wonder 2017 movie review

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Based on the R.J. Palacio novel of the same name, “Wonder” follows a year in the life of August Pullman ( Jacob Tremblay ), Auggie, for short. He was born with a genetic abnormality that has required him to undergo surgeries and medical treatments since his earliest days.

Director Stephen Chbosky has managed to take a story that could have been painfully mawkish and made it genuinely moving in (mostly) understated ways. The makeup work here is solid and believable, revealing Auggie’s sad eyes behind downturned facial lines and nubs of skin for ears. He’s a prepubescent Rocky Dennis. The script, co-written by Chbosky, Steve Conrad and Jack Thorne , is wise to establish quickly that Auggie is a regular kid in every other way. He loves “ Star Wars ” and Minecraft. He has an aptitude for science, a sly sense of humor, and an active imagination that helps him navigate uncomfortable situations. (“Wonder” occasionally dabbles in magical realism, but in ways that are more amusing than distracting.)

Uniformly strong performances help ground the story. Tremblay, who showed instincts beyond his years in the devastating 2015 drama “ Room ,” provides both a sweetness and an intelligence to his 10-year-old character that make him accessible even when he’s wearing an astronaut helmet to hide his face. Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson find just the right notes as his supportive parents. But the real surprise here is Izabela Vidovic as Tremblay’s older sister, who’s been generous enough to allow her brother to be the center of the family’s attention at the expense of her own emotional need.

His mom, Isabel (Roberts), put her career on hold to homeschool him from the beginning in the family’s Brooklyn brownstone. But now that Auggie is of middle school age, Isabel and his dad, Nate (Wilson), decide to send him to Beecher Prep so he’ll learn to socialize with other kids and become more comfortable in the outside world. All are understandably apprehensive about this major shift, fraught as it is with the potential for bullying and isolation. And indeed, when his parents walk him to the front gates and send him off on his own for the first time, the kids on campus stop their conversations to gawk and part for him. But Chbosky depicts this event matter-of-factly, allowing the tension of the moment to emerge naturally.

There are some familiar figures here: the hip teacher who gives innovative assignments that just happen to coincide with the film’s themes ( Daveed Diggs ); the mean rich kid who torments him alongside a posse of brutes ( Bryce Gheisar ); the shy girl who might become an unexpected friend ( Millie Davis ). But the effortless connection Auggie strikes up with a kid named Jack Will ( Noah Jupe )—who also feels like an outsider as a working-class scholarship student—is one of the film’s truest joys, as well as a source of legitimate drama.

Just when “Wonder” seems to be settling into a routine at school, it shifts and revisits that first day from a variety of other characters’ perspectives. So we learn what happened to Auggie’s lonely sister, Via, when she met a cute new boy ( Nadji Jeter ) and dared to sign up for the high school play. We get a glimpse into Jack Will’s home life, which enriches the significance of his relationship with Auggie. We find out what’s really going on with Via’s lifelong best friend, Miranda ( Danielle Rose Russell ), who suddenly snubbed her at the start of the school year.

As he did with his insightful young adult drama “ The Perks of Being a Wallflower ,” Chbosky handles major adolescent events with decency and grace. The cumulative effect—as overly simplistic as it may sound – is the powerful understanding of what it feels like to walk in someone else’s shoes. The emotion of this enlightenment sneaks up on you in quiet ways. Even Wilson, whose character feels underwritten beyond providing comic relief during moments of family tension, gets perhaps the most heartbreaking, uplifting line in the whole film. You’ll shed a tear or two—especially if you’re a parent—and they’ll be totally earned.

All of which makes it so frustrating that “Wonder” throws that restraint and goodwill out the window in its finale and turns wildly sentimental. Chbosky cranks up the feel-good with a climax full of wild applause at the most clichéd place possible: a school assembly. How is it possible that so many cinematic moments of truth take place before a packed auditorium?

But the film does so much so well for so long that its pat conclusion feels forgivable. Early on during a screening of “Wonder,” when the film first reveals the scars and deformities that mark the hero’s face, my eight-year-old son turned to me and whispered, “He looks weird.” Once the movie was over, as we were walking out of the theater and I asked him what he thought, he exclaimed: “I loved it!” Such is the film’s transformative power. It is a machine for creating empathy.

Christy Lemire

Christy Lemire is a longtime film critic who has written for RogerEbert.com since 2013. Before that, she was the film critic for The Associated Press for nearly 15 years and co-hosted the public television series "Ebert Presents At the Movies" opposite Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, with Roger Ebert serving as managing editor. Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here .

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Wonder (2017)

Rated PG for thematic elements including bullying, and some mild language.

113 minutes

Jacob Tremblay as Auggie

Owen Wilson as Nate

Izabela Vidovic as Via

Julia Roberts as Isabel

Noah Jupe as Jack Will

Stephen Chbosky

Writer (based on the novel by)

R.J. Palacio
Steve Conrad
Jack Thorne

Cinematographer

Don Burgess
Mark Livolsi
Marcelo Zarvos

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Film Review: ‘Wonder’

Stephen Chbosky's drama of a middle-school kid with a facial deformity proves that a movie that sounds mawkish on paper can earn honest tears.

By Owen Gleiberman

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Auggie Pullman (Jacob Tremblay), the central character in Stephen Chbosky ’s “ Wonder ,” is a brainy 10-year-old boy with a sweet high voice and a congenital facial deformity, whom numerous corrective surgeries have left looking like a cherub after a car accident. His left eye tugs downward as if a teardrop were falling from it; his ears are bulbs of flesh, and his face is framed by a pinkish ring of scar tissue. That said, he’s not the Phantom of the Opera. He’s just an ordinary kid whose looks take a bit of getting used to.

Auggie is a science geek who loves “Star Wars” and Minecraft, ice cream and X-Box sports games; he’s fueled by all-American fantasies of going to outer space. (He likes to walk around in a toy astronaut helmet that conceals him and feeds his dreams.) His face, which looks youthful and old at the same time, is jarring the first time you see it, but the more you take in his innocent if slightly askew elfin features, the more his soul shines through. Any thoughts that he’s ugly, or odd, are really in the eye of the beholder.

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“Wonder” is a movie that belongs in their company. It’s a very tasteful heart-tugger — a drama of disarmingly level-headed empathy that glides along with wit, assurance, and grace, and has something touching and resonant to say about the current climate of American bullying. At the same time, the film never upsets the apple cart of conventionality. “Wonder” is an honest feel-good movie, but it lacks the pricklier edges of art.

Auggie has been home-schooled by his mother, Isabel ( Julia Roberts ), in their cozy Brooklyn brownstone. But now that he’s 10, she and Auggie’s dad, Nate ( Owen Wilson ), have made the decision to send him to middle school. They know they can’t shield him from the world forever, and they have no desire to.

Roberts and Wilson make a compelling team; they play the Pullmans as supremely sensitive, loving parents who have the occasional tug-of-war spat about what’s best for their special son. Yet both want him to stand up for himself, and to be part of a community. Auggie wants that, too, though the kids he meets at Beecher Prep School don’t make it easy. By the end of his first day there, he has already been nicknamed (after one of his favorite “Star Wars” characters) “Barf Hideous,” and he chops off the rat-tail braid that’s his only fashion statement — a testament to the destructive power of peer pressure. Just enough of the kids treat Auggie like a freak to make the belief that he is one tough for him to shake.

This is the third feature directed by Chbosky, the novelist who actually got his start as a filmmaker (with the 1995 indie “The Four Corners of Nowhere”), and it was his second, “ The Perks of Being a Wallflower ” (2012), that established him as a major directorial voice. Adapted from his own first novel, “Perks” was the most remarkable coming-of-age movie in years, a drama that took in, with astonishing authenticity, the pleasures and perils of teenage life. (It also used David Bowie’s “Heroes” in a way that’s so transporting it trumps every musical sequence in “Baby Driver.”) “Wonder” is a movie by the same sharp-eyed, open-hearted, close-to-the-ground filmmaker. Chbosky, working in the tradition of Jonathan Demme, doesn’t hype what he shows you, and he cuts to the humanity of everyone on screen, even those who act badly. (He has a touching refusal to demonize.)

“Wonder,” adapted from R.J. Palacio’s 2012 novel (which took its title from the 1995 Natalie Merchant song about overcoming disfigurement), is a less audacious film than “The Perks of Being a Wallflower.” But Chbosky’s intense understanding of the layered personalities of kids is a rare gift. He lets the movie breathe by refusing to restrict the drama to Auggie’s point of view. It’s built around his gentle sadness and yearning, but it opens up into chapters told from the vantage of Jack (Noah Jupe), his science-class partner, who looks like he might be turning into Auggie’s buddy, only to leave him with a sense that he can’t trust anyone; and Auggie’s high-school sister, Via (Izabela Vidoovic), who’s the most complicated character in the movie. She has grown up in a family so organized around Auggie that her own needs can never come first. She wouldn’t think to question that, but the dynamic has graced her with both compassion and a hidden wound, and Vidovic’s pensive presence lends her scenes a rapt center of gravity.

Chbosky has a sixth sense for how to let a drama flow from anecdote to anecdote. Auggie’s favorite holiday, Halloween, leads to the moment when he overhears Jack, goaded by the smug, fashionable Julian (Bryce Gheisar), snarking to the other kids about him — a devastating betrayal, but one that turns out to be crucial to cementing their friendship. Jack can’t get past his prejudice until he has outed it. “Wonder” is a movie that’s finely attuned to what bullying is actually about: kids walling off their feelings, giving into the dark side of themselves to be superior. Bullies, of course, weren’t born bad, but in “Wonder” the idea is no pious abstraction — it plays out in every encounter between Auggie and those who would treat him meanly. The scenes are really about how his presence is a threat to their too-cool-for-schoolness.

“Wonder,” as effective as it is, is a movie in which everything has a way of working out with tidy benevolence. Via goes from being shunned by her best friend (Danielle Rose Russell), who has joined a hipper clique, to falling for a charismatic kid (Nadji Jeter) from the drama club to trying out for a student production of “Our Town” to winning her friend back to becoming the understudy who knocks ’em dead on opening night. Auggie, over the course of fifth grade, goes from being the school goat to a school hero. Yet Jacob Tremblay, acting from behind his transformative make-up, roots that journey in something real: the fact that who you are, whether you look like Auggie Pullman or someone more “normal,” can be a prison or a liberation, depending on the path you choose. Of all the films this year with “wonder” in the title (“Wonderstruck,” “Wonder Woman,” “Wonder Wheel,” “Professor Marston and the Wonder Women”), this is the one that comes closest to living up to the emotional alchemy of that word.

Reviewed at Park Avenue Screening Room, New York, Nov. 8, 2017. MPAA Rating: PG. Running time: 113 MIN.

Production: A Lionsgate release of a Lionsgate, Mandeville Films, Participant Media, Walden Media production. Producers: David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman. Executive producers: Jeff Skoll, Robert Kessel, Michael Beugg, Alexander Young, R.J. Palaco. Director: Stephen Chbosky. Screenplay: Stephen Chbosky, Steven Conrad, Jack Thorne. Camera (color, widescreen): Don Burgess. Editor: Mark Livolsi.
With: Jacob Tremblay, Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Izabela Vidovic, Noah Jupe, Nadji Jeter, Daveed Diggs, Mandy Patinkin, Ali Liebert, Emma Tremblay, Millie Davis.

