Reviewed by Rama Gaind.
Director: Stephen Chbosky, Roadshow Entertainment.
Cast: Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Jacob Tremblay.
Academy Award-winner Julia Roberts gives an endearing portrayal as the mother of a 10-year-old with a severe medical condition: cranio-facial differences.
It’s true: Roberts and director Stephen Chbosky have turned an award-winning young-adult book into a gentle gem about the power of kindness and family.
Jacob Tremblay is a literal onscreen wonder in the film version of R.J. Palacio’s New York Times bestseller of the same name.
In the title role, Tremblay plays Auggie Pullman, who starts going to mainstream school for the first time in fifth grade after being homeschooled. He loves Star Wars, Halloween and science. He also has Treacher Collins syndrome, a rare genetic condition affecting the way the face develops.
Wonder may have received an Oscar nomination for its makeup and hairstyling, but the movie would not have worked without Jacob’s performance.
This is an incredibly inspiring and heart-warming story.
