Wonder

(A written and audio review) As if being fully normal in 5th grade isn’t hard enough, add facial deformity to the mix and you’ve got a boxing ring set up for bullies at the public school. Listen to my episode on this film below, read the written below the player.

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Wonder sets you up for a warm, emotional experience by introducing the family. This family has adapted to its child’s deformity and really feels nothing shocking when they see him every day. He’s been home-schooled since Kindergarten and the beginning of the film marks his trip the 5th grade, the first public school he’s ever known.

The director (hard to pronounce his name) Stephen Chbosky did The Perks of Being a Wallflower which painted an odd portrait of a coming of ager. It was a good film with a gritty comic sense to it. This film is not like that in the sense that it is not gritty and dark in any way. It paints such a squeaky clean family and school it reminded me of an after-school tv special or a Hallmark movie. Well, it wasn’t as bad as a Hallmark film but n that direction.

It has a feel good sense to it so I recommend it to families and kids seeking a “lite” experience. I would have liked to have gotten into the mind of Auggie a bit more.

9/10

Author: Damien Riley

Damien Riley is a singer-songwriter from the High Desert of Southern California, known for his original music, books, a blog, and the podcast "Riley on Film". He is currently seeking West Coast venues for live concerts and stand-up routines.

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