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Wonder doesn't shy away from its bestselling source material's sentiment, but this well-acted and overall winsome drama earns its tugs at the heartstrings.

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Owen Wilson

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Wonder leans on its great cast to tell an engaging, warmhearted family story

Jacob Tremblay, Julia Roberts, and Owen Wilson star in a movie based on the best-selling novel.

by Alissa Wilkinson

The old maxim exhorting us to “be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle” is the thesis of Wonder — it’s even quoted at the end of the film — and Wonder handles it well, following a boy named August Pullman, his family, and his friends through a year of change in their lives.

August, nicknamed Auggie, was born with a chromosome condition that causes facial deformities, and after 27 surgeries he still looks noticeably different from other kids his age. His perspective on his life is certainly the core of the movie, and that’s part of what made the novel it’s based on a best-seller.

But Wonder doesn’t focus exclusively on Auggie, and that’s its biggest strength. The film’s bigger story is that even though Auggie’s family — his parents, his sister, even his dog — has bent their lives around his, they, too, are dealing with their own struggles. So are Auggie’s friends, and even his enemies.

While the movie’s premise feels prone to the maudlin, it’s ultimately quite poignant; Wonder is a family-oriented tale in which people make mistakes in the way they treat one another, but learn and grow in a way that doesn’t feel condescending to the film’s younger audience. Importantly, Wonder is also a movie about a young boy with a condition that makes him stand out from his peers — but it doesn’t valorize or patronize him by painting him as a saint. It respects Auggie too much for that.

Wonder is a sensitive exploration of the many ways people struggle in ordinary life

The movie picks up as Auggie ( Jacob Tremblay ) is getting ready to attend school for the first time, a new fifth-grader who’s been homeschooled thus far. His mother Isabel ( Julia Roberts ), his father Nate ( Owen Wilson ), and his sister Via ( Izabela Vidovic ) are all supportive and encouraging, but he’s not convinced it’s a step he is ready to take, and when they walk him to school through the park on his first day, he’s reticent to take off his beloved astronaut helmet.

Thanks to the school’s kindly headmaster, Mr. Tushman ( Mandy Patinkin ), Auggie has already met three of his classmates: chatty Charlotte ( Elle McKinnon ); quiet Jack Will ( Noah Jupe ); and two-faced Julian ( Bryce Gheisar ), who performs niceness around adults but harbors a serious mean streak. He soon meets another classmate, the immediately kind-to-him Summer ( Millie Davis ), and likes his energetic teacher Mr. Browne ( Daveed Diggs ), but school is still difficult for Auggie. He knows the other kids are looking at him, even if nobody is being mean. Every day makes him question whether he’ll ever be able to feel like he truly fits in.

Owen Wilson, Jacob Tremblay, Izabela Vidovic, and Julia Roberts in Wonder

His sister Via, meanwhile, is in high school and discovering that her lifelong best friend Miranda ( Danielle Rose Russell ) has changed over the summer. She joins theater and makes a new friend, Justin ( Nadji Jeter ), but simultaneously grapples with feeling as if she’s in second place regarding her parents’ affections — something she’s grown used to, given Auggie’s great need for care and attention.

Via’s story is told from her perspective, which adds layers to our understanding of her, and Wonder delves into the perspectives of other characters, too: Jack Will, Miranda, Isabel, and even Julian. It turns out that learning about other people’s fears, wants, hurts, and joys can make everything those people do — the bad stuff and the good stuff — make more sense. And as the school year goes on, they all grow in their maturity and relationships with one another, and in their ability to experience empathy.

The film leans on strong characters and a strong cast to tell a warm, meaningful story

Wonder succeeds largely on the strength of its cast, which includes a bevy of stellar performers led by Tremblay’s sensitive portrayal of Auggie as a complicated kid who worries about his classmates but sometimes yells at his parents and sister, too.

Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Izabela Vidovic, Jacob Tremblay, and Danielle Rose Russell in Wonder

But it’s also a tricky story to tell without tipping over into manipulation. Director Stephen Chbosky ( The Perks of Being a Wallflower ) adapted R.J. Palacio’s source novel into a screenplay with Steve Conrad and Jack Thorne , and it neatly avoids becoming a didactic after-school special about why it’s important for people to be kind by letting the story work as a character piece, full of humor and warmth and conflict and fun. Sometimes the adults deliver speeches about growing up and dealing with life, but those speeches always seem to flow organically from their characters.

Of course, Wonder is still a moderately sentimental film. And as a movie called Wonder that’s aimed at families, that characteristic is practically in its DNA. But it earns the sentiment. Auggie struggles, and so do his parents, and his sister, and his friends. And so do we all. A bit of kindness is never out of place. And these days, it seems more important than ever.

Wonder opens in theaters on November 17.

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Review: In ‘Wonder,’ a Not-So-Ordinary Boy Makes His Way

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By Glenn Kenny

Nov. 16, 2017

“I know I’m not an ordinary 10-year-old kid,” says Auggie ( Jacob Tremblay ), the lead character of “Wonder,” as we see him standing on his bed wearing an astronaut’s helmet. When the helmet is removed, we know how he knows what he knows: His young face is scarred, his earlobes are little flaps and his eyes are seemingly tear-shaped, giving him a perpetual sad-puppy expression.

The good-natured fellow describes his facial birth defects, and the 27 operations he’s endured to deal with them, as “hilarious.” But Auggie is less amused by the prospect of entering the fifth grade, and no longer being home-schooled by his brilliant and loving mother, Isabel Pullman (Julia Roberts).

The Pullmans are an upper-middle-class family living in a fairy-tale New York, one that the film’s location manager conjured up from the most genteel corners of Brooklyn and Manhattan (as well as New Westminster, British Columbia, where the interior of the family’s brownstone was built on a warehouse stage). So Auggie, whose father, Nate (Owen Wilson), has a job that lets him wear a suit and sneakers, is certainly going to a good school. Nonetheless, he knows that he will encounter bullies, and he does. But Auggie is smart, clever and exceptionally good-hearted (at least when he is not being made to feel self-conscious and alone), and has a knack for winning people over.

The movie, based on the popular children’s novel by R.J. Palacio , hews to the book’s multicharacter narration structure. This tactic reminded me of a line in Jean Renoir’s classic “The Rules of the Game” about everybody having their own reasons for their behavior. In Renoir’s movie, that fact is called a “truly terrible thing.” In the world of this film, understanding another person’s reasons is the first step in establishing meaningful communication. During the section of the film narrated by Auggie’s older sister, Via (Izabela Vidovic), you learn why, in an awkward first conversation with her future boyfriend, she impulsively tells him that she’s an only child, despite the fact that she loves and ardently protects her little brother.

Directed by Stephen Chbosky, who wrote the screenplay with Steve Conrad and Jack Thorne, the movie has a cast that’s wonderful from top to bottom. As Auggie’s parents, Ms. Roberts and Mr. Wilson are doing things we love to see those actors doing. (Ms. Roberts lets loose with her trademark ebullient laugh at least once, and Mr. Wilson explains life’s issues to Auggie in a droll drawl.) All the young people in the ensemble, anchored by Mr. Tremblay’s Auggie, are perfect.

“Wonder” is that rare thing, a family picture that moves and amuses while never overtly pandering. Mr. Chbosky’s 2012 feature, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” split the difference between the sentimental heart-tugging associated with more standard Hollywood fare, and the intelligence and intimacy often associated with independent films. He accomplishes something very similar, and equally worthwhile, here.

Wonder Rated PG. Running time: 1 hour 53 minutes.

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‘wonder’: film review.

A boy with a craniofacial disorder ventures beyond the cocoon of homeschooling in 'Wonder,' a family drama starring Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson and Jacob Tremblay.

By Sheri Linden

Sheri Linden

Senior Copy Editor/Film Critic

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Based on a children’s novel that sparked a “Choose Kind” movement — “kind” as in “kindness,” or what the world needs now — Wonder brings an upbeat openheartedness to tough questions. Its lessons in compassion and self-acceptance are treacle-free, and however movie-shiny the story’s world of economic comfort and prep school, those lessons pack a universal punch.

If they’re also sometimes driven home with a borderline-corny obviousness, that’s because this screen version of R. J. Palacio’s popular book is a truly kid-centric drama, speaking directly to kids, not around them, while exploring their points of view. Writer-director Stephen Chbosky , who previously adapted his coming-of-age novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower to the screen, has a feel for the turning points that shape the tween and teen years — turning points that are, in this case, heightened by exceptional circumstances.

Release date: Nov 17, 2017

Tracing a milestone year in the life of a boy who was born with craniofacial differences, Wonder has an obvious antecedent in Peter Bogdanovich’s deft 1985 feature Mask , but this is a decidedly less gritty, solidly middle-school tale. With his co-screenwriters, Steven Conrad and Jack Thorne , Chbosky aims above all to inspire, and he has harnessed the considerable star power of his three leads to do just that, with humor and heart. As a serious live-action film for kids, it’s a rare commodity, destined to connect with family audiences over the year-end holidays.

It might be impossible to separate the adorable visage of Jacob Tremblay from his breakout turn in Room , but here, with that now-familiar face erased from the equation, he more than meets a different actorly challenge. Beneath prosthetics and a dash of CGI, he plays Auggie Pullman, who at 10 has already been through 27 surgical procedures to correct his birth-defect facial abnormalities. The cheerful, matter-of-fact display of Auggie’s hospital bracelets in his bedroom sets the tone for the movie: Acknowledged with gentle irreverence, medical ordeals are the character-shaping backdrop to a story that looks forward, focused on resilience and transition.

Grudgingly and at the urging of his mother, Isabel (Julia Roberts), who has put her creative pursuits on hold while homeschooling him, Auggie is starting fifth grade at a local prep school. Though he’d never express it to his son, Auggie’s dad, Nate ( Owen Wilson ), shares his trepidation, afraid that he and Isabel are sending a “lamb to the slaughter.”

To be sure, the horrors of schoolkid cliques and bullies, led by a trust-fund brat named Julian (Bryce Gheisar ), await Auggie as they would any outsider, let alone someone whose looks are so unusual. But his principal (Mandy Patinkin ) is an unmitigated mensch, his homeroom teacher (played by Daveed Diggs , star of Broadway’s Hamilton , in his first film role) spouts thoughtful precepts on how to be a good person and his science teacher (Ali Liebert ) encourages Auggie’s love of the subject.

The narrative is divided into chapters, each dedicated to the perspective of one of the young characters, and sometimes doubles back on events, lending new facets and dimension. First up is Auggie , who enters the fifth-grade fray with the slouch of someone who’d rather not face other people’s discomfort. His older sister, Via (sensitively played by Izabela Vidovic ), gets a chapter, as do her former best friend, Miranda (Danielle Rose Russell), and Auggie’s new school buddy Jack (Noah Jupe ), a genial scholarship student with an unsteady sense of loyalty. With commendable concision and insight, the film sympathetically reveals the challenges they each face on the home front. Even the villainous Julian gets a redemptive aha moment.

