[Review] Wonder: Growth Experiences He and I Both Faced

Jacob Tremblay shone brightly in last year's Room, making audiences eager for his future starring roles. Tomorrow, his new film, Wonder, finally premieres in Hong Kong. This work is equally moving and perfectly suited for family viewing.

First, I'd like to thank Bravos Pictures for inviting me to the advance screening of Wonder last week. I hadn't read the original Wonder novel, so I wasn't familiar with its structure. After watching the movie trailer, I initially thought the entire film would revolve around Auggie (played by Jacob Tremblay). Therefore, I was quite surprised when I watched the film and saw chapters dedicated to other characters. At the same time, the film's portrayal of these other characters enriched the movie's themes, making it even more relatable to our lives. In the film, Auggie has a facial difference and had been homeschooled by his mother for years, minimizing his contact with the outside world. It's only when his parents enroll him in a new school that he's forced to confront others' gazes and varying attitudes towards him. I believe many viewers, like Auggie, even without physical differences, are highly sensitive to others' opinions and perceptions during their growth, sometimes even feeling deeply hurt by them. In the film, Auggie knows he will inevitably draw everyone's attention and feels scared, but thanks to the encouragement of his family and friends, he finds the courage to take the first step. However, even after taking that first step, we still have to face others' perceptions, and we must understand that we cannot please everyone or be liked by everyone. Sometimes, accepting oneself requires even greater courage.

Beyond Auggie, the film dedicates considerable time to presenting the story from the perspectives of other characters, and how Auggie impacts them. Some might think the world of students is simple, and that, normally, peer interactions wouldn't pose major problems, generally being quite harmonious. But as I mentioned earlier, during the growth phase, we are particularly susceptible to others' opinions, striving to avoid standing out or being an outcast. In the film, even if not all of Auggie's classmates are superficial, and not all would distance or mock him because of his facial difference, they might still hesitate to interact with him due to other classmates' negative perceptions of Auggie. Sometimes, when other classmates talk about him or mock him, they can only remain silent, daring not to express too many opinions, or even feeling compelled to voice similar opinions to be part of the group. In the film, Jack Will's (Noah Jupe) situation is precisely this, putting him in a difficult position. Auggie's presence ultimately changes him, giving him the courage to hold different opinions and to do what he believes is right.

What surprised me the most was the storyline involving Auggie's sister, Via (Izabela Vidovic), and her friend Miranda (Danielle Rose Russell), which truly embodies the bittersweetness of growing up. On the path to growing up, we might have experienced losing some good friends for no apparent reason; some might drift apart over time, while others might fall out over small misunderstandings. I believe this is a regret everyone has experienced, and we hate ourselves for not being able to mend those relationships. In the film, Via suddenly finds herself alienated by her friend Miranda and feels deeply hurt. Fortunately, the film tells us: this is not the end of the world; if we are truly forced to lose some friends, we can still try other things, make new friends. However, later we discover that Miranda's story is more complex than we imagined: due to her fragmented family, she falsely claimed to have a brother like Auggie, allowing herself to escape reality while also becoming the center of attention among her friends. Via felt that beside Auggie, she became secondary, and therefore even talked about him; Miranda, on the opposite end, gained attention by talking about Auggie. These are all the bitter experiences of growing up; only by going through them ourselves can we truly understand the feelings of those involved. Unfortunately, Miranda's chapter in the film isn't explored in much depth; it feels like it only started but didn't complete the entire story.

In addition to these themes of growth, the film also touches upon topics like parental influence on children and educational philosophies, which I believe will resonate with many viewers. Furthermore, I greatly appreciate the film's theme of imagination. Often, when facing countless pressures in real life, we fantasize about being someone different from who we are, allowing ourselves to escape all worries. In the film, besides Miranda, Auggie also fantasizes about Chewbacca from Star Wars being at his school, both facing others' stares and able to share their burdens. The Star Wars elements not only bring a bit of humor to the story but, like the Halloween costumes, also showcase American pop culture, which I believe will further engage the audience. And Jacob Tremblay himself is a big Star Wars fan!

As for the actors, Jacob Tremblay, wearing a prosthetic mask and heavy makeup to portray Auggie, primarily relies on his eyes and movements to bring the character to life, effectively conveying the anxiety and sadness of facing others' gazes and betrayal. His scenes with Julia Roberts are also very moving. Julia Roberts, playing Auggie's mother, has relatively limited screen time and not many overtly emotional scenes, yet we can still feel her care and concern for Auggie. I believe many viewers will be reminded of their own mothers! As for Owen Wilson, who is accustomed to comedies, his role in the film is also primarily comedic, providing many laughs, and his interactions with Auggie as father and son are also very amusing.

Before watching this film, I had always thought it would primarily recount Auggie's experiences with discrimination and how he integrated with his friends. I never expected that the film, in telling the stories of other characters, would also touch upon so many themes of growth. School bullying and discrimination against minorities happen every day. Two weeks ago, I saw a local suspected bullying case, and it deeply pained me. Therefore, Wonder's release at this time is incredibly timely and suitable for everyone to watch. I hope that after watching this film, everyone will understand the plight of these minorities and victims, and also understand the bittersweetness everyone experiences on their journey of growth. May it give you the courage to take the first step, to show more care, less conflict, avoid all forms of discrimination, and use love to change the world, making it a better place.