By Emilio Frenk.
Director: Stephen Chbosky
Cast: Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Jacob Tremblay, Izabela Vidovic, Daveed Diggs, Noah Jupe, Danielle Rose Russell, Nadji Jeter, Bryce Gheisar, Sonia Braga and Mandy Patinkin.
Rating: Excellent.
Stephen Chbosky, writer/director of “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” brings his second feature film “Wonder” his second film and one the year´s biggest surprises.
Based on the New York Times best selling novel by R.J. Palacio the movie tells the story of August “Auggie” Pullman (Jacob Tremblay) a boy with a rare medical facial deformity who has the unconditional love and support of his parents Isabel (Julia Roberts), Nate (Owen Wilson) and his older sister Olivia “Via” (Izabela Vidovic).
Auggie decides to attend a mainstream elementary school for the first time and he will be a huge example for other kids and will become one of the most popular ones.
This is a story of kindness, love, respect and acceptance to others no matter what their conditions are.
One of the things that made me enjoyed “Wonder” was the originality of the story and that it focused in a boy with a physical problem but a very charismatic one.
In a certain way this flim reminded me of Peter Bogdanovich´s “Mask” from 1985 due to it´s similarites but of course it´s very different.
Stephen Chbosky directing and writing was very good in this film and he directed his cast in a brilliant way.
The other factor that was very smart in Chbosky´s filmaking was the fact that he told the esseencial elements for this story and was not involved in over explaining elements.
In fact the way that the voiceover in this film was used, worked at all times and it has to be when you´re character is not present and not telling exactly what is going to happen.
Jacob Tremblay again is very good in this film as Auggie. He is by far one of the most talented kids in this industry since he´s breakthrough performance in 2015´s “Room”.
Julia Roberts is really good in this film, Owen Wilson is fantastic and this indeed is a very enjoyable movie.
I hope parents see this film with their children and show them that is a statement of being kind with other people.
Other thing that is very important and shows it in the film are the consequences of bullying in school and hopefully kids will learn a lesson when they watch “Wonder”.
I was very moved from beginning to end and made me cry by moments since it´s a very sweet and tender movie.
Hopefully we can see movie like this one with a powrful message and can serve as an influence to others as well of creating a conscience to the following generation of children and adults.
“Wonder” is one of the year´s best film and I hope that parents will see it with their children.