There’s a particular poignancy to the story of Via, the sibling unavoidably sidelined by the constant state of emergency in Auggie’s first years. Sonia Braga’s flashback cameo as Via’s grandmother underscores not just a bond that sustained the girl but the basic need to be seen — a need that’s awfully complicated for Auggie . While her brother reluctantly doffs his astronaut’s helmet and learns to navigate a public sphere amid taunts and stares, Via embarks on her momentous first year of high school. Heartbroken over the rift with Miranda, she discovers first love with a self-declared theater nerd ( Nadji Jeter) and her own flair for theater, claiming the spotlight for the first time in years.

Via and Auggie’s parents are supporting characters in the best sense, with Roberts and Wilson bringing effortless warmth, signature touches and well-etched detail to understated roles. Roberts conveys Isabel’s love, strength and twinges of maternal anxiety, as well as the mild case of empty nest syndrome that strikes after she nudges her boy out into the world. Wilson’s comic relief is perfectly pitched, a smooth deflection of paternal worry. Beyond his childlike streak, Nate is an unconventional type whose executive-suite suits are more a badge of familial devotion than a reflection of his deepest self.

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Review: ‘Wonder’ has an earnest message about kindness that helps offset its After School Special flaws

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Popular mythology notwithstanding, childhood is difficult for almost everyone. But especially so for 10-year-old August Pullman.

“I know I’m not an ordinary kid,” Auggie Pullman explains in the opening paragraph of the young adult novel “Wonder.” Yes, he does ordinary things, “but I know ordinary kids don’t make other ordinary kids run away screaming in playgrounds. I know ordinary kids don’t get stared at wherever they go.”

Rare genetic abnormalities, it turns out, have led to facial disfiguration so severe that even after 27 surgeries Auggie begs off being specific. “I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse.”

As written by R.J. Palacio, Auggie’s experiences in the world at large and middle school in particular became a Y.A. phenomenon, selling millions of copies and leading to an unapologetically sweet film about the power of and necessity for kindness in the world.

As directed by Stephen Chbosky, who previously filmed his own novel, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” Auggie’s story is one your heart goes out to if you’re in the mood, but as written by Chbosky and Steven Conrad and Jack Thorne, its path is not as smooth as the book’s.

Though it keeps Auggie’s fine sense of humor and his remarkably even-keeled attitude about himself and his situation, the movie version of “Wonder” feels more pat and After School Special-ish than the novel, the kind of film that thinks if one version of “I Think We’re Going To Be Friends” on the soundtrack is good, two would be better.

But on the plus side the film does maintain the book’s effective structure, which involves telling its story from the perspective of multiple characters, and it’s got a narrative brimming with a variety of serious-seeming problems, all of which are capable of being resolved if people simply acted according to their better natures.

And though the nominal stars here are Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson, the best thing “Wonder” has got going for it is the remarkable young actor Jacob Tremblay in the role of Auggie.

Exceptional as the imprisoned boy in 2015’s “Room,” Tremblay has the kind of innate integrity and an ability to actually create character that is unusual in an actor so young.

Tremblay makes Auggie a recognizable, credible individual, a real person even under the carefully calibrated facial prosthetics that took 90 minutes to apply every day.

But, remarkable as Auggie is, parents Nate (Wilson) and Isabel (Roberts) worry about letting him go from being home-schooled in the family’s cushy brownstone in a fantasy New York to becoming a new student at fictional Beecher Prep.

“It’s like leading a lamb to the slaughter,” says dad, but mom feels that because everyone will be starting fresh in the first year of middle school, it’s now or never for their son.

He’s reluctant to give up the kid-sized NASA space helmet he uses to deflect stares when he walks on the street, but Auggie knows it’s time too.

To make things easier, Beecher’s ever-so-kindly principal Mr. Tushman (Mandy Patinkin) has him come a few days earlier and meet with some of his fellow students, especially two boys who will become crucial as the year progresses.

Though its upbeat earnestness is ever-present, [‘Wonder’] has the integrity to understand that not even kindness can eliminate all problems.

Though he fools the adults, Julian (Bryce Gheisar) slowly morphs into a bully who makes Auggie’s life unhappy. And though Jack Will (Noah Jupe) seems like he might be a friend, things are not quite that simple.

Auggie’s older sister Via (Izabela Vidovic) goes to a different school, but is also a key player in his story. She’s one of Auggie’s biggest boosters, but that doesn’t mean she is without problems of her own.

That includes the way her parents, in their zeal to watch over Auggie, never seem to have any time for her. “My mom has a great eye,” she says poignantly of Isabel’s gifts as an artist. “I wish she’d use it to look at me.”

Via is one of several people whose first person point of view we get to hear and see just as we do in the book. This group includes Miranda (Danielle Rose Russell), Via’s former best friend who is now giving her the runaround. Space is not made, though it is in the book, for Justin (Nadji Jeter), a cute guy who catches Via’s eye.

Despite all these people orbiting around him, Auggie remains “Wonder’s” main event, and though its upbeat earnestness is ever-present, it has the integrity to understand that not even kindness can eliminate all problems.

No one can hear Auggie ask his mom, “Why do I have to be so ugly, is it always going to matter?” without being impressed by his fortitude, nor hear his mom’s honest “I don’t know” answer without being moved by the reply.

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Rated: PG, for thematic elements including bullying, and some mild language

Running time: 1 hour, 53 minutes

Playing: In general release

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Wonder is a tear-jerker that earns your tears: EW review

There’s no movie genre more fraught with mixed emotions than the humble tear-jerker. If you’re a filmmaker, getting a theater full of complete strangers to sob on command is no small feat. It may seem easy, but in truth it’s a sort of middlebrow magic act that’s a lot harder than people give it credit for. On the flip side, for those of us in the audience, we demand more than simple manipulation. We want to feel that the tears we shed are earned , not pried out of our ducts with a crowbar. We want subtlety in exchange for our precious sniffles. Stephen Chbosky’s new three-hankie drama, Wonder , is not a subtle movie. Let’s be absolutely clear about that. Hell, an adorable dog dies in the middle act for no essential reason to the plot. So it’s a minor miracle that the film works as well as it does. You’re guaranteed to spend nearly two hours with a lump the size of a nectarine in your throat without resenting it.

Adapted from a novel by R.J. Palacio, Chbosky (the talented director behind year 2012’s terrific coming-of-age tale The Perks of Being a Wallflower ) and his cowriters Steve Conrad and Jack Thorne tell the story of Augie Pullman — a whip-smart 10-year-old boy with congenital disorder that has deformed his face in a way that others find off-putting. The problem is more theirs than his. But since he’s 10, he has a hard time seeing it that way. He’s so self-conscious about his appearance that he wears an astronaut’s helmet everywhere he goes. It’s his way of hiding from the world. Beneath the latex and putty, Augie is played by Jacob Tremblay , the precocious young actor from Room , whose sweet, soft, high-pitched voice seems tailor-made to pull at your heartstrings.

Like Eric Stoltz in 1985’s Mask , Tremblay’s Augie is adorable and guileless and you’re rooting for him from the opening scene. So are his adoring parents, who are played by the perfectly cast Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson – a couple I would have had a hard time seeing on paper, but whose chemistry onscreen is undeniable. Roberts’ Isabel has put her life on hold to homeschool Augie, but now that he’s about to enter the fifth grade, she and Wilson think it’s time for him to leave the protective nest of their oversized New York brownstone and face the world. As overprotective parents, it’s not an easy decision. But they know that sooner or later, Augie’s going to have to deal with a moment they’ve been trying to put off forever.

The movie basically follows Augie’s school year at a private school: the cruel teasing he suffers, the unlikely friendships he makes, the prejudices he helps others overcome. But Chbosky approaches the familiar material with clever touches, telling the story not just through Augie’s pint-sized eyes, but also those of his neglected older sister (Izabela Vidovic), her best friend (Danielle Rose Russell), and his classmates (including Noah Jupe and Bryce Gheisar). It doesn’t hurt that smaller supporting parts are played by seasoned pros like Mandy Patinkin and Sonia Braga. But the real star here is Tremblay, whose sad saucer eyes and thousand-watt smile are like an antidote to the tear-jerker genre’s clichés, like not one but two slow-clap moments of triumph. Yes, you’ve seen some version of this before, but rarely done this well, this tastefully, and with this much restraint. Will you know that you’re being manipulated? Duh. But the wonder of Wonder is you won’t mind a bit. B+

Wonder Review

Choose kindness..

Featuring several stunning performances by its stars, with Jacob Tremblay shining brightest of them all, Wonder ends up being a much better and wiser film than its trailers or premise let on. Although clichéd at times, Wonder is a heartfelt kids movie that delivers its message well without ever becoming heavy-handed or turning into an Afterschool Special. The characters are all treated with the respect they deserve and the hard work done to turn them into relatable, understandable people pays off in spades.

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‘Wonder’ Film Review: Anti-Bullying Tale Is a Tasteful Tear-Jerker

Jacob Tremblay and Julia Roberts star in a film that’s shamelessly sentimental but (almost) never mawkish or manipulative

When a comedy pulls out the stops to get laughs, or a horror film goes to extremes to frighten its audience, we accept and even applaud these tactics as an inherent part of these respective genres. So if “Wonder” wants to be a tear-jerker — and that desire is stamped into pretty much every scene of the film — we can’t fault its single-minded desire to provoke a response.

Giving the film credit where it’s due, “Wonder” never cheats in its pursuit of emotion. It’s (almost) never mawkish or manipulative, and its characters are so well-established both in the writing and in the performances that the movie ultimately does the hard work of earning those damp Kleenexes. As with horror and comedy, those who are resistant to this kind of film will definitely resist this one in particular.

Adapting the novel by R.J. Palacio, director Stephen Chbosky (“The Perks of Being a Wallflower”) and his co-writers Steve Conrad (“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty”) and Jack Thorne (“Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”) throw out a wide net of compassion. “Wonder” is a story about a kid who’s different, yes, but it’s also about the people around him as well. Even the bullies get backstories and a shot at redemption.

The different kid is Auggie (Jacob Tremblay, “Room”), born with a congenital disorder that has caused him to have 27 surgeries in his 10 years of life, allowing him to breathe and to hear and also to reshape his face. But it’s still an unusual face, one that he prefers to hide from the world in his astronaut helmet. He’s got a loving family — and one of the biggest New York brownstones ever, even by movie standards — but it’s time for Auggie to meet the world.

His mom Isabel (Julia Roberts) has home-schooled Auggie all his life, but since fifth grade is a year when all the students will be attending a new school, she’s decided it’s time for her boy to leave the nest. The school’s principal Mr. Tushman (Mandy Patinkin) is supportive, although Auggie’s classmates do a lot of staring and then looking away. He’s actively bullied by rich-kid Julian (Bryce Gheisar, “A Dog’s Purpose”) but may find a friend in scholarship student Jack Will (Noah Jupe).

