By Elizabeth Smislova
If you did not like John Green’s sob-story The Fault in Our Stars, then Wonder is probably not for you. However, if you enjoy watching moving, heartwarming stories about the enduring love of human relationships that overcome the difficulties of disease, Wonder is a must-see film this season.
Wonder is based off The New York Times bestselling novel of the same name by R.J. Palacio, and currently has an 84 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
The film tells the story of August “Auggie” Pullman (Jacob Tremblay), born with facial deformities and previously home-schooled by his always encouraging mother Isabel Pullman (Julia Roberts).
As he enters the fifth grade, Auggie goes to public school for the first time. His family includes his joke-cracking dad Nate Pullman (Owen Wilson) and overlooked but sweet sister Via (Izabela Vidovic).
Auggie is adorable and hilarious, and watching him experience the horror that is being different in middle school is heart-wrenching.
He does make some friends along the way, though, which outweighs the pain of bullying. Throughout Auggie’s journey of going to public school, his family is always supportive and full of laughs.
Roberts and Wilson are fantastic and make the film seem more mature. Tremblay’s portrayal is a joy to watch, despite the controversy of his not actually being facially deformed.
Like the novel, the film goes through several chapters exploring different character’s points of view about the same situations.
This is one of the most interesting parts, though it stops about halfway through. I thought the sister’s perspective was especially intriguing, as films tend to actually disregard the role of the ignored sibling.
Though the film is rated PG and is definitely directed more towards families and kids, the serious subject and compelling character development make it something everyone can learn from and enjoy.
That being said, it is very cheesy and cliche, but sometimes that is a welcome escape from reality. Good trumps bad, and people are loved for what is inside. It is a message that may be trite, but also necessary.
The humor and acting are also quite entertaining, but if you cried at The Fault in Our Stars, be sure to bring more tissues than popcorn to see Wonder. Oh, and be prepared to want to call your mom afterwards.
