2017’s Wonder is the epitome of a really feel excellent, coming-of-age film. It’s the story of a boy named August Pullman (Jacob Tremblay), a boy whose facial deformity frequently causes persons to stare at and bully him, but with the assistance of his family members — father Nate (Owen Wilson), mother Isabel (Julia Roberts), and sister Via (Izabela Vidovic) — he prepares to enter college for the initially time immediately after becoming homeschooled for numerous years. It is not simple on him or Via, who feels that all of her parents’ focus goes to her brother. As August struggles to make mates and deal with hurtful comments, Via nurtures a connection with a boy named Justin (Nadji Jeter) by joining theatre and telling him she’s an only kid.

The film is a heartfelt tale of (as mentioned by Via in the film) why you can not blend in when you had been born to stand out. It’s about the imperfections and flaws we have and how they make us entire. The book the film is primarily based on is just as fantastic (see what I did there?) as its film adaptation. R.J. Palacio’s Wonder was the winner of a quantity of awards, such as the 2015 Mark Twain Readers Award and the 2014 Bluestem Award, was on the New York Times bestseller list for eighty weeks and spent thirty-six of them in the quantity 1 slot, spawning several spin-off and sequel books. One of these other books, a graphic novel titled White Bird and starring Helen Mirren, has a film adaptation coming to theaters in October of this year. Wonder is frequently praised for its faithfulness to its supply material, but how faithful is it truly?

Wonder

Auggie Pullman, a young boy with Treacher Collins syndrome, transitions from homeschooling to attending a mainstream college for the initially time. Contending with each the challenges of fitting in and the cruelty of bullying, Auggie’s journey touches the lives of his classmates, teachers, and family members. Through his courage and kindness, Auggie teaches his neighborhood about empathy and acceptance, eventually transforming their perspectives.

Release Date

November 17, 2017

Director

Stephen Chbosky

Cast

Ali Liebert , Mandy Patinkin , Bryce Gheisar , Nadji Jeter , Izabela Vidovic , Julia Roberts , Noah Jupe , Owen Wilson , sonia braga , Jacob Tremblay , Millie Davis , Daveed Diggs

Runtime

113 Minutes

Main Genre

Drama

Writers

Steve Conrad , R.J. Palacio , Jack Thorne , Stephen Chbosky

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‘Wonder’ Slightly Changes Summer’s Role From the Book

One of the initially little ones to show August kindness at college is Summer (Millie Davis). After August has a falling out with his pal Jack (Noah Jupe), she sits with him at lunch, and they turn into rapid mates as August provides Jack the cold shoulder. However, in the book, Summer was there from the starting! She sat with August at lunch on the initially day of college and there are several scenes immediately after that of them interacting in class, going to every other’s properties, and playing with each other. She is also additional vocal in the book about her causes for befriending August, and she regularly shows discomfort with persons calling her a “saint” for hanging out with him, insisting that she is just mates with August for the reason that she desires to be, not for the reason that she has to or was asked to be.

Changing her function in the film was a bit of a detriment, in this writer’s opinion. While she nonetheless becomes mates with August, and we nonetheless get the memorable scene of her becoming upset when August implies she’s only sitting with him for the reason that Mr. Tushman (Mandy Patinkin) asked her to, we do not get it till immediately after August has troubles with Jack, who was portrayed as his only pal. It comes off as a additional pitying gesture than it does in the novel.

The Book Has More Points of View Than 2017’s ‘Wonder’

Wonder, each novel and film, are split into several character viewpoints. Of course, August’s view is the prominent 1 as the key character, but we also see Via, Jack, Summer, and Miranda’s (Danielle Rose Russell) stories, which present a properly-rounded appear at the narrative. There is also a series of novellas by Palacio located in the book Auggie &amp Me: Three Wonder Stories that present a handful of further character stories, such as Julian (Bryce Gheisar), Charlotte (Elle McKinnon), and Christopher (a pal of August’s that is not pointed out in the film).

The film does not consist of Julian, Charlotte, or Christopher’s viewpoints, nor does it consist of Justin’s, which brought a lot additional context to Via’s aspect of the story. While Julian, Charlotte, and Christopher are technically incorporated in a distinct novel, the story by way of their eyes is a excellent foundation for what occurred just before the events of Wonder, and obtaining Julian’s story would be a excellent precursor to White Bird, which is about his grandmother’s experiences in the course of World War II. Perhaps we’ll get to see the Julian side when the film comes to theaters in October.

The ‘Wonder’ Movie Doesn’t Include August’s Hearing Aids

It’s a brief scene in the novel, but August has to get hearing aids and mentions that he’s recognized he’ll require them for some time. Because of the shape of his ears, he desires a strap to preserve the hearing aids in spot, and he laments that he appears like Lobot from Star Wars. After he tries the hearing aids on and realizes he can hear considerably far better, he’s satisfied to put on them, and he’s even happier when he goes to college immediately after and is not teased by any person. Instead, he’s told by his mates that he appears cool, like a secret agent, and that they’re glad he can hear far better.

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It’s a good scene that shows the altering attitude of the persons about August, and how the behavior of some of his classmates continues to influence him even immediately after the bullying has “stopped.” It would have been a excellent moment to see in the film, as it is essential to see August experiencing the kindness of other people when it does not really feel performative.

Key Scenes From the Book Aren’t in 2017’s ‘Wonder’

Wonder, as a novel, does some thing brilliant. It operates with brief scenes and that permits it to bounce from moment to moment and use lots of distinct scenes to discover August and the persons about him. This is particularly essential later in the novel when August’s classmates begin to befriend him. A excellent instance is the “Auggie Doll” scene, exactly where August tends to make a joke about Uglydolls becoming primarily based on him and a classmate brings him an Uglydoll keychain the subsequent day with a note calling August the nicest Uglydoll ever. It’s brief and uncomplicated, but it speaks volumes about how August’s knowledge modifications and how persons begin to attempt to get to know him as an alternative of just avoiding him. It also assists create August’s character, some thing that at times felt flat in the film.

There’s also August’s two teachers, Mr. Browne (Daveed Diggs), who is the homeroom teacher in the film but the English teacher in the book, and Ms. Petosa (Ali Liebert), who is the science teacher in the film, but the homeroom teacher in the book. August gets considerably much less time with them in the film, and we drop some fantastic moments of the employees major by instance.

Overall, Wonder is a fairly faithful adaption of its supply material. It could move some items about or take some items out that could have added to the film and provided August a bit additional agency, but it hits all the important notes and keeps in some of the most memorable lines from the novel. Movies only have so considerably time, immediately after all. Not every thing can make the reduce. But even with the modifications, Wonder manages to stay an uplifting story of friendship, family members, and acceptance. Be positive to verify out the novels, even though, to get a tiny further wonder in your day.

Wonder is readily available to watch on Netflix in the U.S.

Watch on Netflix