“Wonder” isn’t just Auggie’s story, though; we learn what it’s been like for his older sister Via (Izabela Vidovic, “The Fosters”) to grow up in a family where her younger brother and his medical issues get all the parental attention; how Isabel put her thesis aside to become a full-time mom (it’s been so long since she worked on it that it’s still saved on a floppy disk); who’s raising Jack Will and Julian and how that impacts their actions and attitudes; and why Via’s best friend Miranda (Danielle Rose Russell, “The Last Tycoon”) put pink streaks in her hair and dumped her former BFF.

It could have been very easy for this to be the sort of film that merely allows audiences to take a good, long look at a character with facial defects (while encouraging us to judge characters who do likewise), but instead, this is a celebration of empathy, a reminder that even the people who might be making us miserable have their own problems and their own people who are making them miserable. Its secret weapon is Tremblay, whose big, Keane-painting eyes defy you not to melt over Auggie and his travails, but it’s a solid ensemble through and through.

Nobody pivots from tough-as-nails to quivering mass of tears like Roberts, and she and Owen Wilson make for dream parents. (What Wilson does for a living, and how it allows him to keep this gigantic house while also spending so much quality time with his son, is never explained.) The other kids are all great as well, particularly Jupe, who was the only notable facet of “Suburbicon”; there’s nothing actor-ish about his curious eyes, and when Jack Will stands up for Auggie, we know our hero is in good hands.

Auggie’s health issues represent the closest thing to uncomfortable reality that “Wonder” would care to address. Cinematographer Don Burgess (“Allied”) gives us a picture-postcard Manhattan, where all the seasons have luster and all the streets are tree-lined and filled with nice folks. If the film strays too far toward shamelessness, it’s in putting a beloved pet in danger as well as giving us not one but two scenes with that dreaded cliché of uplift, the standing ovation .

If you can get past those, though, “Wonder” deserves its own round of applause for its unabashed emotionalism and kindness. It’s hard to traverse this ground without turning into a greeting card, but this is that rare film that juggles sentimentality and restraint.

Wonder (2017) REVIEW – An Emotionally Powerful Film

As inspirational as Wonder may be, the thing that bothered me the most about the film was the casting of an able-bodied actor in the role of a character suffering from a disability.

Stephen Chbosky brings a beautifully directed adaptation of R.J. Palacio’s best-selling novel to the big screen.

Wonder gives is the inspirational story of August “Auggie” Pullman (Jacob Tremblay), a 5th grader who was born with facial deformities as a result of a genetic mutation. Auggie lives at home with his parents, Isabel (Julia Roberts) and Nate (Owen Wilson), and sister, Olivia “Via” Pullman (Izabela Vidovic).

Home-schooled for his entire life, Auggie makes the switch to a private school, where he quickly learns that he was born to stand out. Principal Tushman (Mandy Patinkin), no doubt bullied for his name alone, assigns three students to tour Auggie around the school: low-income student Jack Will (Noah Jupe), eventual bully Julian (Bryce Gheisar), and Broadway aficionado Charlotte (Elle McKinnon, a newcomer who is sure to be around for some time to come). Tushman sees something in Jack Will that the fifth grader is yet to see in himself.

No longer able to hide between the NASA helmet given to him by Via’s best friend, Miranda (Danielle Rose Russell), Auggie has to learn to fend for himself. As his classmates struggle to accept him given his facial deformities, the school year takes him on a journey that shows that patience pays off when his classmates and teachers prove that there is both compassion and acceptance.

As the film dives into the story, headlined by chapters told through the eyes of Auggie, Via, Jack Will, and Miranda, more is learned about the backstory, such as why Via and her best friend Miranda aren’t talking. It’s one that breaks your heart but when it comes to Wonder, it can tug at the emotions.

Filmmakers ask the audience to choose kindness, but would they have done so if an actor suffering from Treacher-Collins Syndrome, a genetic mutation that leads to a different bone makeup, had auditioned for the role? Would such an actor even be considered to read for the role or would they have simply be asked to walk away? Knowing a disabled critic and having watched the R-rated police comedy Special Unit –starring disabled actors in a film that can only be described as Mel Brooks directing Lethal Weapon– recently, it leads one to reflect on the lens in which the film is being viewed.

It took a lot of deep thought, but one really has to think twice in watching this film where –again– an able-bodied person is playing a character with a disability. It’s the kind of casting that recently led to negative criticism of Alec Baldwin playing a blind character in Blind.

This isn’t to take anything away from Jacob Tremblay, who broke through as a performer in Room , except for maybe questioning his decision to sign on for this summer’s disaster, The Book of Henry . An impressive actor at such a young age, you can’t help but wonder how Tremblay must have felt about the film’s Star Wars references while filming.

One of the main messages to be taken away from Wonder is how bullying doesn’t only affect the children being bullied but their families as well. There’s no denying the impact that bullying has on their parents and siblings. Sometimes, it’s the siblings who come through as their best friend and that’s exactly what happens in the relationship between Auggie and Via.

Casting issues aside, Wonder is an emotionally powerful film and it’s a one-two emotional punch when paired with Disney-Pixar’s Coco . Lionsgate opened Wonder in theaters on November 17, 2017.

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Wonder Review

It's an amazing experience to feel emotionally affected by a piece of cinema, but far more important is the authenticity of those emotions. There are particular buttons that filmmakers can always press to wring a few tears out of an audience, like the death or departure of a beloved pet or loved one, but the experience is made hollow and just feels like manipulation if it isn't backed up by anything substantive. From an outside perspective, it may seem like this is the foundation that writer/director Stephen Chbosky's Wonder is built upon, as the premise alone makes it look like it is begging for waterworks -- but the reality is that it's an impressively beautiful drama that's filled with miles of heart, some fantastic performances, and an incredibly earnest message that is really necessary for our world right now.

Adapted from the best-selling book by author R.J. Palacio, Wonder tells the remarkable story of August 'Auggie' Pullman ( Jacob Tremblay ) -- a young boy with a loving family who was born with a facial deformity that makes him look different than most kids. The summer before he is to enter fifth grade, his parents ( Julia Roberts , Owen Wilson ) decide that it is time for him to join a public school, which is an utterly terrifying prospect for a kid who prefers to spend time hidden from the world wearing an astronaut helmet with a dark visor.

The narrative tracks Auggie's first year in the new school -- exploring the incredible ups and downs that come with the experience of being young and looking different than everyone around you. It's a story told from multiple angles, allowing the audience to see the world from the varying perspectives of the movie's principal characters, and within each new viewpoint discovers something important and meaningful that successfully changes the way you think about everyone's particular situation.

Wonder 's story packs a significant natural emotional weight, but what lets it work is an impressive sense of tone that prevents the material from ever feeling overwhelming. An important part of that is simply the characterization of Auggie, who is really just a remarkable human being. While he certainly gets handed his fair share of gut punches and is forced to shed more than a few tears, he is also a sweet and normal kid who loves Star Wars and expresses a wonderful sense of self-deprecation -- opening the movie by referring in voice over to his birth as a joke, with his deformity being the punchline. Overall, it's a film that's very much aware that it is going to make you cry, but offers plenty of comforting humor and lightness to even the keel and further connect you to the material.

Jacob Tremblay, of course, first caught our attention in a major way with his breathtaking performance in Lenny Abrahamson's 2015 drama Room , but Wonder affirms that turn was no mere fluke. The new movie provides the extra challenge of having the young actor work and properly emote through some impressive and transformative makeup, but it truly only heightens his work, allowing him to fully disappear into the part. More importantly, there is never an inauthentic moment, as Tremblay legitimately seems to understand the gravity of the role and the experience of his character. The movie ultimately hinges on him, but also soars as a result.

Not to be ignored is the impressive supporting cast assembled -- which Wonder never forgets about and utilizes creatively within its multi-perspective driven narrative. While carrying different energies, Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson share fantastic chemistry as Auggie's stressed but attentive and caring parents, while Mandy Patinkin and Daveed Diggs deliver inspirational turns as educators Mr. Tushman and Mr. Browne, respectively. Also deserving special mention are both Izabela Vidovic and Noah Jupe, who play Auggie's sister, Via, and best friend, Jack Will. While their stories certainly do extend from Auggie's (the world "revolves around the son," as Via puts it), they also have their own individual emotional arcs that are very much powerful and complete in their own right. They never feel like a distraction -- only enhancing elements to the larger story being told.

Before the credits roll on Wonder , your cheeks will be wet and your vision a touch blurred -- but you will be smiling all the same. As noted at the top, it's an amazing experience to feel emotionally affected by a piece of cinema, and Stephen Chbosky's movie delivers a fantastic wallop paired with a necessary and well-delivered message about bravery in the face of fear, and the vitality of acceptance.

Eric Eisenberg is the Assistant Managing Editor at CinemaBlend. After graduating Boston University and earning a bachelor’s degree in journalism, he took a part-time job as a staff writer for CinemaBlend, and after six months was offered the opportunity to move to Los Angeles and take on a newly created West Coast Editor position. Over a decade later, he's continuing to advance his interests and expertise. In addition to conducting filmmaker interviews and contributing to the news and feature content of the site, Eric also oversees the Movie Reviews section, writes the the weekend box office report (published Sundays), and is the site's resident Stephen King expert. He has two King-related columns.

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Wonder review: a heartwarming story of family love.

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“Never Even Got Off”: A Private Jet Flew Spielberg To ‘90s Thriller Set Just To Yell At The Director For 15 Minutes

Ghostbusters: frozen empire’s dana reference makes sigourney weaver’s absence so much worse, russell crowe's new $18m war movie ties an incredible career record with his 27-year-old kevin spacey crime classic, wonder is a touching tale of love and friendship, buoyed by strong performances from jacob tremblay and the rest of the cast..

Based on the novel of the same name by Raquel Jaramillo (who used the pseudonym R.J. Palacio), Wonder is being positioned as a heartwarming family film for the holiday season, covering a variety of important themes such as acceptance and overcoming adversity. The source material was inspired by a real event Jaramillo experienced as a mother, grounding the book in reality and forcing the audience to face some impactful questions along the way. While the film adaptation definitely falls into some typical genre conventions as its story progresses, it is mostly successful in accomplishing its goals. Wonder is a touching tale of love and friendship, buoyed by strong performances from Jacob Tremblay and the rest of the cast.

August "Auggie" Pullman (Tremblay) was born with Treacher Collins syndrome and has endured several surgeries to help him live some semblance of a normal life. Though he has the same interests as ordinary kids his age, Auggie is well aware of his physical appearance and enjoys hiding behind a toy astronaut helmet - even while in public. Homeschooled by his mother, Isabel (Julia Roberts) for years, Auggie makes the leap to "real" school when he starts fifth grade, with Isabel and her husband Nate (Owen Wilson) there to support their son. Meanwhile, Auggie's sister, Olivia (Izabella Vidovic), is going through changes of her own in the scary confines of high school.

The two siblings face their own sets of challenges in their new settings, but make new friends in the form of Jack Will (Noah Jupe) and Justin (Nadji Jeter) to help them get through. Together, the Pullman family works to find a way to persevere and show others that beauty is more than what's on the outside - it's what in the heart that matters most.

