Based on an earlier novel by “The Fault in Our Stars” author John Green, “Paper Towns” is a coming-of-ager* about dawning awareness* and life lessons learned among a small group of Florida high school seniors. It is part mystery story, part road movie and part pre-prom/ graduation love story.

    The film focuses on the lifelong fascination the smart, semi-dweeby* Quentin (Nat Wolff) has for his across-the-street neighbor Margo (Cara Delevingne). Best friends as young kids, they’ve grown apart since Margo became hot and popular. It comes as a big surprise to Q, as he’s known, when Margo shows up in his bedroom late one night before the end of the school year and dares him to take her out in his parents’ car. She says, “Basically, this is going to be the best night of your life.”

    Margo’s plan is to get revenge* on her cheating* boyfriend, which she does, with help from Q, in creative ways. After Margo has done that, she and Q end up in a high-rise looking down on Orlando at night, which puts her in a thinking mood. It’s “a paper town with paper people,” she says.

    Then she disappears completely. She doesn’t show up at school for days; she’s left home. No one knows what to think. While Q and his friends Ben (Austin Abrams) and Radar (Justice Smith) count the days until graduation and think over prom plans, Q feels certain that Margo has left hidden clues* about her whereabouts* that he begins piecing together and sharing with his friends.

    Q manages to convince* his pals that they should drop everything and join him on a drive all the way to New York State, where he is certain Margo’s hiding in a true “paper town.” So Ben, Radar and their girlfriends agree to pile into a minivan for the trip — provided* Q guarantees their return by prom night. By the end, nearly all the story’s questions, mysteries and dilemmas have been answered and tied up, with some sadness and a hint of maturity* added to the mix as life moves on.(SD-Agencies)