Paper Towns review (trailer)

This new offering is not as touching and heartfelt as his previous novel but is a reasonably entertaining yarn, punctuated with some amusing moments. It could have benefited from a stronger narrative trajectory, though. Paper Towns offers a great opportunity for attractive British supermodel Cara Delevinge to cut her teeth as an actress, but she doesn’t have an awful lot of screen time – she disappears after about 20 minutes – which doesn’t give one much time to access her abilities.

She plays opposite Nat Wolff, whose character, Quentin, is the film’s narrator and protagonist. Quentin is a studious individual with good grades, who never misses class and would never dream of sneaking out of the house at night. His enigmatic neighbour, Margo (Delevingne), however, is a pretty rebellious spirit and she seduces him out of his cocoon for an adventure or two in the middle of the night. She is the most popular girl in school and has been Quentin’s obsession since she moved into the neighbourhood.

He is reluctant at first to participate in these escapades but is hooked and goes along for the ride. After causing havoc at the homes of an ex-boyfriend and then her ex-friends, Margo disappears and leaves clues for Quentin and his buddies to follow.

The boys undertake an amusing road trip across America in pursuit of Margo, but the storyline is too contrived for comfort and doesn’t bare close scrutiny. The journey itself comprises a series of minor misadventures and inane chatter among the five friends in the car. The character of Margo is an undeveloped entity and viewing. The viewer sees Margo through Quentin’s eyes and not as she really is.

For all its faults, Paper Towns still has an element of carefree fun in which adults are not relevant and where this particular universe is inhabited mostly by teenagers.