Director Stephen Chbosky makes the smart decision to split the film into various "chapters" that revolve around a different character. Though Auggie is very much the lead protagonist, this approach ensures supporting players like Olivia, Jack Will, and Olivia's old friend Miranda (Danielle Rose Russell) are afforded more characterization than otherwise. Not every kid is given the same amount of depth, but this is still a nice touch that allows viewers to experience the story through multiple points of view and come away with a comprehensive overview of the family and those closest to them. Characters such as Jack Will and Olivia could have been surface-level archetypes, but they prove to be as important to Wonder as Auggie in the long run. Chbosky handles these transitions with skill, never lingering on one for too long.

The script, a collaboration between Chbosky, Steve Conrad, and Jack Thorne, unfortunately has its ups and downs. On the positive side of the spectrum, the narrative contains a powerful and earnest message that will speak to many people. While the story most definitely follows a very predictable trajectory, it's nonetheless inspiring and uplifting in its execution. That being said, sticking so close to a specific formula hamstrings Wonder at some points, as certain emotional beats seem to be there simply for manipulating feelings than servicing the narrative. As a result, there are times where the story loses its flow and natural momentum in order to hit generic plot points that aren't all that necessary. The screenplay's shortcomings aren't enough to derail Wonder , but they do hold the movie back from reaching greatness.

A somewhat conventional story is elevated by impressive work from the cast, most notably Tremblay. The Room star proves once again he is one of this generation's finest child actors, aptly blending drama and comedy for a well-rounded turn that makes his Auggie instantly likable and sympathetic. Savvy viewers will see his arc coming a mile away, but it's still satisfying to watch because Tremblay is great in the role. Roberts and Wilson make for a strong support system for Auggie; the latter relies on his laid-back, easygoing charm to make Nate a "cool" dad with a sense of humor while the former makes for a convincing concerned and compassionate mother who loves nothing more than her son. Admittedly, Roberts' part is a bit of an archetype, but that's more the way it was written than how Roberts plays it.

Jacob Tremblay and Julia Roberts in Wonder

In terms of the supporting cast, Vidovic gets the most to do as Olivia, going through her own journey that would have been substantial enough to carry a separate movie. Due to the film's "Via" (as she's called) section, Vidovic gets an opportunity to display a range of traits (isolated teen to caring sister) and isn't just background dressing to round out a nuclear family. Auggie's classmates, played by the likes of Noah Jupe, Bryce Gheisar, and Millie Davis, are equally good, playing their roles with skill. Gheisar in particular will be someone audiences truly loathe as bully Julian, and credit has to be given to the young actor for handling what was surely a difficult part. Daveed Diggs and Mandy Patinkin round out the cast as faculty and staff members at Auggie's school, delivering good-natured performances.

Ultimately, Wonder makes the most of its assets and ends up being a solid family film that might be better than what some initially expected. Granted, cinephiles may not have to rush out to see it in the theaters in order to keep up with 2017's awards contenders, but those looking for a nice time at the movies over the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday will probably find something to enjoy here. If nothing else, Wonder will be a compelling counter-programming option that offers a change-of-pace from some of the larger Hollywood releases.

Wonder is now playing in U.S. theaters. It runs 113 minutes and is rated PG for thematic elements, including bullying, and some mild language.

Let us know what you thought of the film in the comments!

Wonder is a 2017 Drama directed by Stephen Chbosky and starring Jacob Tremblay, Owen Wilson, and Julia Roberts. The plot follows the heartwarming story of a young boy with a facial deformity that attends fifth grade at a public school.

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In Theaters

November 17, 2017
Jacob Tremblay as Auggie; Julia Roberts as Isabel; Owen Wilson as Nate; Izabela Vidovic as Via; Mandy Patinkin as Mr. Tushman; Noah Jupe as Jack Will; Bryce Gheisar as Julian; Daveed Diggs as Mr. Browne

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February 13, 2018
Stephen Chbosky

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Movie review.

Space helmets are cool.

In fact, August Pullman (Auggie for short) loves his space helmet. Not only does it help him pretend to be an astronaut—which any 11-year-old who loves science, video games and Star Wars will tell you is awesome —but it also totally covers his face. And on a day like this one, that’s a particularly awesome thing, too.

Auggie’s mom calls him a “wonder.” And he may in fact be one, in a clinical sort of way: It’s taken 27 different surgeries just to help him function like any other kid his age. But Auggie would prefer it if he could simply be labeled as … normal .

You see, Auggie was born with a congenital disorder that caused severe facial disfigurement (among other health problems). So when he walks into a room, well, normal is not the first thing that comes to people’s mind.

Auggie has learned to cope with that unfortunate, sideshow-like public existence. And he’s lived a fairly average life with his parents, Isabel and Nate, and older sis, Via. Until now, though, he’s been homeschooled by his mom. And today it’s time for him to venture out to public school and 5th grade.

Auggie has already toured the school a few days back. Mr. Tushman, the principal, made arrangements for a couple of other kids to show him around the empty facility to give him a feel for the place. The kids were nice about it. But Auggie could tell that one boy, Julian, saw him as a flat-out freak. Julian is one of those kids who will smile and be nice in front of adults, but privately do hurtful things to anybody he doesn’t care for.

He doesn’t care for Auggie.

So, yeah, space helmets are cool. And as Auggie walks with his family toward the Beecher Preparatory School’s front courtyard, he wishes he could keep it on all day. Or maybe just keep walking with the people he loves, those he knows love him.

But he can’t. It’s time to stop, take off his helmet, walk into the school on his own and let the open-mouthed staring begin. It’s time for Auggie to see what “normal” really looks like.

Positive Elements

Mr. Tushman and another teacher named Mr. Browne both try to make school a safe place for Auggie, one where he can have a thoughtful learning experience. Both of them come to Auggie’s aid at times. Mr. Browne repeatedly asks kids to think about their choices, namely who they want to be and become. “Your deeds are your monuments,” he tells a class of kids.

And though those encouragements toward kindness and wise choices don’t always seem to be applied by the student body, eventually we see some kids begin to mature in positive ways. They begin to take notice of others’ behavior, and one by one they cross the self-imposed demarcation line between Auggie and themselves. As they do so, friendships begin to blossom.

The film also takes the time to look at Auggie’s changing world from a variety of perspectives, including that of Auggie’s sister Via; his new friend, Jack; and Via’s estranged friend, Miranda. Eventually it’s dramatically demonstrated that a determined, loving family can not only pull together and see its way through trying times, it can also have a glowing, positive impact on people outside the immediate family.

The Pullmans comfort one another, express their love for each other and verbalize the pride they feel for each family member’s accomplishments. And after gaining friends and acceptance, Auggie declares that many of the friends, family and teachers who surround him also deserve praise and applause—something we can so easily forget to give in our day-to-day lives.

Spiritual Elements

The Pullman family isn’t particularly spiritual, but Isabel does pray aloud, “Dear God, please make them be nice to him,” when dropping Auggie off at school one day.

In the course of finding her bearings in a new school year, Via meets a “theater nerd” named Justin and talks about missing her deceased grandmother, who always supported her. “Your grandmother’s still cheering you on,” Justin assures her.

Sexual Content

Via and Justin eventually kiss. We hear about someone who got divorced and remarried.

Violent Content

We hear that Auggie has endured many painful surgeries just to enable him to eat, breathe and hear properly. When things are difficult at school, Auggie’s dad makes it clear that Auggie should feel free to push back against anyone who tries to hurt him. When playing dodgeball in gym class, all the boys bombard Auggie. “What evil man invented dodgeball?” Auggie wonders.

Early on, Jack tells Julian that if he looked like Auggie, he’d kill himself—a painful comment that Auggie overhears. But later, after realizing how foolish his words were, Jack gets angry at Julian’s continued nasty comments about Auggie’s appearance and punches the other boy in the face. Jack and Julian wrestle and batter each other until a teacher intervenes.

Later still, after Auggie and Jack have mended fences with each other, a couple of older 7th-grade boys begin picking on them. Jack jumps to Auggie’s defense and gets shoved to the ground, hitting his head on a rock. Auggie is pushed and shoved, too. A group of their schoolmates then leap into the fray to even the odds, with multiple kids wrestling and punching each other.

Crude or Profane Language

A bully misuses Jesus’ name once. There are also a few exclamations of “oh my god” and “shut up.” Someone says something “sucks.” Kids call Auggie “ugly” and “a freak.”

When introducing himself to Auggie, Mr. Tushman smilingly talks of all the ways kids have joked about his name: “Tushy, Butt Man, Butt Face—I’ve heard ’em all.”

Drug and Alcohol Content

Auggie’s parents drink wine. His mom jokingly exclaims, “Let’s get drunk!” to her husband after she accomplishes a tough task. Miranda’s divorced and depressed mother drinks wine, seemingly to numb her pain and disappointment about her life.

Other Negative Elements

The Pullmans tell family stories and joke about someone passing gas. A child urinates outdoors (offscreen). Julian bullies Auggie in a variety of ways, sometimes subtly in public and other times quite hurtfully. He draws distorted, ugly pictures of Auggie, calling him “Darth Hideous.” He even suggests that Auggie should “do everyone a favor and die.” Perhaps not surprisingly, Julian’s parents turn out to be rather insensitive people, too.

At first, most of the other kids at school follow Julian’s mean-spirited lead, isolating Auggie and repeating the rumor that his touch will spread a virus. Elsewhere, Auggie lets a struggling Jack copy off his test. Via lies about something. (But later apologizes.)

It’s easy to slap together a sappy pic. Filmmakers do it all the time—jerking forth a tear and creating something that parents can drag their kids to in hopes that positive (albeit a bit cheesy) messages might take hold.

But it’s an altogether different task to create something like Wonder .

*Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson earnestly pour their hearts into this poignant, realistic story about a young son who is different. It stitches together a heartfelt world populated with loving parents, admirable teachers, and kids who believably struggle with who they are and what they need.

Director Stephen Chbosky and his able cast acquitted themselves admirably in telling Auggie’s painful-but-inspiring story. Yes, in the real world, someone like this disfigured boy might well have suffered much more physical and emotional bullying than we actually see onscreen here. But we nevertheless get the point very well: It’s hard to be different, to be anything but normal.

Mr. Browne, one of Auggie’s teachers, points out that “when given the choice between being right and being kind, [kids should] choose [to be] kind.” That thoughtful precept applies to how Chbosky has crafted his film as well, and it’s definitely the primary theme running through this wonder-filled narrative.

The result? Wonder does the hard, empathetic, loving work and lets us wax sappy about it. And that’s a movie-going distinction that Mom and Dad will appreciate.

After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.

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Movie Review – Wonder (2017)

November 13, 2017 by Robert Kojder

Wonder , 2017.

Directed by Stephen Chbosky. Starring Jacob Tremblay, Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Izabel Vidovic, Noah Jupe, Danielle Rose Russell, Nadji Jeter, Millie Davis, Sonia Braga, Emma Tremblay, Ali Liebert, Daveed Diggs, Crystal Lowe, and Mandy Patinkin.

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.

