Since being released this morning, many have voiced concerns over The Fault in Our Stars’ movie tagline “One sick love story.”
Apparently reading a lot of the negative remarks himself, author John Green has responded to questions about the tagline on his Tumblr.
“I like the tag line,” Green wrote after saying it’s not his decision and isn’t his movie. “I found it dark and angry in the same way that Hazel is (at least at times) dark and angry in her humor. I mostly wanted something that said, ‘This is hopefully not going to be a gauzy, sentimental love story that romanticizes illness and further spreads the lie that the only reason sick people exist is so that healthy people can learn lessons.’ But that’s not a very good tag line. I like the tag line because it says, literally, the sick can also have love stories. Love and joy and romance are not just things reserved for the well.”
He also mentioned the studio’s brave decision to feature Hazel’s cannula on a promotional poster – a remark we heard from the film’s producer while on set in September. “A major Hollywood studio released a movie poster in which the female romantic lead has visible evidence of her disability, which is damn near unprecedented, and I’m thrilled they put her face — and her cannula — on the poster.”
Green reminded readers you can get a copy of the poster by donating $25 to Project For Awesome. 200 copies of the same poster signed by Green are currently available for a $125 donation.
If you don’t like the tagline, we’d love to hear your alternate suggestions in the comments! Keep in mind that it has to be something that appeals to a wide audience.
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