The Wonder: Movie Review

Cast: Florence Pugh, Kila Lord Cassidy, Toby Jones, Ciaran Hinds

Director: Sebastian Lelio

A tale of grief, loss, belief and faith, The Wonder puts Florence Pugh's nurse Lib Wright in the middle of a seemingly impossible miracle.

Called by a cabal of men to Ireland to investigate how Anna, an 11 year old girl (Cassidy) has survived four months without eating, Wright finds herself part of a daily watch to monitor the girl.

With Anna claiming she has survived by eating "manna from heaven" and with the love of her parents, 

Wright is in a predicament, brought in to debunk an apparent miracle, but knowing a family could be destroyed by anything she finds.

Matters are worsened by the fact she's widowed, grieving the loss of a child and self-medicating with opium. As the pressure grows, the stakes rise higher...

The Wonder is a film that is haunting and once again, blessed with another compelling turn from Pugh herself.

In a story that's essentially about science versus faith, she burns with a quiet intensity and ferocity as she fights against doing the right thing and doing what the cabal of men want, as well as Toby Jones' Doctor who claims nature is aiding science.

With a muted palette and a feel of being caught on the Irish moors dripping through every frame, The Wonder seeks to present an argument for both sides, to advocate for a community ripped through by famine and a family taken by grief.

In its final third, everything is laid bare, and the film switches tones somewhat to react to a conclusion it needs to find. But until then, there's been a patience instilled in handling characters, and a care not to vilify any points of view.

While there are some contrivances and a few leaps that defy belief (ironically for a film that centres on faith and stories), The Wonder is a compelling tale that's underplayed, understated and should not be underestimated.