Year: 2012

Director: Stephen Chbosky

An introvert freshman is taken under the wings of two seniors who welcome him to the real world.

❝Dear Friend. I am writing to you because she said you listen and understand and didn't try to sleep with that person at that party even though you could have. Please don't try to figure out who I am. I don't want you to do that. I just need to know that people like you exist. Like if you met me you wouldn't think I was the weird kid who spent time in the hospital. And I wouldn't make you nervous. I hope it's okay for me to think that. You see, I haven't really talked to anyone outside of my family all summer. But tomorrow is my first day of high school ever, and I need to turn things around. So I have a plan. As I enter the school for the first time, I will visualize what it would be like on the last day of my senior year. Unfortunately I counted, and that's one thousand three hundred and eighty-five days.❞

❝Well, we accept the love we think we deserve❞

❝I dare you to kiss the prettiest girl in the room on the lips. And notice I charitably said girl and not person because let's face it, I'd smoke all you bitches.❞

❝Welcome to the island of misfit toys.❞

❝My doctor said we can't choose where we come from but we can choose where we go from there. I know it's not all the answers but it was enough to start putting these pieces together.❞

❝If my Aunt Helen were still here, I could talk to her. And I know she would understand how I am both happy and sad, and I'm still trying to figure out how could that be.❞

❝You can't just sit there and put everybody's lives ahead of yours and think that counts as love.❞

❝Candice, I killed Aunt Helen, didn't I? She died getting my birthday present, so I guess I killed her, right? I tried to stop thinking that, but I can't. She keeps driving away and dying and I can't stop her. Am I crazy, Candace? [...] What if I wanted her to die, Candace?❞

❝My Aunt Helen has said I should be a writer, but I don't know what I'd write about. [...] You could write about us. [...] Yeah! Call it 'Slut and the Falcon'. Make us solve crimes.❞

❝I know who you are, Sam. I know I'm quiet... and, and I know I should speak more. But if you knew the things that were in my head most of the time, you'd know what it really meant. How, how much we're alike, and how we've been through the same things... and you're not small. You're beautiful.❞

❝You didn't do anything. We just want to toast to our new friend. You see things and you understand. You're a wallflower.❞

❝Alright, Chapter 1: Surviving your fascist shop teacher who needs to put kids down to feel big. Oh wow! This is useful guys, we should read on!❞

❝So, you're not scared of me? [...] No. [...] So, can we be friends again? [...] Of course! C'mon. Lets go be psychos together!❞

❝Sam, do you think if people knew how crazy you really were, no one would ever talk to you? [...] All the time.❞

❝Touch my friends again and I'll blind you.❞

❝I'll tell you Sam, this one is tough. I have received a harmonica, a magnetic poetry set, a book about Harvey Milk, and a mix tape with the song Asleep on it twice. I mean, I have no idea. This collection of presents is so gay that I think I must have given them to myself. Despite that distinct possibility, I'm going to have to go with... drum roll... Charlie! Obviously!❞

❝High school? Bullshit. The cafeteria is called the Nutrition Center; people wear their letter jackets even when it's 98 degrees out. And why do they give out letter jackets to marching band? It's not a sport. We all know it. [...] This kid is crazy.❞

❝Patrick never likes to be serious, so it took me a while to get what happened. When he was a junior, Patrick started seeing Brad on the weekends in secret. I guess it was hard, too, because Brad had to get drunk every time they fooled around. Then Monday in school Brad would say, 'Man, I was so wasted. I don't remember a thing.' This went on for seven months. When they finally did it Brad said he loved Patrick and then he started to cry. No matter what Patrick did, Brad kept saying that his dad would kill him and saying he was going to hell. Patrick was eventually able to help Brad get sober. I asked Patrick if he felt sad that he still had to keep it a secret, and he said no. Because at least now Brad doesn't have to get drunk to love him.❞

❝Dear Friend, I'm sorry I haven't written in a while, but I've been trying hard not to be a loser.❞

❝You know, I heard you had a tough time last year. But they say if you make one friend on your first day you're doing okay.❞

❝Why do I and everyone I love pick people who treat us like we're nothing?❞

❝There is so much pain. And I-I-I don't know how to not notice it. [...] What's hurting you? [...] No, not... not me. It's them! It's... it's everyone. It never stops. Do you understand?❞

❝I just want to make sure that the first person who kisses you loves you. Okay?❞

❝You know, I used to be popular before Sam got me some good music.❞

❝I don't know if I will have the time to write any more letters because I might be too busy trying to participate. So if this does end up being the last letter, I just want you to know that I was in a bad place before I started high school, and you helped me. Even if you didn't know what I was talking about or know someone who's gone through it, you made me not feel alone. Because I know there are people who say all these things don't happen. And there are people who forget what it's like to be 16 when they turn 17. I know these will all be stories someday. And our pictures will become old photographs. We'll all become somebody's mom or dad. But right now these moments are not stories. This is happening. I am here and I am looking at her. And she is so beautiful. I can see it. This one moment when you know you're not a sad story. You are alive, and you stand up and see the lights on the buildings and everything that makes you wonder. And you're listening to that song and that drive with the people you love most in this world. And in this moment I swear, we are infinite.❞