“You can’t blend in, when you were born to stand out…”
WONDER – Rated PG – 1 hr 53 mins
Starring Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Jacob Tremblay, Izabela Vidovic, Mandy Patinkin, and Noah Jupe
Based on the New York Times Bestseller by the same name by R J Palacio, and brought to the big screen by Director and Writer Stephen Chbosky (THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER), we meet young Auggie (Jacob Tremblay), struggling through life with his many deformities since birth, trying desperately to do anything, just to “fit in”.
As 5th grade has finally arrived, his Mother Isabel (Julia Roberts) decides that Auggie should head off to Middle School, which means he will no longer be home schooled by her, or under her watchful eye and guidance, every step of the way…
As Auggie struggles daily, amidst the bullying he is forced to endure, his sister Via (Izabela Vidovic) is struggling too with her own issues – like missing her best friend, always playing second fiddle to her little brother, and other teenage issues that we all must face as we mature…
And as Dad Nate (Owen Wilson) tries to keep each and every day as pleasant as possible for his entire brood, it seems that his life isn’t always rainbows and sunshine either, although, he rarely lets anyone see that side of him either…
As everyone’s life seems to be changing with each passing second, its up to Jack Will (Noah Jupe) and Principal Tushman (Mandy Patinkin) to keep Auggie’s bully’s at bay…while helping Auggie to realize how truly gifted and blessed his “less than perfect life” truly is…
I give WONDER a rating of MUST SEE ON THE BIG SCREEN: Enchantingly charming and oh so sweet, this multi-faceted story, originally brought to life by FJ Palacio in book form, is a true “gem of a family movie”. I must admit from the rather cheesy feeling trailer, I was expecting a syrupy cry fest, which was going to be entirely one dimensional, and dull. But to my very pleasant surprise, WONDER is a one minute moving, one minute hilarious, extremely enjoyable film, as you are fascinated by venturing into the lives of not only Auggie, but his parents, his sister, and a multitude of friends too!!! And talk about perfectly executed performances throughout, Chbosky manages to bring out the best in each and every one of these perfectly cast characters. Take my word for it, WONDER is a perfect film that your entire brood is going to enjoy viewing, as we all head to the homes of our family and friends alike, to give thanks for our own “less than perfect” lives…
Kathy Kaiser
MATINEE CHAT with Kathy Kaiser 