"Wonder": This elevator only goes down
"Wonder" stars the standout Jason Tremblay of Room. This time, he's grown up and plays Auggie, a 5th Grader and not a five year old as he did in Room. The other standouts include Noah Jupe as Jack, his friend, Bryce Gheisar as Julian, his bully, and Izabela Vidovic as Via (Olivia), his sister. Owen Wilson snarks his way though the film with a some decent dialogue and not much else. Julia Roberts is okay and only slightly nauseating as the mother. Again, the dialogue elevated her performance until the last scenes.
In the end, "Wonder" fell apart like a cheap computer that has just passed it's warranty date. Stephen Chbosky's directing of "Wonder," based on the book by R.J. Palacio, is okay, but nothing special. The writing saves a few scenes, the dialogue at least, but the ending ruined a perfectly decent film.
The music was too loud and overbearing, especially during the last unbelievable moments of a film the writers ruined by making sure we were all uplifted by the special moment. In fact, the events in the film for Auggie, a physically deformed boy from birth, pass too easily and with few complications. It would have made a great after-school special, a cliché insult that is totally appropriate here.
The start of the movie brought us into the drama in an interesting manner by slowly introducing us to Auggie, his issues, and his challenges going to school. Another thing the film does well is show how the drama played just not for Auggie, the child with the genetic disfigurement, but how it affects his sister, his sister's best friend Miranda and his friend Jake.
My mom said "Wonder" was long. It seemed long, although it was less than two hours. That's not a good sign. If I were to rate the movie from the first third, I would say pay full price. But after thinking about the ending of the film I have to rate it lower.
Rating: Rent it.
The maudlin ending ruined a well constructed opening. But don't blame Tremblay or the other child actors. Blame the writers and director who seemed to think they needed a rousing, over the top ending to sell tickets to a film-going public he seems to think are emotionally retarded.
Peace, Tex
"Wonder" stars the standout Jason Tremblay of Room. This time, he's grown up and plays Auggie, a 5th Grader and not a five year old as he did in Room. The other standouts include Noah Jupe as Jack, his friend, Bryce Gheisar as Julian, his bully, and Izabela Vidovic as Via (Olivia), his sister. Owen Wilson snarks his way though the film with a some decent dialogue and not much else. Julia Roberts is okay and only slightly nauseating as the mother. Again, the dialogue elevated her performance until the last scenes.
In the end, "Wonder" fell apart like a cheap computer that has just passed it's warranty date. Stephen Chbosky's directing of "Wonder," based on the book by R.J. Palacio, is okay, but nothing special. The writing saves a few scenes, the dialogue at least, but the ending ruined a perfectly decent film.
The music was too loud and overbearing, especially during the last unbelievable moments of a film the writers ruined by making sure we were all uplifted by the special moment. In fact, the events in the film for Auggie, a physically deformed boy from birth, pass too easily and with few complications. It would have made a great after-school special, a cliché insult that is totally appropriate here.
The start of the movie brought us into the drama in an interesting manner by slowly introducing us to Auggie, his issues, and his challenges going to school. Another thing the film does well is show how the drama played just not for Auggie, the child with the genetic disfigurement, but how it affects his sister, his sister's best friend Miranda and his friend Jake.
My mom said "Wonder" was long. It seemed long, although it was less than two hours. That's not a good sign. If I were to rate the movie from the first third, I would say pay full price. But after thinking about the ending of the film I have to rate it lower.
Rating: Rent it.
The maudlin ending ruined a well constructed opening. But don't blame Tremblay or the other child actors. Blame the writers and director who seemed to think they needed a rousing, over the top ending to sell tickets to a film-going public he seems to think are emotionally retarded.
Peace, Tex