” Hazel avoids creating relationships outside of her family–that is, until she meets Augustus Waters (Ansel Elgort) in a support group for cancer victims.  Augustus, who is just as thoughtful and diseased as Hazel, lives a more positive and hopeful life. Their differences fit well together and they fall in love, “slowly, and then all at once,” according to Hazel.

Hazel and Augustus understand the unfortunate fleetingness of their time together and love each other deeply while they both deal with their individual medical issues.

The Fault in Our Stars, originally a book written by John Green and published in January of 2012, is similar in movie form and book form.  A few sub-plots, such as Augustus’ relationship history, were excluded from the film. However, the inclusion of such details were by no means necessary and would perhaps have inhibited the cinematic purity of the love that forms between Hazel and Augustus.

Both Woodley and Elgort bring essential qualities to the film. They are both incredible actors, and their talents are showcased excellently in The Fault in Our Stars.  Elgort is able to layer emotions quite seamlessly in his facial expressions and voice, which truly brings to life Augustus’ reality of having a terminal disease yet a positive outlook.  Woodley, on the other hand, demonstrates her gradual softening and transformation from depression to hopefulness beautifully by becoming visibly happier in every way, including the manner in which she walks.

The film was carried to excellence by the supporting characters. Isaac (Nat Wolff), friend to Hazel and Augustus, becomes blind halfway through the story due to a surgery to rid his eyes of cancer.  Isaac is very emotional about everything, and offers an effective contrast to the mellow and down-to-earth leads. Hazel’s parents, Mr. Lancaster (Sam Trammell) and Mrs. Lancaster (Laura Dern), seem to portray very realistically the plight of the parents of a terminally ill child. Unfortunately, Augustus’ parents, Mr. and Mrs. Waters (David Whalen and Milica Govich), are not nearly as present in the film. Although the two appear briefly during a few scenes, their lack of screen time prevents any cinematic relationship from forming between them and Augustus.  Therefore, it becomes difficult to effect pity for the parents during the emotional scenes of the movie.

The Fault in Our Stars is a film built on the devastating premise of life when it is cut short by unfortunate circumstance. That said, the primary emotion that clings to the audience is not sadness but hope. The relationships portrayed in the film between friends, family and lovers show possible routes of transcendence from the muck of unhappiness to life filled with joy.