Wonder (2017)

"Auggie" (Jacob Tremblay) has been home-schooled by his mother (Julia Roberts) and father (Owen Wilson) but now as he nears his teens, they feel it's time for him to go to school and start associating with his contemporaries. Everyone's trepidation stems from the young lad's facial disfigurement which even after multiple surgeries is still something of which he is always quite conscious as he wears his shiny astronaut helmet to avoid being stared at. Clearly, he can't go to school dressed as Neil Armstrong so with some considerable courage he embarks on this new adventure without it. Of course there are none so cruel as other kids and his appearance is soon drawing all sorts of disdainful remarks; he is largely shunned and friends are few. Then he notices that "Jack Will" (Noah Jupe) is struggling with a surprise quiz and so allows him to crib from him. Might that be the start of a friendship? The story arc here isn't particularly innovative or original, but there are two really quite powerful performances from Tremblay and Jupe as both of their characters find they have a lot of growing up to do. Sure, there are snide remarks and bullies a-plenty here, but I felt the thrust rather manages to dispense with those early on so allowing the two boy's characterisations to develop more roundly - and bumpily - as peer and parental pressure both add and detract from the efforts and struggles of the young "Auggie" and his friend to break free of their often self-imposed inhibitions and prejudices, as well as those applied from some of his uncaring fellow pupils - and their parents. This isn't a melodrama and there is a fair amount of fun and mischief from this young science nerd, tempered by his big sister's burgeoning romance with one of the lads from the drama club, and if you're ever to watch a film espousing the unfairness and downright stupidity of judging a book by it's cover, then this will probably be it.