“Wonder” warms hearts around the world

The movie Wonder is based on the New York Times best selling book of the same name by R.J Palacio. It is about a boy named August Pullman, who has Treacher – Collins Syndrome, and how he overcame his bullies and fears. The movie has followed the book closely in the hopes that the message of love and hope that was present in the book, can shine through and create awareness about the importance of acceptance and kindness. 

The book follows the story of Auggie as he enters fifth grade prior to being homeschooled by his mother, he has no experience with school or classmates or homework. It is an uplifting journey as his friends and family find out the importance of compassion and kindness, and Auggie learns the values of friendship and companionship. The book has received several prominent awards, such as the Mark Twain Award and Junior Young Reader’s Choice Award. “Wonder was amazing and I am so happy it’s a film now!” exclaims Angela Tan(10A).

Stephen Chbosky, director and author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, directs this emotional and tear-jerking film. Critics commend Jacob Tremblay, who played Auggie, for his marvelous acting; Palacio and Chbosky both praise him and compare him to young Leonardo DiCaprio. They also marvel his readiness to wear prosthetic makeup in order to better represent Auggie’s facial deformities. 

The movie is touching and it is definitely a must watch. Despite the reviews of some critics like The Guardian that criticize Owen Wilson and Julia Roberts’ acting, who play father and mother of Auggie respectively, their acting has been praised by many others because they seem to embody the actual life of an American family. Their relationship felt very real and believable, their love and concern for Auggie is heart warming and encouraging. The movie has been well received with few negative reviews, and has already made a whopping 100 million USD.

His story helped many children with facial deformities realize that they are accepted and loved, and that they are not in the battle alone. Auggie’s story is inspiring as he tries hard to fit in, but how can you fit in when you were born to stand out?

Featured Image by Phillip Price courtesy of Flickr Commons