Netflix movie of the day: Wonder is a coming of age tale that tugs at the heartstrings
Movie of the day
Every day, we cut through the bottomless list of streaming options and recommend something to watch. See all our Netflix movie of the day picks, or our Prime Video movie of the day choices.
I’ve recommended some truly twisted tales in our movie of the day section, but this time, I want to talk about a lovely coming of age story. Wonder is today’s pick, and it’s a movie about a young boy with a rare facial deformity as he tries to fit in at school. But it’s so much more than that, it’s a big movie that’s full of hope, and it might even restore your faith in humanity.
10-year-old Auggie goes through a huge change in Wonder, where we see him transitioning from being homeschooled to joining a public school. This is his first time being in a big class setting and that’s daunting for any kid before you even take into consideration the other struggles he’s been facing. Jacob Tremblay in particular shines in this one, he also made me cry in Room, so he’s definitely perfected the art of heartfelt performance.
Kids can be cruel, but they can also be kind, and this movie focuses on those all important childhood friendships. This includes inevitable conflict resolution, such as a sweet scene where two characters apologise via Minecraft. We are truly rooted in Auggie’s world and see a lot of it from his perspective, which is a very important part of the movie’s storytelling.
While Jacob Tremblay steals the show, Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson are wonderful as his on-screen parents, who try their best to support Auggie as best they can even if it means sometimes neglecting their other child, Via, who is Auggie’s older sister. Family is front and center of this piece and it doesn’t sugarcoat the struggles that both parents and children often face when trying to navigate the world together.
A truly Wonder(ful) film
Wonder currently has a 86% Rotten Tomatoes score, making it certified fresh and earning a place on our best Netflix movies list. The general consensus is that it doesn't shy away from its bestselling source material's sentiment, and does the novel justice.
Tara Brady from the Irish Times said it best with: “Director Stephen Chbosky, who previously adapted The Perks of Being a Wallflower (his own novel) for the screen has fashioned a irresistibly warm, unabashedly humanist family picture.”
While The Wrap’s Alonso Duralde added: “It's never mawkish or manipulative, and its characters are so well-established both in the writing and in the performances that the movie ultimately does the hard work of earning those damp Kleenexes.”
So if you’re looking for a heartwarming movie this week, Wonder is definitely worth your time while it’s available on the best streaming service.
