The Wonder

The Wonder

Set in the Irish Midlands in 1859 as an English nurse, Lib Wright, goes to a tiny village to observe what some see as a medical anomaly and others a miracle, that a girl has survived without food for months. Tourists flock to see 11-year-old Anna O’Donnell, and a journalist has come to cover the sensation as two strangers transform each other’s lives in a story of love pitted against evil.

  • Released: 2022-11-02
  • Runtime: 103 minutes
  • Genre: Drama, History, Mystery
  • Stars: Florence Pugh, Tom Burke, Niamh Algar, Elaine Cassidy, Kíla Lord Cassidy, Toby Jones, Ciarán Hinds, Dermot Crowley, Caolan Byrne, Brían F. O'Byrne, Josie Walker, David Wilmot, Stephen Ball, Mary Murray, Niamh Finlay, John Burke, Emer Casey, Graeme Coughlan, Abigail Coburn, Ava May Taylor, Janet Grene
  • Director: Sebastián Lelio
 Comments
  • MazzyMayhem-117-544511 - 13 January 2023
    Interesting and terrifying at the same time
    I don't want to give away too much (but that wretched 600 character minimum requirement doesn't help), but this film is one to persevere with. It moves along slowly but pay attention and put subtitles on!

    This film is brilliantly acted by Florence Pugh and Kila Lord Cassidy who, despite being so young, really holds her own throughout the film. They are both supported by a good cast, but having some personal experience on the subject, I think the clergy were unbelievably quiet/subdued- particularly as this takes place in 19th century Ireland.

    The storyline isn't just about faith vs science, but touches on abuse in many forms. I don't want to give anymore away.

    I'll end by saying I wasn't keen on the music or the beginning and end of the film - and I certainly didn't understand why that woman was talking at the end!
  • liddylewis - 5 January 2023
    Walking Knee Deep Through Mud
    Only to discover that when you finally get through it, you're too exhausted to be relieved.

    This movie hurts my brain.

    I read several reviews, which were on a vast continuum, which lead me to believe it's an uneven movie, but there's promise.

    Turns out, any promise at all lies in fabulous acting, particularly by the lead, Florence Pugh. Too many other marvelous, seasoned actors were woefully wasted by their meager parts.

    As much as I wanted it to, all the great the actors in the world could not hold up this mess on their own.

    If I could rename this one, I'd call it, "Little Surreal on the Prairie," because in the end it's not much more than superstition and a really bad story pretending to be an art house movie. Just because it's abstract, that doesn't mean it's good.

    The end is simply preposterous. Sadly, the entire movie is simply preposterous.