For a review of Perks of Being a Wallflower  as a movie and a novel, check out Covington’s Cover:

Covington’s Cover: Perks of Being a Wallflower Review

The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a wildly popular book turned into a movie that is very well known for having an amazing and emotional soundtrack. It features artists such as The Smiths, New Order, David Bowie, and many more.

While the soundtrack has many powerful songs that stand alone, the movie would not be nearly as emotional without the inclusion of these songs. Every moment in this movie has a song that matches the tone, whether it’s stress, sadness, or joy. I’ve never seen a movie that connects the music to the scene quite like this one.

Anyone who’s seen the movie knows there are two songs that are the most integral to the story. They are “Asleep” by The Smiths and the “tunnel song” which turns out to be “Heroes” by David Bowie. “Asleep” is a very sad and somber song that always appears during or right before a melancholy scene. It highlights how depressed Charlie is and the emotional hardships he is going through and that he faces every day. I believe the lyrics are what draws Charlie to the song. He is incredibly depressed and feels like he has no friends, while also dealing with thoughts of his aunt and memories of his best friend who killed himself the previous year. This song could be an outlet for him so he doesn’t act on his feelings. The viewers already know how important it is to him. This is especially prominent during the scene with the Secret Santa gift exchange when Patrick is talking about the mixtape that Charlie made for him and says that “Asleep” is on it twice.

The “tunnel song” is another incredibly important piece of the film. Not only is the sound perfect for the feelings that Charlie feels, but learning what song it is is also a big part of the story. “Heroes” has such an uplifting and energetic vibe to it even though it’s a very laid back song with David Bowie’s unmistakable vocals. The first scene that this song is featured in, Charlie looks to Patrick and says “I feel infinite”. This line is so important. It’s the first time Charlie seems truly happy. It also makes me think back to moments that I have felt infinite in the same way Charlie does. It makes me think to specific songs that have made me feel these kinds of feelings.

The soundtrack to this movie is so perfect for a number of reasons. Not only does it connect you to the way that Charlie feels, but it makes you look inside yourself. I’ve never felt as connected to characters as I did in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and a huge portion of that comes from how the music tied together the scenes. It made me feel infinite.