By Melissa Martinez

Very rarely do film adaptations of novels portray the vision of the author, unless of course he or she is directing it, as in the case in “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.”

The film, based on the novel of the same title, author Stephen Chbosky assumes the roles of screenwriter and director, capturing the perfect rendition of each character from book to screen.

The film chronicles the life of Charlie (played by Logan Lerman), a “wallflower” in high school. As a troubled incoming freshman, Charlie isn’t sure what to expect for a social life. He becomes even less sure when he meets siblings Sam and Patrick (played by Emma Watson and Ezra Miller), “cool” kids that eventually introduce Charlie to music, drugs and the social politics of teenage life.

As Charlie experiences what it is to feel infinite (a phrase used in both the book and novel), he is reminded of his shadowed past, making it difficult to move on to his future. With a tightknit group of friends and an inspiring teacher, a balance is brought to Charlie’s life as he experiences love, loss and coming-of-age.

The cast members impeccably portray each character as they were presented in the book. Lerman is the ideal Charlie, quiet and reserved, while Watson and Miller capture Sam and Patrick’s spirit flawlessly.

As a reader of the novel, I was surprised and pleased at how well Chbosky made his vision of the book come to life on the screen. “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” opens in theaters everywhere Sept. 21.