A good coming-of-age movie works when it remembers that growing up never feels like it’s easy as it’s happening, because growing up is awkward, lonely, funny, embarrassing, and hardly anybody around you seems to realize that you’re really suffering in silence. This movie understands all of that painfully well, but it also knows that one of the most important parts of adolescence is finding the right people at the exact moment you need them.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is streaming for free this month on Fawesome. Written and directed by Stephen Chbosky, based on his own novel, the film follows Charlie, a shy high school freshman who is dealing with the triple threat of grief, trauma, and isolation as he forms a deep friendship with two seniors who help pull him out of his shell. It’s a small story on the surface, but emotionally the whole thing is much bigger than that.
The cast includes Logan Lerman (Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, Hunters) as Charlie, Emma Watson (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Little Women) as Sam, Ezra Miller (We Need to Talk About Kevin, The Flash) as Patrick, Mae Whitman (Parenthood, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World) as Mary Elizabeth, Nina Dobrev (The Vampire Diaries, Love Hard) as Candace, Dylan McDermott (The Practice, American Horror Story) as Charlie’s father, Kate Walsh (Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice) as Charlie’s mother, and Paul Rudd (Clueless, Ant-Man) as Mr. Anderson.
Was ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ Successful?
With critics, it was a hit and very well-received. Currently, it has an 86% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, with the site consensus calling it “a heartfelt and sincere adaptation that’s bolstered by strong lead performances.” It also earned 67/100 on Metacritic, and it earned an A CinemaScore too. As for the money side of things, it did pretty well. The Perks of Being a Wallflower reportedly cost around $13 million to make and grossed about $33.3 million worldwide, meaning it made roughly 2.5 times its production budget. All in all, plenty of bang for your buck, and audiences left the multiplexes happy.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower is streaming now on Fawesome.
Unexpected Team-Up: Prince William and Emma Watson Unite for Change
Prince William had plenty to celebrate this weekend, but his latest public appearance quickly turned heads for a very different reason. After marking his 44th birthday and Father's Day with his family, the future king returned to royal duties—and made a surprisingly personal confession about the emotional toll of climate change.
William joined Hollywood stars Emma Watson and Benedict Cumberbatch at a United for Wildlife forum in London, an initiative he launched with the Royal Foundation in 2013. The organization works around the world to combat wildlife trafficking, environmental crime, and the destruction of endangered species.
But it was William's candid admission about his own fears that stole the spotlight.
The Prince of Wales revealed that climate change has caused him "sleepless nights," admitting he has struggled with anxiety about what the future could look like. Yet instead of allowing those fears to overwhelm him, William said seeing real progress through conservation efforts has helped keep his environmental anxiety under control.
He also delivered a powerful message to business leaders, urging them to become the kind of leaders they admired when they were children. With technology and innovation transforming the world at an incredible pace, William challenged CEOs to use their influence to create meaningful change.
The event launched London Climate Action Week, with more royal appearances expected, including the Earthshot Prize assembly.
Emma Watson also delivered a surprising revelation of her own. The Harry Potter star highlighted the fashion industry's enormous environmental impact, pointing out that it produces more emissions than aviation and ranks behind only oil among major polluting industries.
Watson, who is also pursuing a doctorate in philosophy at Oxford, shared a hilarious story about mistakenly believing paparazzi were following her. After spotting photographers with telephoto lenses, she arranged a distraction and escaped through another exit. The twist? They weren't photographing her at all. They were waiting to capture a red kite.
Meanwhile, Benedict Cumberbatch praised William as "a great guy" and urged businesses and individuals to recognize that they can still make a difference, even when global environmental challenges appear overwhelming.
With William, Watson, and Cumberbatch joining forces on the issue, the London forum delivered a clear message: the fight against environmental destruction is becoming impossible for the world's biggest names to ignore.
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