WONDER

US, 2017, 113 minutes, Colour.
Julia Roberts, Jacob Tremblay, Owen Wilson, Izabella Vidovic, Mandy Patinkin, Noah Jupe, Emma Tremblay.
Directed by Steve Chbosky.

Wonder is an appealing example of the feel-good film. Yes, it is highly emotional and often wears its heart on its sleeve. However, it is a film which believes in the basic goodness of human nature.

Before going into see this film, everybody will know that is about a young boy who has facial deformities, craniofacial difficulties, a very difficult birth, 27 operations for plastic surgery enabling him to both hear and to see well. As Auggie remarks, “it took 27 operations of plastic surgery to make me look this good!�.

Strong praise is deserved by the actor, Jacob Tremblay. He made such an impression in the film, Room, playing Oscar-winning Brie Larsen’s small son, that many thought he deserved an Oscar nomination himself. As Auggie here, he is completely believable and compelling. And he is aged 10.

It was a very smart move to cast Julia Roberts as Auggie’s mother. Ever popular, but not so frequently on screen in recent years, she is both strong and loving as Auggie’s mother, Isabel, who experienced the hardships of his difficult birth, has given up any hopes of a career and completing her thesis or developing her drawing skills, completely devoting herself to her son, even to homeschooling. Julia Roberts’ fans will respond warmly to this film.

And, it was a very smart move, and a surprising one, to cast Owen Wilson, usually in comic roles, as Nate, Auggie’s ever-supportive father. Owen Wilson fits very well into this role. Very strong support is given by Izabella Vidovic as Via, Auggie’s older sister who had wanted a little brother when she was four but has had to accept always being in the background as the attention is given to her little brother. In fact, she goes to high school, suffers the unexpected spurning by her best friend but then is encouraged by a fellow student rehearsing for performance of Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, she does get the benefit of her innate goodness and self-sacrifice.

Auggie goes to school. The students stare. They don’t sit with him in the dining area. They are puzzled, some insulting, and, especially, Julian (Bryce Gheiser) who is one of those deputed to be kind to Auggie is guilty of some cruel bullying (and when the principal takes him to task in front of his parents, his mother is the most disagreeable character in the whole film making us realise that while everybody has goodness in them, there are some exceptions!). One of the other students, Jack (Noah Jupe, Matt Damon’s son in Suburbicon,) has some friendly moments, some bad moments, but an apology and a strong friendship.

Without a doubt, we will the audience who might have felt like staring at Auggie when we first saw him on screen, will almost imperceptibly go beyond the appearances, almost forgetting them, as we understand and appreciate the reality of Auggie as a person.

While the film ends in affirmation and newly – why not? They can be enough tragedy and pain in life so we can rejoice in and with those who rejoice.

1. The title? The focus on Auggie, his life experiences, his dealing with life? The impact on his parents? His sister? Teachers, students?

2. The importance of themes, the disabled, appearance and reality? Hostility, curiosity and steering, insults, bullying? Themes of love, kindness, goodness?

3. The New York City locations, homes, streets, the school, the grounds, offices, the laboratory? The high school, the theatre? The excursion to Pennsylvania and the landscapes in the woods? The musical score?

4. The device of having headings and introducing each of the characters as we?

5. The introduction to Auggie, the space helmet and the stars, his leaping on his bed, his room? His age, 10, his voice? At home? With his parents, with via?

6. The removal of the helmet? The visual impact of his face? Audiences responding? Adapting throughout the film? Going beyond the appearance to the reality of Auggie and
his character?

7. Isabel and Nate, the marriage, their love, the strong bonds with each other, veer, wanting a little brother when she was four, the difficult birth of Auggie, his being taken away by the hospital staff? Homeschooling? Isabel and her studies, drawing, giving it up? Auggie full-time? Her not realising her neglect, or taking for granted of Cavalier? The strong homeschooling and science? The decision that Auggie should go to school? His father’s approval? The views, the discussions? The visit to the school, the discussion with Mr Tushman – and the jokes about his name? Meeting the young students, the tour, Justin and his arrogance, Charlotte and her incessant talking about performance, Jack as more ordinary? The visit to the lab and the comments about signs?

8. Auggie and his first day, the family walking him to school, his father and the discussion about being cool! Going through the entry, all the children looking, the steering? Imagining himself as an astronaut, everybody cheering? In the corridor is, Julien stopping him with the desk, Jack arriving late? Mr Brown, the precepts and the emphasis on kindness? People saying two things about themselves, Julien that his boasting, Auggie saying three? The photo, Auggie not wanting to be in it, Mr Brown bring him in? The later use of the photo, Julien and his swimmers, photo shopping Auggie out of the picture? The science class, his answering the question about motion? The dining area, the meals and deceits, the children looking at him? A hard day, going home, with the helmet, his silence of the meal, his leaving table, his parents reaction, Nate supportive, Isabel dealing with him?

9. Further episodes in class, entering questions, skills science? The teacher’s approval? The dining area, Summer and her nasty friends, coming to sit with Auggie, his asking her why, her wanting nice friends? The friendship with Jack, out together? The Halloween episode, his Scream mask, hearing Jack’s words about killing himself? If he looked like Auggie? Veia and her taking him out to trick or treat?

10. The question of Plastic Surgery, Talking with Jack? His 27 operations and the tags on the wall? His explanations of what the surgery enabled him to do and how to look?

11. Via’s Story, her friendship with Miranda, Miranda the pink hair, changing and her attitude, not contacting her, walking off? The theatre background her meeting Justin? Their discussions, his kindness, going into the auditions? The time with Justin, Miranda’s reaction? Justin and His kiss and its effect? Her bringing him home, meeting the family, her lying about being an only child, his kind response? The bond? Auggie and Justin? Higher feeling that all all her life she had not been noticed – and memories of the fourth birthday, the candles and her wish for a brother? Halloween Day with her mother, Auggie being sick –? Yet her always supporting Auggie?

12. At school, Auggie being hurt, the discussions with Summer and her sympathy? Jack asking her about the break? Her giving the hint? Jack and his pondering, the memories and his feeling ashamed? Julian and his taunting the corridor, Jack fighting him, Mr Tushman breaking them up, his talk with Jack, with Julian? Julian’s parents and their behaviour, the arrogance of his mother, spoiling her son? His telling her he wanted to stay in the school?

13. The reconciliation with Jack, his apology? The issue of the project for the science fair? His staying with Jack? The support of his parents? The camera school in the room and their demonstrating it? At the science fair, the success? Winning the prize? Julian and his friend on the volcano and its failure?

14. Nate, his talks with Auggie? Are supportive and understanding father?

15. The issue of the play, Isabel and her reaction, not being told, Via and her stance? Whether Auggie should go on not? Their going? Miranda and her phone call to Auggie? Miranda’s change of heart, her envy of Via? Having the central role in the play, By as the understudy? The night, Miranda seeing the family present? The generous gesture, saying she felt sick, by going on, her success and everybody happy?

16. Isabel, her drawings, completing her thesis?

17. The expedition to Pennsylvania, enjoying it, Auggie and Jack, they’re being threatened by the local older boys, the fight, Auggie standing his ground and defying the boys, the friends coming to the rescue, the further bonding?

18. The end of academic year, graduation, the awards, Mr Tushman that his speech, Auggie winning – and the celebrations, the joy for the family, for the friends, for the school?

19. The review of the significant people in Auggie’s life? The importance of the precepts and kindness – and the optimism of the film that there is goodness in everyone (although difficult to see in Julian’s mother)?