Movie Review: Paper Towns

While there was something very familiar and strangely predictable with Paper Towns, the film somehow managed to keep me constantly engaged. I don't know. From the muddled and thin premise to the cliched characters and even to the sluggish writing of Margo's character, this should've been a complete mess, but it wasn't. It turned out to be a lot more appealing than I expected; the cinematography was beautiful, the soundtrack was perfect, and the young cast was actually solid. Nat Wolff, in particular, turned in a rich, understated performance. I would've liked a better ending though as the film was drawn swiftly to its conclusion with in little more than 5 minutes, but I digress. Paper Towns was a charming piece of work carried by a decent cast overflowing with youthful energy. No, I didn't think it was exceptional or anything near flawless, but this, I think, will resonate with teenagers and those that remember that period all too well. 7