Review: In ‘Wonder,’ a Not-So-Ordinary Boy Makes His Way

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Julia Roberts as Isabel Pullman and Jacob Tremblay as her son, Auggie, in “Wonder,” which arrived to triple the expected ticket sales.CreditDale Robinette/Lionsgate

“I know I’m not an ordinary 10-year-old kid,” says Auggie (Jacob Tremblay), the lead character of “Wonder,” as we see him standing on his bed wearing an astronaut’s helmet. When the helmet is removed, we know how he knows what he knows: His young face is scarred, his earlobes are little flaps and his eyes are seemingly tear-shaped, giving him a perpetual sad-puppy expression.

The good-natured fellow describes his facial birth defects, and the 27 operations he’s endured to deal with them, as “hilarious.” But Auggie is less amused by the prospect of entering the fifth grade, and no longer being home-schooled by his brilliant and loving mother, Isabel Pullman (Julia Roberts).

The Pullmans are an upper-middle-class family living in a fairy-tale New York, one that the film’s location manager conjured up from the most genteel corners of Brooklyn and Manhattan (as well as New Westminster, British Columbia, where the interior of the family’s brownstone was built on a warehouse stage). So Auggie, whose father, Nate (Owen Wilson), has a job that lets him wear a suit and sneakers, is certainly going to a good school. Nonetheless, he knows that he will encounter bullies, and he does. But Auggie is smart, clever and exceptionally good-hearted (at least when he is not being made to feel self-conscious and alone), and has a knack for winning people over.

The movie, based on the popular children’s novel by R.J. Palacio, hews to the book’s multicharacter narration structure. This tactic reminded me of a line in Jean Renoir’s classic “The Rules of the Game” about everybody having their own reasons for their behavior. In Renoir’s movie, that fact is called a “truly terrible thing.” In the world of this film, understanding another person’s reasons is the first step in establishing meaningful communication. During the section of the film narrated by Auggie’s older sister, Via (Izabela Vidovic), you learn why, in an awkward first conversation with her future boyfriend, she impulsively tells him that she’s an only child, despite the fact that she loves and ardently protects her little brother.

Directed by Stephen Chbosky, who wrote the screenplay with Steve Conrad and Jack Thorne, the movie has a cast that’s wonderful from top to bottom. As Auggie’s parents, Ms. Roberts and Mr. Wilson are doing things we love to see those actors doing. (Ms. Roberts lets loose with her trademark ebullient laugh at least once, and Mr. Wilson explains life’s issues to Auggie in a droll drawl.) All the young people in the ensemble, anchored by Mr. Tremblay’s Auggie, are perfect.

“Wonder” is that rare thing, a family picture that moves and amuses while never overtly pandering. Mr. Chbosky’s 2012 feature, “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” split the difference between the sentimental heart-tugging associated with more standard Hollywood fare, and the intelligence and intimacy often associated with independent films. He accomplishes something very similar, and equally worthwhile, here.

 

It is the eight story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry Potter story to be presented on stage.

Part l

Act I

The play begins on Platform 9 3/4 and picks up from where Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows left off, with a few modifications. Albus Potter and Rose Granger-Weasley say goodbye to their parents and board the train. Harry Potter, Ginevra Weasley, Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger wonder whether their children will be okay. Ron remembers his time at Hogwarts and wishes he could be going.

Albus and Rose wander around the train looking for a compartment to sit in. Rose reminds Albus that their parents met on the train, so decides that finding the right compartment to sit in is very important as they too could meet their lifelong friends here. They open the door to one compartment and find Scorpius Malfoy sitting there. They shyly introduce themselves and Scorpius makes a joke about their parents rivalry. Albus and Scorpius get along very well, but Rose leaves to look for another compartment because she thinks that Scorpius is nothing but trouble. Albus stays and the two kids become friends, sharing stories and sweets on the journey to Hogwarts.

