Review Summary: A family movie done just about right and a character-driven story done right, with a realistic, relatable story.
"Why blend in when you were born to stand out?" That's a question asked by August "Auggie" Pullman's (Jacob Tremblay) sister, Olivia (or Via, played by Izabela Vidovic). And it's also a question that he struggles to figure out the meaning of at first. You see, Auggie's not what people would consider "normal". He's had 27 surgeries on his face since he was born. After starting out homeschooled, his mom (played by Julia Roberts) decides it's time for 10-year old Auggie to start going to public school.
Tremblay does a magnificent job bringing his character to life (prosthetics and all). We convincingly witness his journey from insecurity to confidence. He's relatable, but also emotionally raw at quite a few moments. Vidovic also gives a heartfelt and believable performance as his sister, Via. In fact, Via's often selfless and self-sacrificial persona is a refreshing change of pace for older sisters being depicted in movies.
As Auggie's parents, Roberts and Owen Wilson take a slight backseat to the younger characters, but they still get plenty of screentime. Roberts has quite a few strong moments, while Wilson is respectfully gentle, humble, and humorous. Their chemistry works incredibly well. The younger supporting cast is very believable and relatable as well, as are Mandy Patinkin as the (kind yet firm) principal Mr. Tushman, and Daveed Diggs as Auggie's teacher, Mr. Browne.
The character development in Wonder is strong. Not just for Auggie, but for other characters also. The story changes perspectives to different pairs of eyes. We get a deeper look into each characters' personalities and motivations. Later in the story, a couple of characters that start out somewhat unlikable become much more interesting characters through their own story arcs. Even the main bully of the story is fleshed out a little too. Even though he's not given a full-fledged story arc, there is a solid scene where we come to understand why he acts the way he does (in the meantime, it serves a subtle but strong and cautionary reminder on the influence that parents have on their children).
This style of storytelling also provides Wonder's only real (arguably minor) flaw. The narrative structure is a little disjointed. By repeating plot points from different perspectives, the way it is delivered can be a little distracting and not exactly seamless. At this point, putting the parts together in one cohesive narrative may or may not necessarily work better altogether. But, at the same time, it helps develop the characters in a more fresh and authentic way.
The cinematography and editing is very sharp. In addition to that, a few quiet moments communicate surprisingly strong emotion. Marcelo Zarvos is given a couple of strong moments with the score. And there's quite a bit of solid humor mixed into the movie as well. Even some Star Wars fans will be entertained by a few humorous winks here and there to characters and other terminology (thanks to Auggie and his friends' love of the franchise and light-saber battles).
Coming from someone who works in the school system, I found Wonder's situations to be surprisingly realistic at times, at least more realistic than a lot of similar movies revolving around middle or high school. At the same time, director Stephen Chbosky manages this with a gentle hand, and without (for the most part) resorting to some of the more profane and crude elements that a lot of middle school environments have.
As a character-driven story, Wonder is one of the best I've seen in a long time. It's a family film that's never overly-dramatic or overly-pandering to the kids in the audience. It oftentimes speaks to kids and adults in a way that is gentle and kind (not heavy-handed or forceful). It's one of those rare films that kept me glued to the screen the entire time without checking my watch, as I was easily swept up and invested in the characters and their stories.
In the end, the unique approach to the plot, fantastic performances, relatable characters, strong messages on kindness and empathy, and a story that is equal parts emotional and uplifting, all make Wonder one of the year's most compelling films.
Score: 9.2/10
Content Concerns for Family Viewing: Wonder is rated PG for "thematic elements including bullying, and some mild language". For the most part, it's fairly safe viewing for 3rd graders and older. Schoolyard language such as "loser", "idiot", "sucks" and "crap" are used, and there are five uses of "oh my g**". Towards the end of the film, a seventh grade bully blurts out "J***s".
Bullying is a main conflict in this movie, but its' never glorified or glamorized. Verbal abuse happens repeatedly and very rude drawings are shown. One scene shows a few kids talking rudely about Auggie behind his back. And in another scene, someone photoshops Auggie out of the class picture with two subtitles: "No freaks allowed" and "Do yourself a favor and die". A couple of (relatively mild) fights occur. One between a bully and a friend standing up for Auggie in the school hallway (one is shown later to regret his actions through this). The second between seventh graders and fifth graders standing up for Auggie in the woods (some very minor injuries occur as a result).
Otherwise, Auggie's parents and other adults are seen with wine once or twice (one of Via's teenage friends drinks it at one point too). Auggie's dad gives his wife a gift that's suggested to be risque (but not shown to the camera). Via and her boyfriend kiss a couple of times.
