DVD: Wonder

Wonder is an incredibly wonderful adaptation of R. J. Palacio's outstanding debut novel of the same name. It is the story of August (Auggie) Pullman who was born with a serious facial deformity and has endured thirty surgeries. Having been homeschooled, Auggie's parents have decided that at age 10 it is time to enter the outside world by attending Beech Prep school. Auggie is understandably apprehensive as is his father, but he reluctantly agrees. He knows people will struggle to accept him.

Auggie's parents, Nate played by Owen Wilson and Isabel played by Julia Roberts visit the school before classes begin. Auggie is given a tour of the school by three classmates, Julian, Charlotte and Jack Will. Julian pointedly question's Auggie about his face.

The first day of school is as difficult as Auggie imagined, but he does begin to make a friend in Jack Will.  However, their friendship ends on Halloween, when everyone is in costume, Auggie overhears Jack making unkind remarks about him to his friends. As a result Auggie doesn't want to go trick or treating that night, but Via talks him into it. Although his friendship with Jack has crashed, Auggie begins to make another friend in Summer Dawson. Troubled as to why Auggie won't talk to him, Jack questions Summer, but she will only give him the clue "Ghost Face".  Eventually Jack figures out that Auggie overheard him and he makes amends by sticking up for Auggie when Julian calls him a freak. His fight with Julian gets him suspended but later on he and Auggie connect online and Jack apologizes to Auggie.

Auggie continues to be bullied at school by Julian and his friends. They leave nasty notes on his desk and a class picture is taped to his locker with the message to "die". Mr. Browne intervenes, and Julian along with his parents are brought before the principal, Mr. Tushman. Julian's parents are not cooperative and don't believe he's done anything wrong, but Julian has a change of heart. Mr. Tushman suspends him from the class trip to a nature camp. Auggie's quiet strength wins over his classmates and at graduation he is awarded the Henry Ward Beecher medal.

The movie also follows a parallel storyline about Olivia, Auggie's older sister who is quietly struggling in her own life, which is overshadowed by Auggie's health problems. Via's friendship with her best friend Miranda has suddenly and inexplicably dissolved. Although deeply distressed over this loss, Via isn't able to talk to her parents who are consumed with Auggie's struggles to adapt to school life. She finds herself attracting the attention of a fellow student, Justin who encourages her to sign up for the drama club which she does. As the year progresses, Justin and Via's relationship blossoms, she takes him to meet her family and of course Auggie. Eventually Via does open up about how she feels ignored by her parents.  Miranda and Via eventually repair their relationship, as Miranda comes to realize what she missed about the Pullman family. Her own family has disintegrated when their father abandons her mother who does not cope well with the divorce. As with the novel, the movie recounts events from various points of view, that of Auggie, Olivia, and Miranda.

The strength of this movie is twofold: remarkable casting which brings to life an outstanding, inspirational story. Young Canadian actor, Jacob Tremblay as Auggie gives a winsome performance. Tremblay wore a facial prothesis to somewhat mimic a facial deformity. Owen Wilson and Julia Roberts shine as Auggie's parents, capturing their warmth, and the care they have for both their children. Wilson plays Nate with gentle touch of humour while Roberts captures Isabel's quiet determination to help Auggie integrate into the world at large. Even those actors cast for secondary characters such as Daveed Diggs who plays Mr. Browne, Izabela Vidovic as Via and Milli Davis as Summer Dawson give compelling performances.

In the movie we see Auggie transform from a young boy so concerned about how he looks to other people that he constantly wears a space helmet to someone who is both accepted and who accepts himself as he is. When his father confesses to hiding his space helmet and then offers to return it, Auggie refuses his offer. It's clear, there is no going back, he can't hide forever.  But to get to this point, Auggie had to endure much bullying and ostracizing which he does with a quiet stoicism and an endearing sense of humour. But those who make the effort to reach out and get to know Auggie, discover a person who is smart, thoughtful, loyal and funny. There's a compelling charisma about Auggie that makes him a "wonder."

Wonder effectively captures the novels main themes of friendship, forgiveness, acceptance while offering positive portrayals of traditional marriage and family life, and realistic scenes of school. And the main message, that this journey through life is hard, so be kind, shines through at the very end.

If you didn't see Wonder when it was in theatres, make sure you take the time to check it out on DVD or Netflix.