Wonder

I have a great weakness for strong family dramas that occasionally introduce a subtle sense of humor. Even though they push all the usual buttons, lead me to the same predictable plot points, and I know exactly where they will extract tears from me. Auggie Pullman's entry to school is not like that. He almost stumbles over every cliché at every crossroads in the story, one we can see coming dozens of minutes in advance – and every time he swerves in a different direction at the last second. I couldn't help but marvel at how effortlessly this story, which has been told a hundred times, manages to surprise me as if it were a revolutionary idea. Stephen Chbosky has clearly experienced more than enough sadness (if you consider The Perks of Being a Wallflower), which I consider unfortunate. However, to write and direct it in such a magnificent form is a more than perfect catharsis for him. (20/01/2019)

This is definitely a film that kids should watch and whose message they should embrace. But it's not great filmmaking by any means, as we don't really buy into the one-dimensional characters, and the sloppy narrative sometimes feels a little thin in relation to the whole. It's helped a lot by the natural performances and I liked the switch to the main character's fantasy, but otherwise nothing more than routine sentimentality for the whole family with the most expected possible happy ending. (06/02/2018)

Wonder is essentially the prototype of the perfect drama. A good cast and story, and a nice message about family love, cruelty and friendship of young children and what it is to be different. It grabs your heart, it entertains you, it makes you cry and it intrigues you, what more can you ask for. Although actually quite ordinary and nothing outstanding or extravagant, the result can caress the soul. (18/04/2022)

When Wonder strives for a kind of subtlety (in about two or three scenes), it is just emotionally touching at 120%. However, it is shamelessly forced in a rarely seen way, for which Hallmark's production would be ashamed. I rolled my eyes, shook my head, couldn´t avoid biting remarks and ... But I really got into in eventually. God. (21/10/2018)

That's what happens when you have great actors whose names everyone knows, but then you realize that the child actors, who do a great job in the film, are even better. Owen and Julia don't draw unnecessary attention to themselves because they know what the strength of this film is. And that's a good thing, because then it all works beautifully and you're very lucky to be able to watch it. (02/03/2018)