The world is a cruel place and it’s exponentially crueler to people living with disadvantageous conditions unable to be controlled. As such, August Pullman (played by outstanding young child actor Jacob Tremblay most known for his breakout role in 2015’s Room ) has lived a rather sheltered life. Born with severe facial deficiencies (explained as the result of an unlucky combination of bad genetics from his parents played by Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson, also described as a disease that could have easily went to his four years older sister Via), Auggie, as he is nicknamed by his family, is an introverted child fascinated by astronomy and sci-fi entertainment such as Star Wars undergoing homeschooling conducted by his mother Isabel.

The Pullman’s are feeling ready to slowly ease Auggie into society by enrolling him into school for the first time, starting off in the fifth grade, which is naturally met with mildly conflicting thoughts from each parental figure. Nate (Owen Wilson, the more laid-back and jokester of the pair) is unsure about the idea but agrees to it on the account that Auggie is brave enough to take the leap of faith. Well, brave enough to go but not without bringing his favorite toy astronaut helmet to cover his scarred and deformed face, to which Nate gently removes before entering the doors.

It’s obviously not a spoiler to say things don’t start off full of rainbows and sunshine; Auggie is directly labeled as resembling Darth Sidious from Star Wars upon professing his love for the franchise during a quick classroom activity where each student tells the rest of the room two interesting things about themselves. However, what is completely surprising is that Wonder doesn’t just namedrop various established intellectual properties, Lionsgate somehow was granted access to insert different characters into many of Auggie’s imagination sequences. There’s a charming, winning monologue where the unique boy pretends what it would be like if Chewbacca, who also doesn’t look normal, attended the school, and it’s creativity like this that fills the film (and most likely the novel of the same name by R.J. Palacio) with enchantment. Surely, it also assists the already impressive performance from Jacob Tremblay as anyone that followed his road to the Oscars in 2015 knows, he loves his Star Wars .

Elaborating on that, Jacob Tremblay and his director Stephen Chbosky (known for handling themes of ostracism in The Perks of Being a Wallflower ) are fully aware of Auggie’s strengths and vulnerabilities. Science is unquestionably the boy’s calling and passion, but anyone simply laying eyes on him brings out anxiety and pressure, which is only made worse when other children routinely leave nasty drawings comparing him to Freddy Krueger in his locker or say heinous things like “I would kill myself if I looked like him”. Of course, they are children so for as harsh as it is, it’s also forgivable to a degree, but it and the facial disfiguration, in general, has attracted Auggie to Halloween, the one night where it’s acceptable to either cover your face or let the ugly out without judgment. The filmmakers play up how all Auggie needs is to be accepted, and once he is, out comes a talkative, humorous, carefree, beautiful soul who not only feels as if he is on top of the world, but can inject those qualities into those around him.

Wonder also makes it a point to show how Auggie directly affects the lives of those around him, whether it be his parents, sister, or the open-minded friends he makes. Frustratingly, some of these characters are given their own entire chapter of the film, which is a concept that probably worked much better in the novel format where there is infinite time to tell a story. Essentially, they boil down to overly long voiceover narrations putting a spin on what we think we know (children, for the most part, will find this twisty, as adults will have no problem predicting each plot beat), and while it’s great that the filmmakers have a desire to turn these characters into more than one-note individuals, it feels like Auggie should always receive center focus.

What that said, some relationships such as the one between Auggie and his sister Via (Izabela Vidovic) are superbly written; it would be very easy to paint Via as a standard high school teenager furious with unfortunate lack of attention from her parents, but she’s understanding and mature beyond her years. In a way, the situation has forced her to grow up early, and while she does occasionally show signs of frustration, there is always restraint and a compassionate, loving sister at the forefront. There is also an incredibly wise creative decision to limit the amount of screen time given to Owen Wilson and Julia Roberts, trusting the assembly of terrific child actors to carry the feature. Even when it’s feeling episodic, beginning and resolving a new plot point every 15 minutes, they are able to maintain interest.

Most importantly, Wonder is a family-friendly movie boasting a message of acceptance that both children and adults can, and should, get behind. The fact that it handles all of this material delicately and without emotional manipulation or sentimental nonsense makes it all the better; the characters and story feel earnest. Even the makeup effects are convincing, believable, and not over-the-top. If even one child sees Wonder and chooses to stop bullying other kids or decides never to start bullying in the first place, the film has made an admirable difference.

Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★

Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, friend me on Facebook, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd , check out my personal non-Flickering Myth affiliated Patreon , or email me at [email protected]

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Earnest, emotional book adaptation has strong messages.

Wonder Movie Poster: Auggie stands against a blue background holding astronaut's helmet, which is the O in the title "Wonder"

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

No one is ordinary. Who we are on the inside matte

Characters in general are well-intentioned and car

The film centers around a boy with a facial differ

Tween boys get in a fight at school, punching each

Teens kiss. An adult married couple kisses; it's i

Infrequent use of words including "shut up," "oh m

Characters play/interact within Minecraft and talk

A woman going through a hard divorce drinks a lot

Positive Messages

No one is ordinary. Who we are on the inside matters more than what we look like on the outside. True friends appreciate you for you who are, not what you look like or the things you have. True friends also stick up for you and empathize with you. It's more important to do what's right than what's popular, but it's also hard to be different sometimes. Everyone has their own issues and problems; just because things look OK on the surface doesn't mean they're not hurting/vulnerable. We can't change how people look, so maybe we can change the way we see. Choose kindness. Aspire to be great. Themes also include empathy and compassion.

Positive Role Models

Characters in general are well-intentioned and caring, even if they're not perfect. Auggie is brave and stoic in the face of huge challenges; he perseveres even when it's really hard. But he also helps a classmate cheat and doesn't get caught. Jack Will makes big mistakes but learns from them and apologizes. Via struggles to be seen but learns to speak up for herself. Auggie's parents try their hardest to support him, sometimes by letting him take risks and get hurt. Mr. Tushman and Mr. Browne are caring, thoughtful teachers/administrators. Julian bullies Auggie, but even he learns a few things.

Diverse Representations

The film centers around a boy with a facial difference/disfigurement and sympathetically portrays his challenges and successes. But positive representation is reduced by the fact that Auggie is played by Tremblay, a non-disabled actor who wore prosthetics/makeup for the part, continuing the industry-wide inequality against hiring actors with facial differences -- even for roles that are explicitly about them. Most of the main characters are White and apparently quite well-off financially, though there's mention of a student on scholarship, and there are a few supporting characters of color. Women such as Auggie's mom and sister have positive roles, plus their own respective story arcs.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Tween boys get in a fight at school, punching each other and rolling on the ground. A group of tween boys also gets in a fight with a group of older kids; the scuffle is brief but intense. Auggie is frequently bullied by cruel/insensitive classmates, usually verbally or via pictures, though he's sometimes also intimidated physically. One character says he'd kill himself if he looked like Auggie. Spoiler alert : A family pet dies, leading to sadness/tears.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Teens kiss. An adult married couple kisses; it's implied that one gave the other a risque gift (not shown or specified). Mild innuendo.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Infrequent use of words including "shut up," "oh my God," "jerk," "freak," "sucks," "hate," "crappiest," "deformed," "stupid," "junk," "farted." Auggie is called names, including "Darth Hideous" and "Gollum." Jokes related to the principal's last name, Tushman, involve words like "tushie," "butt," "buttface." Burping.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Characters play/interact within Minecraft and talk about it. Other brands/logos seen include Star Wars, NASA, Law & Order, Kinko's, Dirty Dancing , Poland Spring water, Ghostface (from Scream ), San Pellegrino, The Wizard of Oz .

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

A woman going through a hard divorce drinks a lot of wine (and, it's implied, passes out); her teen daughter finishes one of her glasses. Adults drink wine with dinner; one says "Let's get drunk!" during a date-night dinner.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Wonder is an earnest, emotional family drama based on R.J. Palacio's award-winning novel of the same name. It centers on Auggie Pullman ( Jacob Tremblay ), a young boy with a genetic facial difference. Auggie meets both cruel bullies and good friends as he attends school for the first time; his supportive family (including his parents, played by Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson ) is always there for him -- even when he tries to push them away. The movie has clear positive messages about choosing kindness, appreciating everyone for who they are (rather than what they look like), and true friendship; empathy, compassion, and perseverance are also strong themes. There's some fighting among tweens/young teens and sad moments involving a loss. Language includes name-calling and insult words like "shut up," "jerk," "freak," and "deformed," as well as an "oh my God" or two. Teens kiss, and adults flirt/exchange mild innuendo. A teen character finishes her mom's abandoned glass of wine after her mom, who's going through a difficult divorce, falls asleep/passes out. Though the film centers around a character living with a visible difference, positive representation is reduced by the fact that Auggie is played by a non-disabled actor who wore prosthetics/makeup for the role. Most of the main characters are White and apparently quite well-off financially, though there's mention of a student on scholarship, and there are a few supporting characters of color. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Parents say (78)
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Based on 78 parent reviews

Great messages throughout + unnecessary drunkenness

What's the story.

In WONDER, August "Auggie" Pullman ( Jacob Tremblay ) is about to start fifth grade -- marking his first time at a school with other kids, rather than learning at home from his mom, Isabel ( Julia Roberts ). That would be plenty nerve-wracking on its own, but Auggie has more to worry about than the average new middle schooler: Born with a genetic condition, he has a significant facial difference. Twenty-plus surgeries in his short life have left him able to hear, see, and speak like other kids, but he definitely doesn't look like them. And since he can't wear his beloved astronaut helmet all day at school, he has to face them all in person. It's far from easy: Kids call him names ("Darth Hideous," "Gollum") and bully him, and even his parents can't talk away the hurt. But Auggie isn't the only one facing challenges. His older sister, Via ( Izabela Vidovic ), feels like their parents (Isabel and Nate, played by Owen Wilson ) barely pay attention to her because Auggie needs so much from them. Auggie's new friend, Jack Will (Noah Jupe), genuinely likes Auggie but doesn't know how to speak up for him in school. Via's former best friend, Miranda (Danielle Rose Russell), seems tough on the outside but is grappling with difficult family issues. And even Julian (Bryce Gheisar), who bullies other kids, has his own problems. As Auggie navigates his first year of school, he -- and all the people around him -- learn to think more of others and find happiness inside themselves.

Is It Any Good?

Based on R.J. Palacio's hugely popular, award-winning novel , this drama is earnest and sweet, with great messages about kindness, friendship, and acceptance for its tween target audience. Whether they've read the book or not, kids are sure to appreciate Wonder 's take on how hard it can be to fit in and feel good about yourself, no matter what you look like. By mirroring the book's structure and giving viewers first-person glimpses of how the world looks to characters other than Auggie (Via, Miranda, and Jack Will all get their moments), director Stephen Chbosky helps build empathy, which is an invaluable skill for viewers of all ages. That said, the perspective-switching isn't consistent enough for it to totally work as a storytelling device in the film; plot details are brought up and then not really given closure, and the choice of why some characters get to tell their own stories while others don't isn't really clear.