When the train reaches Hogwarts, the students attend the Sorting ceremony. The Sorting Hat places Rose in Gryffindor, and both Scorpius and Albus in Slytherin. Albus sits next to Scorpius at their table. Unfortunately, Albus is mocked by the other students for being a Potter in Slytherin as every Potter had been placed in Gryffindor. He does not have a natural gift for magic and struggles at his first flying lesson, where the other children call him the “Slytherin Squib.”

 

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The quote from chapter 1 Dadley  Demented

If it hadn’t been for, him nobody would even have known Voldemort was back! And his reward was to be Stach is little whinging for four solid weeks, completely cut off ftom the magical world…

Dumbledore’s Army (also known as the D.A.) was a secret organisation initiated by Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley to teach their fellow Hogwarts colleagues proper Defence Against the Dark Arts in 1995. It was founded by Hermione, but taught and led by Harry.

This organisation was made necessary by the refusal of Dolores Umbridge, the subject’s professor during the 1995-1996 school year, to teach anything in her classes other than textbook theory. It was originally founded with twenty-eight members. The group was disbanded during the 1996-1997 school year following the appointment of Severus Snape as Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, although several members heeded the call and participated in the Battle of the Astronomy Tower at the end of the year.

It was restarted by Neville Longbottom, Ginny Weasley, and Luna Lovegood during the 1997-1998 school year after Hogwarts fell under the control of Lord Voldemort in order to oppose Death Eaterprofessors Alecto and Amycus Carrow, who spread propaganda against Muggles and Muggle-borns and taught the Dark Arts. Dumbledore’s Army played a vital role during the Second Wizarding War, and members of the organisation fought in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, the Battle of the Astronomy Tower, and the Battle of Hogwarts.

 

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Terrifying dragons, an unexpected champion and a tragic ending: the revival of the Triwizard Tournament had all the facets of a truly epic sporting events in history.

But this was no ordinary competition…

The history

A notorious and perilous contest to its core, this particular tournament was like no other. Without giving you too much of a Professor Binns-esque history lesson, the story of the tournament went a little bit like this:

Dating back around 700 years, this contest of intelligence, courage and wizards-losing-their-minds-because-there’s-a-dragon-half-a-metre-away was traditionally held every five years between the three biggest wizarding schools in Europe: Durmstrang, Beauxbatons and Hogwarts.

After some, er, accidents (all three champions were injured in 1792), the contest petered out. That was until its revival two centuries later in 1994, when extra safety precautions were added by the organisers.

The tournament

Muggle Olympics may have up to 300 events, but the Triwizard Tournament only had three tasks… and they were quite enough.

The rules were simple: each school was represented by a champion, chosen by the Goblet of Fire. The champions took part in three punishing tasks to win the Triwizard Cup, one thousand Galleons, eternal glory and probably eternal bruises.

The revival of the tournament was made a lot safer by the addition of an age limit: only students aged 17 and over could apply. At least, that was the plan.

An unexpected champion

Although every tournament in history had only ever had three champions, Harry Potter found himself chosen as the unprecedented fourth. The other three champions were Fleur Delacour of Beauxbatons, Viktor Krum of Durmstrang and Cedric Diggory of Hogwarts.

Triwizard arguments

As with any sporting event, the tournament was not shy of politics behind the scenes. With Hogwarts having two champions, the mood turned sour as the school was seen to have an unfair advantage over Beauxbatons and Durmstrang.

To make matters worse, reports from The Daily Prophet neglected to state actual Hogwarts champion Diggory’s inclusion in the tournament, and cynics branded Harry a glory-hog and show off. Slytherin students even circulated ‘Potter Stinks’ badges.

The first task

By the day of the first task, 24 November, things were already heating up – which, to be fair, was probably also helped along by those huge dragons.

The challenge was to retrieve a golden egg from one of four immensely dangerous fire-breathing beasts, and somehow it ended with all four champions still intact. Potter and Krum came out in joint first place. Krum opted for a Conjunctivitis curse to confuse the dragon, whereas Potter went for the more sensible option of summoning his broomstick to play to his strengths as a skilled flyer.

