Paper Towns

Romantic comedies are, by and large, ordinary, predictable and usually not very funny, whereas most romantic dramas are certainly more original, more thought out and a little more real. So, if one had to choose between the two different romantic types of film, the dramatic side would be your better bet. Case in point with "Paper Towns"-- a romantic drama that is thought-provoking, clever, entertaining and even bittersweet, which makes it more real.

This is a coming-of-age story centering on Quentin Jacobsen (Nat Wolff) and his enigmatic neighbor Margo Spiegelman (Cara Delevingne), who loved mysteries, so much she became one. After taking Quentin on an all-night adventure through their hometown Orlando, Margo suddenly disappears-- leaving behind cryptic clues for Quentin to decipher. The search leads Quentin and his quick-witted friends, Ben (Austin Abrams), Radar (Justice Smith) and Lacey (Halston Sage) 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.

Others to round out the cast are Jaz Sinclair as Angela, Radar's girlfriend, Cara Buono as Mrs. Jacobsen, Quentin's mom, Meg Crosbie as Ruthie, Margo's younger sister, Griffin Freeman as Jase, Margo's ex-boyfriend, Caitlin Carver as Becca, RJ Shearer as Chuck, Susan Macke Miller as Mrs. Spiegelman, Margo's mom, Tom Hillman as Mr. Spiegelman, Margo's dad, Josiah Cerio as Young Quentin and Hannah Alligood as Young Margo.

Remarkably, this was crafted with subtlety by relative newcomer Jake Schreier ("Robot & Frank" '12). Seasoned directors do not typically direct with such delineation as this guy. These characters were rich with their approach as well as with the pacing. It was written by two writers whom have been down this road before. In other words, this film had that quirkiness, bittersweetness and subtlety as with their other productions. The two writers in question are Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber ("(500) Days of Summer" '09, "The Pink Panther 2" '09, "The Spectacular Now" '13, "The Fault in Our Stars" '14). Wow! What a resume. As with their other films soaring as they did, this too, did the same. This had their names written all over the screenplay. Even though there is a good deal in which to give out kudos, there were a few places that appeared to look as though the actors were wondering what to do next. It was subtle, but noticeable. This could have to do with the directing, however it appeared to be an issue with the writing. Hey, these guys are great writers--I love their work, but maybe this was just an off day. Not sure. I will still see anything they write, because good writers in Hollywood is a rare breed. No Joke! This was based on the book by John Green and basically referred to Paper Towns as not real places, but places put on maps created to protect against copyright infringement, and this was exactly the way Margo was.

Hey, when a film can capture one's attention without having A-list actors, from minute one to last, that speaks volumes in my book. If you  liked "The Fault in Our Stars" last year, you will love this. The two leads in this were amazing with a ton of chemistry, even though they were completely opposite. What a great way to spend a quiet day at the multiplex. Enjoy.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                               Rated: PG-13                                109mins.