But thanks to an emotionally resonant script and strong performances by the cast, quibbles like that can be mostly ignored. Roberts and Wilson are well-matched as Auggie and Via's parents, Tremblay emotes well even under heavy prosthetics and makeup, and Vidovic pulls off the challenge of playing a moody teen without making you roll your eyes at her. In the supporting cast, Hamilton 's Daveed Diggs is engaging as Auggie's believably inspiring teacher, Mr. Browne; Mandy Patinkin is all grandfatherly charm as school director Mr. Tushman; and Jupe is excellent as Auggie's friend Jack Will. A scene in which he reacts to the aftermath of a hallway fight is an astounding bit of child acting. In the end, while it's not hard to see where Wonder is going, getting there is a valuable journey, especially for kids.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about how the other kids react to Auggie in Wonder . What do they learn about him over the course of the movie? What do you think you'd do in their position?

How does being bullied affect Auggie? How did you feel about Julian by the time the movie was over? What role does peer pressure play in some of the bullying? How would you handle the situation that Jack Will faces?

How does the story show the importance of empathy and perseverance ? Why are those important character strengths ?

If you've read the book , how do you think the movie compares? Which parts were the same? Which were different?

How do you think this story might be different if the characters weren't, in general, so privileged? What advantages does Auggie have based on his background? Is it OK that he's portrayed by an actor who doesn't have a facial difference in real life?

Movie Details

In theaters : November 17, 2017
On DVD or streaming : February 13, 2018
Cast : Julia Roberts , Owen Wilson , Jacob Tremblay
Director : Stephen Chbosky
Inclusion Information : Female actors
Studio : Lionsgate
Genre : Family and Kids
Topics : Book Characters , Friendship , Great Boy Role Models
Character Strengths : Compassion , Empathy , Perseverance
Run time : 113 minutes
MPAA rating : PG
MPAA explanation : thematic elements including bullying, and some mild language
Award : Common Sense Selection
Last updated : June 22, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Wonder Book Cover: A white face, featureless except for one blue eye, against a light blue background

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Wonder (I) (2017)

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Wonder (2017) Review

CHOOSE KINDNESS

Back in 1999, American author Stephen Chbosky published the novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower. The book, which followed the character of Charlie as he navigates between the worlds of adolescences and adulthood and attempt to deal with poignant questions by those around him (friends and family), did receive commercial success in the literary world, though it was banned in some American schools for its content (i.e. sexuality and drug usage). In 2012, Chbosky’s directed his sophomore theatrical film (the first was 1995’s The Four Corners of Nowhere ) and adapted his own book for the big screen in the movie The Perks of Being a Wallflower . The film, which starred Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, and Ezra Miller, was met with positive reviews from critics and moviegoers, sharing a modest success of profiting roughly $33 million against its $13 million production budget. Additionally, Chbosky has also acted in other moviemaking capacities for other feature films, including a producer for 2007’s The Poughkeepsie Tapes and writer for both 2005’s theatrical adaptation of the Broadway show Rent and Disney’s 2017 live-action adaptation of their classic Beauty and the Beast . Now, Lionsgate Studios (in association with Participant Media and Walden Media) prepare for Stephen Chbosky to return to the director’s chair with the film Wonder ; based on the book by R.J. Palacio. Does the movie find its stride or does something get lost in its “page to screen” translation?

Born with Treacher Collins syndrome, August “Auggie” Pullman (Jacob Tremblay) has endured several surgeries to help him live a semblance of a normal life. Although incredibly bright and sharing a lot of the same interests as ordinary kids his age, Auggie is well-aware of his physical facial appearance; enjoying hiding his disfigurement behind a toy astronaut helmet in both in public and in his own privacy. Homeschooled by his mom, Isabel (Julia Roberts) for years, Auggie makes the jump to a real school when he starts fifth grade, with Isabel and her husband Nate (Owen Wilson) there to support their son, but are a bit concerned over letting their son attend public school (fearing the ridicule that Auggie might face by his fellow peers). Immediately, after being targeted by classmate bully Julian ( Bryce Gheisar), Auggie manages to strike up a friendship with fellow students Jack (Noah Jupe) and Summer (Millie Davis). Meanwhile, Auggie’s sister, Olivia (Izabella Vidovic), is going through changes of her own, facing the sudden loss of her tight friendship with her bestie Miranda (Danielle Rose Russell), the blossoming the romance with fellow classmate Justin (Nadji Jeter), and feeling the somewhat neglected loving support from her parents, who’s attentions are drawn to Auggie. Together, the Pullman family works to find way to preserve and show others that it doesn’t matter how you look like on the outside, but what lies within your heart that matters the most.

THE GOOD / THE BAD

Working at a bookstore, I do remember seeing Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower book many times (i.e. picking it up for customers and / or restock copies of the book back onto the shelves), but I never “officially” read the book. However, people have told me about the book and how good it is, especially with the title being listed on several times on high school’s reading lists (despite the conversional subject matter that was mentioned above). That being said, I did see Chbosky’s 2012 film adaptation of The Perks of Being a Wallflower and I liked it, especially with the young cast (Watson, Miller, and Lerman). Additionally, I do remember seeing Chbosky’s name be mentioned as writer for 2017’s Beauty and the Beast (a film which I love).

This brings me to my current review for the film Wonder ; Stephen Chbosky’s newest film. In case you didn’t know, Wonder is based off of the children’s book of the same name by author R.J. Palacio. Since its released, the young reader’s book has become a bestselling novel, with many readers and literary critics praising Palacio’s story. Like Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower, I knew of the book Wonder, but never officially read it (I do plan on reading it after seeing this movie). I remember seeing the trailer throughout the year and found it to be interesting (another reason for me to read the book) as it looked like a touching heart-warming tale with probably some thematic moral lessons to be learned. So, I took a chance and went to see the movie, hoping that my initial feeling about the film was right. What did think of it? Was I right. In fact, I was (and that’s a good thing). While the movie adaptation does falls into some conventions in its story progression and into familiar territory, Wonder is a touching tale of friendship and love, which is elevated by its source material and strong performances from its cast.

Also, before I forget, as I haven’t read the book yet (as stated above), I can’t compare “apple to apples” from Palacio’s novel to Chbosky’s film on what was add, changed, or omitted. So, being a beloved bestseller young readers novel, Palacio’s Wonder was a prime choice to be adapted into feature film, with Chbosky getting the chance to helming the feature. Given his background in the material of The Perks of Being a Wallflower (both the book and the film), Chbosky seems like the perfect choice in directing Wonder , navigating through Palacio’s source material and crafting a feature film that’s as heartfelt as it is poignant. To his credit, Chbosky does extremely well in bringing this beloved children’s book to life. Although I never read the book, one can simply tell that the film keeps the spirit of Palacio’s vision and intent, with Chbosky respecting the material and translating it to the feature-length film. In truth, the narrative of Wonder contains a powerful message that literally speak to everyone…. no matter the age, gender, or ethnicity. Just like Auggie, many of us (in sometime point in our lives) faced ridicule judgement and / or bullying from our fellow peers and felt like our world was going to crumble underneath these harsh criticisms / torments. I, too, have felt that pain, especially during one part of going to school and I think many of us feel the same way (be it being the bully, being bullied, or seeing others being bullied). However, Wonder’s message of choosing to overcome the obstacles, electing a person to perform acts of kindness, and not to “judge a book by its cover” mantra is something that is both uplifting and inspirational; a profound meaning that resonates strongly within the fundamentals of human behavior. And that’s the sprit that Chbosky keeps very much alive when directing this movie. In short, Wonder is terrific family film that has all the makings of a “feel good” movie, but it also has that such a profound message that speaks to all in such a positive and inspirational way.

One of the most interesting aspects of Wonder was the fact that Chbosky creatively decided to spilt the film into sort of various “chapters that revolve around a different character. Yes, the character of Auggie is still very much the central protagonist of the story (and the film), but this unique approach showcases an interesting way for some of the film’s supporting characters (i.e. Jack, Olivia, and Olivia’s friend Miranda) to be given more characterization than just the standard side characters, with each one playing a role in Auggie’s life but also in their own paths. Chbosky juggles all these characters well, handling their transitions when the narrative is focused on them and never lingers on one for too long before returning back to Auggie, who acts as the main narrative thread of Wonder . Some could’ve had a bit more depth to them, but this style and their overall inclusion allows the film to stand on a level beyond than just common troupe of “following the main character”, with Chbosky given us (the viewers) different viewpoints in the story being told.

Additionally, in terms of filmmaking presentation nuances, Wonder is presented in a favorable way. While most of the feature looks like your “standard” family drama film, its still solid piece from camera angles, to editing, to the musical score, to costumes, as well as a few fun Star Wars nuances and cameo appearances here and there, which are quite fun to see.

There are a few problems that Wonder can’t overcome within its theatrical proceedings. First and foremost, the movie’ story (as a whole) is a bit formulaic, with the film’s writers (Chbosky, Steve Conrad, and Jack Thorne) treading down a very familiar path / territory when trying to rework Palacio’s novel. Thus, in terms of the nature of the beast, Wonder plays out in a somewhat predictable fashion, facing several trials and tribulations that have been played before. However, this was just a minor negative point. Conceding with that, the other problem in Wonder has that notion of manipulating feelings during certain scenes that draw out emotions. The movie never feels syrupy (i.e. like a Lifetime TV movie), but that are several parts in the film that the story loses its flow and are meant to drive home either generic plot points and / or emotional beats that do little to overall arching narrative of the feature. Again, this is more of a minor problem and doesn’t derail Wonder , but they do keep the film from reaching cinematic greatness.

The cast in Wonder is another highlight point of the film, which is a mixture of recognizable faces as well as some unknown ones. Nevertheless, each one, whether a big or small role, gives strong performances that help elevate the feature’s presentation within both the story and their respective characters. Perhaps the best one of the group as to be Jacob Tremblay as the facial disfigured but kind-hearted protagonist Auggie Pullman. Known for his roles in Room , Before I Wake , and The Book of Henry , Tremblay proves once again how gifted he is as a young actor, adept in hitting all the right moments of comedic levity and drama / emotions. Thus, the character of Auggie Pullman is brought to life in such a sweet and endearing way, making Tremblay performance likeable and sympathetic right from the get-go. Even when the character of Auggie isn’t the main focus of the scene, Tremblay still displays some great acting, especially when interacting with his young co-stars as well as the adult stars.

The rest of Wonder’s young cast do exceptional well, shining brightly in their respective roles, alongside Tremblay’s Auggie. Of the group, Izabela Vidovic ( The Fosters and Homefront ) gets the most screen-time as Auggie’s older sister Olivia “Via” Pullman, who goes through her own personal journey of isolated teen and caring sister. In truth, there was probably enough substance material to her character that there could’ve been a whole separate film made just for Via. Regardless, Vidovic does great as Via, showcasing a wide range of emotions and does have a well-rounded story arc than just a member of the Pullman family. Similarly, Danielle Rose Russell ( Aloha and Pandemic ), who plays Via’s estrange friend Miranda also has enough material to have been added to Via’s separate movie, with enough backstory to be awarded with a substantial sub-plot. It’s a shame that the movie doesn’t dig deep enough to give that backstory its proper due. Also, actor Nadji Jeter ( The 5 th Wave and Grown Ups ), who plays Via’s fellow classmate / love interest Justin, is good in the role, but there isn’t much the character beyond what’s presented. The rest of the young cast is made up of Auggie’s classmates, including Noah Jupe ( The Night Manager and Suburbicon ) as the kind-hearted Jack Will, Millie Davis ( The Best Man Holiday and Orphan Black ) as the friendly Summer, and Bryce Gheisar ( A Dog’s Purpose and Walk the Prank ) as the bully Julian. Each one of the young actors present their best foot forward in their acting talents, making their characters great in their respective, especially Gheisar’s Julian, who many will truly loathe, which, in turn, makes for good acting skills.