The second task

On 24 February, the champions, judges and supporters assembled at the edge of the lake for the second task. The merpeople had taken something that ‘you’ll sorely miss’ from each contestant, and the champions were given one hour to get it back.

For all four champions, that missing something turned out to be an important person in their lives: Hermione Granger was Krum’s captive, even though they’d been hanging out for about a day; Ron Weasley was, of course, Harry’s; Fleur’s little sister Gabrielle was taken to spur her on, while Cho Chang was Diggory’s ‘sorely missed’.

Despite finishing third, it was decided that Harry would be awarded second place after Diggory for saving everyone and showing ‘moral fibre’. Good on you, Harry.

Disarray on the judge’s panel

Unbeknown to the outside world, the behind-the-scenes drama of the tournament was just as much of a whirlwind as the contest itself.

Judge Bartemius Crouch went missing and mad, while Ludo Bagman was faced with spiralling debts. After betting on Harry to win, the former Quidditch star spent the majority of the tournament freaking the 14-year-old out by offering him unsolicited help.

Of course, the wizarding world remained blissfully unaware of these strange goings-on.

The final task

Going into the third task, Harry and Diggory were tied in first place with Krum in second and Delacour positioned third.

On the evening of 24 June, the champions were tasked with traversing an imposing 20-foot-high maze full of obstacles, creatures and riddles. Little did Cedric Diggory’s fellow students or family know that this would be the last time they would see him alive.

Cedric and Harry made it to the centre of the maze and both clutched the Triwizard Cup as joint winners. But instead of enjoying a double victory for Hogwarts, the pair were thrust into unexpected danger.

Hogwarts in mourning

The Triwizard Tournament was rocked forever when the Cup turned out to be a Portkey, which took Cedric and Harry to a graveyard far from Hogwarts where Diggory was killed by Peter Pettigrew. Harry managed to escape and return his fellow champion’s body to his family.

There were many deaths in Triwizard history, but Cedric’s was a defining moment and arguably marked the point at which the tournament stopped being a contest and became a war.

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“Tomorrow night Halloween the Goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy  to represent their schools.”

Albus Dumbledore

The Goblet of Fire is a rough wooden goblet which fills with blue flames when it is time for it to choose champions of the Triwizard Tournament.

In order to make the selection of champions completely fair, the decision is left up to a very powerful magic artifact, the Goblet of Fire. The Goblet is contained in a ancient wooden chest which is encrusted with jewels. When the casket it tapped three times with a wand, it opens. The Goblet is then removed and set on top of the chest. 

The Goblet of Fire is a large, roughly hewn wooden cup, filled to the brim with dancing blue flames.

In order to make the selection of champions completely fair, the decision is left up to a very powerful magic artifact, the Goblet of Fire. The Goblet is contained in a ancient wooden chest which is encrusted with jewels. When the casket it tapped three times with a wand, it opens. The Goblet is then removed and set on top of the chest.

The Goblet of Fire is a large, roughly hewn cup, filled to the brim with dancing blue flames. Dumbledore described the selection process in this way:

Goblet”Anybody wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment and drop it into the goblet. Aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Halloween, the goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete. To ensure that no underage student yields to temptation, I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it has been placed in the entrance hall. Nobody under the age of seventeen will be able to cross this line…I wish to impress upon any of you wishing to compete that this tournament is not to be entered into lightly. Once a champion has been selected by the Goblet of Fire, he or she is obliged to see the tournament through to the end. The placing of your name in the goblet constitutes a binding, magical contract. There can be no change of heart once you have become a champion. Please be very sure, therefore, that you are wholeheartedly prepared to play before you drop your name into the goblet.”

The next evening, the Goblet was taken into the Great Hall after the Halloween Feast. On cue, it disgorged a slip of paper for each chosen champion. To everyone’s shock, the Goblet chose FOUR champions. Barty Crouch jr., in disguise as Moody, had used a Confundus Charm on the Goblet to trick it into accepting a name from another school. Once the names had been chosen, the Goblet’s flames died out and would not reignite until the next Tournament.

 

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