Wonder (2017)

Director: Stephen Chbosky
Stars: Jacob Tremblay, Owen Wilson, Julia Roberts
Runtime: 113 minutes

Performances: 6/10
Screenplay: 4/10
Special Effects: N.A.
Costumes/Makeup: 8/10
Editing: 7/10
Cinematography: 6/10
Score/Soundtrack: 4/10

Verdict: "Wonder" follows August, a boy who suffers from mandibulofacial dysostosis and as a result had to undergo numerous surgeries which left his face terribly scarred, and his struggles as he has to face the terrible world that is middle school. The movie was directed by Stephen Chbosky, who crafted "The Perks of being a Wallflower", a film I actually really enjoyed, and stars Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, and Jacob Tremblay, three actors I consider myself a fan of. All this, in addition to the wonderful reviews "Wonder" got (pun intended), convinced me that I was in for a treat. But unfortunately, I was left with incredibly mixed feelings when the credits started to roll. My disappointment was mostly the result of a script that was overflowing with cheese, narration, and emotionally manipulative scenes. Chbosky decided to very conveniently tell the story using chapters, a decision that makes sense considering the film is based on R.J. Palacio's best-selling novel, but this choice of narrative was poorly implemented into the movie since the theme of every chapter is only explored in its beginning and dropped later on. However, there is still a lot to enjoy from "Wonder": The overall acting was pretty good, despite some child performances being a bit rocky, and the clear message of the film is beautiful and should be taught to every kid in the world. Having said that, "Wonder", in my opinion, makes a great family film but is not the heartbreaking drama I was expecting it to be.

Final Grade: 5/10