WONDERFUL WONDER
What to do, I wondered. I was bored. I wondered if a movie would be in order and decided, yes, that would be the perfect remedy for my grey Seattle tedium! For me, nothing cures doldrums like a good movie. But I wondered what to see.
Hmmm. Not much to choose from at the local theater. What about THOR /RAGNAROK? Heard it was funny, and although I’m literally wearied to exhaustion with super heroes and their constant and inane battles with digital monsters, I thought, well Thor is nice to look at and the trailer I saw was amusing. I could give it a go.
However, when I got to the theater, as fate would have it, THOR was not available at the suggested time due to a technical error of the highest concern: a bulb blew. Now what do I see I wonder.
Well, there was only one other option of movies to see at the time we’d designated, and that was a little known (at least to me) movie called WONDER. No, I’d not seen a trailer nor heard any chatter about it. Perhaps I’m the only one. So, walking blindly into the theater, I sat down to see a movie I knew nothing about and therefore I wondered if I’d like it.
WONDER is an absolutely wonderful, delightful, insightful and remarkable film, and it comes with an “I’d buy it” recommendation. My understanding is that it’s required reading in schools today, and that’s no wonder as this little treasure educates kids and adults alike about kindness, heart, courage and the outright power in loving people rather than hating!
Auggie is a young man attending public school for the first time in his life. He’s quiet, smart, funny, and, unfortunately for this little wanna-be spaceman, disfigured. The story unfolds by depicting the universe orbiting him: a big sister who’s been tragically ignored because of her parents focus on Auggie, a warm and supportive mother beautifully and naturally portrayed by Julia Roberts, (whose own motherhood no doubt impacted her powerful role), a laid-back, strong and brilliantly understated dad in Owen Wilson and the friends and foes at school. They all collide in Auggie’s world and fireworks explode, friendships are built and destroyed and rebuilt, bullies are bullied and life’s lessons are tested and learned by all. It’s human, it’s honest, and it’s heartwarming. An uplifting and noble little film with a powerful and effective message: Kindness Rules at School (and Everywhere Else!)
From the first laughs and guffaws to the touching and tender highlight brought to you from the school gym in the graduation scene by that guy you know you know but can’t quite place (“My name is Indigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!”), if you’re wondering what to do tonight to cure your boredom, wonder no more, GO SEE WONDER!!