As for the adults in the movie, who are in supporting roles, actor Owen Wilson and actress Julia Roberts are the big ticketed stars of Wonder and bring their quality acting skills to the role as Auggie / Olivia’s parents Nate and Isabel. Wilson, known for his roles in Wedding Crashers , Cars , and Midnight in Paris , handles himself well, relying on his laid-back bravado and easy-going persona to make his character of Nate the “cool” dad with a sense of humor. Likewise, Roberts, known for her roles in Pretty Woman , Erin Brockovich , and Notting Hill , has a bit more juicer role than Wilson as Auggie’s mother Isabel. The character is a bit conventional, especially for this type of film, but that’s more about how the character was written rather than Robert’s performance. Still, both Wilson and Robert give a strong representation of being mom and dad Pullman. Rounding out the cast are actors Daveed Diggs ( The Get Down and Black-ish ) and Mandy Patinkin ( Homeland and Criminal Minds ) as faculty staff members of Auggie’s new school, with Diggs as Auggie’s teacher Mr. Browne and Patinkin as the school’s principal Mr. Tuschman. Both actors lend their weight in their supporting roles, delivering good-natured performances respectfully.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Auggie Pullman goes to public school for the first time and faces the trails of being “different” to everyone around him in the movie Wonder . Director Stephen Chbosky’s newest film brings R.J. Palacio’s young readers novel to life, offering up a good wholesome story of being different in the status quo and choosing to be better person (aka choosing kindness), While there are some areas in the movie that feels manipulative and does tread into familiar territory in both characters and / or storytelling elements, the movie stands as tall and proud as a perfect family friendly “feel good” feature, thanks to Chbosky’s direction, Palacio’s source material, and some solid performances from its cast. Personally, I liked this movie. It was a sweet and heartfelt movie that had a strong cast and told a very palpable message about “being different” and showing kindness to others. Thus, my recommendation for Wonder is a definite “highly recommended” as it something for everyone to see and hear, despite age, gender, or ethnicity. All in all, Wonder is touching “feel good” movie that will linger with you long after the movie is finished and echoes the fundamentals of kindness to others and to yourself. Just remember “When given the choice between being right or being kind, chose kind”.

4.3 Out of 5 (Highly Recommended)

Released on: november 17th, 2017, reviewed on: december 3rd, 2017.

Wonder is 113 minutes long and is rated PG for thematic elements including bullying, and some mild language

Wonder review — Get ready to laugh and cry during this feel-good movie

Wonder will win over audience’s affection with its charming take on r.j. palacio’s novel of the same name..

Wonder is an inspirational poster of a movie, which I say in the least cynical way possible. Like director Stephen Chomsky’s last movie The Perks of Being a Wallflower , Wonder knows how to emotionally invest its audience in its characters and story. You cheer when it wants you to cheer, laugh when it wants you to laugh, and cry when it wants you to cry. In a lesser movie, it might have felt like manipulation or washed with sentimentally. But Wonder earns the emotions it makes you feel, even if it has to push you just a tad.

I don’t want to say that if you didn’t like Wonder , then you don’t have a heart. But this is really one of those movies that can cheer anyone’s day up. It’s really the feel-good movie of the year. That’s not to take away its cinematic achievement. Chomsky is a good director with an ability to imbue emotion on his audience. And just when you think it couldn’t get any better, the movie ends with a Passion Pit song.

★★★½ out of 5

Karl Delossantos

Hey, I'm Karl, founder and film critic at Smash Cut. I started Smash Cut in 2014 to share my love of movies and give a perspective I haven't yet seen represented. I'm also an editor at The New York Times, a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, and a member of the Online Film Critics Society.

Karl Delossantos https://smashcutreviews.com/author/karldelogmail-com/ 12 Years A Slave Movie Review — A Beautiful, Unflinching Film
Karl Delossantos https://smashcutreviews.com/author/karldelogmail-com/ 2014 Oscar Nominations: Snubs and Surprises
Karl Delossantos https://smashcutreviews.com/author/karldelogmail-com/ 2014 Oscar Predictions: Best Picture (Updated 2/16)
Karl Delossantos https://smashcutreviews.com/author/karldelogmail-com/ 2014 Oscar Predictions: Best Director (Is Alfonso Cuarón a Lock to Win?)

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Wonder movie review & film summary (2017)
But the film does so much so well for so long that its pat conclusion feels forgivable. Early on during a screening of "Wonder," when the film first reveals the scars and deformities that mark the hero's face, my eight-year-old son turned to me and whispered, "He looks weird.". Once the movie was over, as we were walking out of the ...
'Wonder' Review: A New-Style 'Mask,' with Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson
Nov 12, 2017 3:00pm PT Film Review: 'Wonder' ... "Wonder" is a movie that's finely attuned to what bullying is actually about: kids walling off their feelings, giving into the dark side ...
Wonder
Dec 22, 2017 Full Review Liz Moody Empire Magazine It sometimes over-plays its hand but, anchored by a terrific ... Wonder (2017) Wonder (2017) Wonder (2017) View more photos Movie Info.
Wonder review: a warm family story that avoids becoming too saccharine
Wonder is a sensitive exploration of the many ways people struggle in ordinary life. The movie picks up as Auggie ( Jacob Tremblay) is getting ready to attend school for the first time, a new ...
Wonder (2017)
Wonder: Directed by Stephen Chbosky. With Jacob Tremblay, Owen Wilson, Izabela Vidovic, Julia Roberts. Based on the New York Times bestseller, this movie tells the incredibly inspiring and heartwarming story of August Pullman, a boy with facial differences who enters the fifth grade, attending a mainstream elementary school for the first time.
Review: In 'Wonder,' a Not-So-Ordinary Boy Makes His Way
NYT Critic's Pick. Directed by Stephen Chbosky. Drama, Family. 1h 53m. By Glenn Kenny. Nov. 16, 2017. "I know I'm not an ordinary 10-year-old kid," says Auggie ( Jacob Tremblay ), the lead ...
'Wonder' Review
November 12, 2017 3:00pm. Based on a children's novel that sparked a "Choose Kind" movement — "kind" as in "kindness," or what the world needs now — Wonder brings an upbeat ...
Review: 'Wonder' has an earnest message about kindness that helps
Popular mythology notwithstanding, childhood is difficult for almost everyone. But especially so for 10-year-old August Pullman. "I know I'm not an ordinary kid," Auggie Pullman explains in ...
Wonder is a tear-jerker that earns your tears: EW review
The movie basically follows Augie's school year at a private school: the cruel teasing he suffers, the unlikely friendships he makes, the prejudices he helps others overcome.
Wonder Review
Wonder Review Choose kindness. By Alex Welch. Posted: Nov 17, 2017 7:18 pm. On the surface, Wonder has all the makings of a Hallmark Channel film of the week, and if it weren't for its cast of ...
'Wonder' Film Review: Anti-Bullying Tale Is a Tasteful Tear-Jerker
'Wonder' Film Review: Anti-Bullying Tale Is a Tasteful Tear-Jerker ... November 16, 2017 @ 11:45 AM. Share on Social Media. ... even by movie standards — but it's time for Auggie to meet ...
Wonder (2017) REVIEW
Casting issues aside, Wonder is an emotionally powerful film and it's a one-two emotional punch when paired with Disney-Pixar's Coco. Lionsgate opened Wonder in theaters on November 17, 2017.
Wonder Review
Wonder Review. Reviews. By Eric Eisenberg. published 16 November 2017. ... Eric also oversees the Movie Reviews section, writes the the weekend box office report (published Sundays), and is the ...
Wonder Review
Wonder is a 2017 Drama directed by Stephen Chbosky and starring Jacob Tremblay, Owen Wilson, and Julia Roberts. ... 2017-11-17. Movies. Movie Reviews. 3.5 star movies. Your changes have been saved. Email Is sent. close. Please verify your email address. Send confirmation email. close. You've reached your account maximum for followed topics ...
Wonder
Born with facial differences that, up until now, have prevented him from going to a mainstream school, Auggie Pullman (Jacob Tremblay) 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 find their compassion and acceptance, Auggie's extraordinary journey will unite them all and prove you can't ...
Wonder (film)
Wonder is a 2017 American coming-of-age family comedy-drama directed by Stephen Chbosky, who co-wrote the screenplay with Steven Conrad and Jack Thorne.It is based on the 2012 novel of the same name by R. J. Palacio and stars Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Jacob Tremblay, Mandy Patinkin, and Daveed Diggs.. The film follows a boy named August "Auggie" Pullman with Treacher Collins syndrome as he ...
Wonder
Movie Review. Space helmets are cool. In fact, August Pullman (Auggie for short) loves his space helmet. Not only does it help him pretend to be an astronaut—which any 11-year-old who loves science, video games and Star Wars will tell you is awesome—but it also totally covers his face.And on a day like this one, that's a particularly awesome thing, too.
Movie Review
Movie Review - Wonder (2017) November 13, 2017 by Robert Kojder. ... Most importantly, Wonder is a family-friendly movie boasting a message of acceptance that both children and adults can, and ...
Wonder Movie Review
Our review: Parents say ( 78 ): Kids say ( 204 ): Based on R.J. Palacio's hugely popular, award-winning novel, this drama is earnest and sweet, with great messages about kindness, friendship, and acceptance for its tween target audience. Whether they've read the book or not, kids are sure to appreciate Wonder 's take on how hard it can be to ...
Wonder (2017)
Wonder (2017) - Movies, TV, Celebs, and more... Because of the quality of the performances and the sincerity of the execution, Wonder doesn't need to artificially stir our emotions, so it's a shame that Chbosky lets the tone get away from him, badgering viewers with his points rather than simply letting the material speak for itself.
Wonder (2017)
Having read other reviews that criticize that this movie is not realistic, I felt the urge to write my very first review here. I was thinking about the following questions: ... WONDER (2017) *** Jacob Tremblay, Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Izabela Vidovic, Mandy Patinkin, Noah Jupe, Bryce Gheisar, Elle McKinnon, Daveed Diggs, Ty Consiglio ...
Wonder (2017) Review
The film, which starred Emma Watson, Logan Lerman, and Ezra Miller, was met with positive reviews from critics and moviegoers, sharing a modest success of profiting roughly $33 million against its $13 million production budget. Additionally, Chbosky has also acted in other moviemaking capacities for other feature films, including a producer for ...
Wonder review
Posted on November 17, 2017 September 21, 2018. Wonder review — Get ready to laugh and cry during this feel-good movie. ... Wonder, the book and the movie, is targeted at kids. And this shifting point-of-view — we eventually get stories from the perspective of Via, Miranda, and Jack Will — is a clearly a way to help kids learn the lesson ...
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Reviewed at Park Avenue Screening Room, New York, Nov. 8, 2017. MPAA Rating: PG. Running time: 113 MIN.

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