Film: Wonder (2017)
Blurb: Based on the New York Times bestseller, WONDER tells the incredibly inspiring and heartwarming story of August Pullman, a boy with facial differences who enters fifth grade, attending a mainstream elementary school for the first time.
*
I didn't know if I'd like this film. It's actually quite sweet, although I didn't enjoy it as much as a somewhat similar film, Gifted.
Jacob Tremblay plays August "Auggie" Pullman. Auggie has always been home schooled. This is partly because he has Treacher Collins syndrome, leading to more than two dozen surgeries. It's also partly because his face is scarred and misshapen.
When his mother Isabel (Julia Roberts) wants Auggie to attend a "normal" school, his father Nate (Owen Wilson) is apprehensive and Auggie is resistant. Auggie wears an astronaut's helmet when leaving the house to avoid the horrified and frightened stares levelled at his deformed face.
Nonetheless, Isabel is stubborn and Auggie goes to school. The teachers are relatively sympathetic. His English teacher Mr. Browne (Daveed Diggs) advocates kind deeds and acts, the headmaster of the school, Mr. Tushman (Mandy Patinkin) shares tales of being made fun of because of his surname. Auggie is shown around by three children, one of whom is privileged kid Julian (Bryce Gheisar) who we know from the start is going to be a bully and Jack Will (Noah Jupe), a boy who seems to be quite kind and sympathetic.
I thought that it was interesting that the movie doesn't just explore the world through Auggie's viewpoint, we also receive point of view stories from the perspective of Via, Auggie's older sister Olivia, Jack Will and even Miranda, Via's best friend who has distanced herself from Via since returning from school camp.
Through their eyes we learn that Via has been overlooked and almost neglected by her parents as they focus on Auggie, we learn that despite his shortcomings, Jack is actually a good kid and we learn that Miranda's distance isn't because she disdains Via - quite the contrary.
All in all it's a sweet and feel good movie with some cute Star Wars references and some good acting. I wasn't as sympathetic towards Auggie as I had hoped - he's quite bratty and annoying at times and there were times I felt more sympathy towards Via and Jack.
I was quite surprised at how moving I thought the Daisy subplot was - Owen Wilson in a serious-non-slapstick role was actually very good and I cried when he cried. I never thought that would happen.
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