Film review: Wonder

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HNS attended the Los Angeles premiere of Wonder this week (check out our Instagram pictures!). Read on for our film review below and make sure you go see this film in theaters starting Friday, Nov. 17th!

Based on the New York Times bestseller, WONDER tells the incredibly inspiring and heartwarming story of August Pullman. Born with facial differences that, up until now, have prevented him from going to a mainstream school, Auggie becomes the most unlikely of heroes when he enters the local fifth grade. As his family, his new classmates, and the larger community all struggle to discover their compassion and acceptance, Auggie’s extraordinary journey will unite them all and prove you can’t blend in when you were born to stand out.

Reviewer’s thoughts: 

The feels. Oh the feels. The first thing I want to say about this film is that it will have you feeling… feeling hopeful, feeling triumphant, feeling sad. Wonder is jam packed with every emotion. But let’s go back to the beginning. Wonder centers around Auggie, a young boy with a craniofacial condition. This leaves him looking very different than other kids his age. Auggie has two amazing parents (Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson) and the world’s most selfless, patient sister (Izabela Vidovic). Because of his medical condition, Auggie has always been homeschooled. But this year, the first year of middle school, he is headed to middle school. What follows is a lot of what you would expect – kids scared of him, kids bullying him, kids being polite to him… but also a whole world of what you wouldn’t expect.

The family dynamics that people often overlook when you have a child who requires extra attention. The other child, the “normal” one that doesn’t get the attention she otherwise would’ve as a result of her brother’s diagnosis and needs. It showed the complicatedness in that she feels fiercely protective of him and understanding of their parents’ attention going to him all while feeling intense feelings of loneliness and envy. It was a very realistic portrayal of all the ways a family is affected and one that is often not shown in films.

The casting for this film was superb. Julia Roberts as Auggie’s mom and Owen Wilson as Auggie’s dad made perfect sense. Each brought something different to the parenting table while presenting a united “Team Auggie” front. They truly made the perfect team. Jacob Tremblay’s transformation as Auggie made him unrecognizable. He played Auggie in a raw, emotional way that is guaranteed to pull on your heartstrings and make you cry. All of the kids in the film also acted beautifully and played a vital role in the ensemble of the film. But no one quite captured me like Izabela Vidovic did as Auggie’s sister Via.

Whether you’re a fan of the book or a lover of a good tear-jerker, Wonder is the perfect film. But don’t forget the tissues. You’ve been warned!

Wonder is out in theaters nationwide on Nov. 17th!