The last thing I expected to be talking about today was a movie especially one which I first thought was a kid’s movie.

A while back I saw a preview for “Wonder” and assumed it was just one of those feel-good family films that honestly was not for me.  However over the past couple of weeks I read and heard enough that when my wife Jane mentioned going to see it I enthusiastically said yes. I’m glad I did.

“Wonder” is based on a children’s novel published in 2012 which was written after a real-life incident in which the author and her 3-year old son came in contact with a young girl with facial birth defects while buying ice cream.  The book became a New York Times best-seller and won several awards.

The movie stars Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson and 11-year old Jacob Tremblay who plays the role of Augie Pullman, who was born with facial deformities from Treacher Collins syndrome and up to 5th grade was home schooled.  The film is about him trying to fit in at a new school and getting others to see more than just his face.

I know it’s a movie but it does touch on some of the issues that many kids experience today: not being in the right clique, bullying and just feeling like you’re by yourself.  It also goes into detail on how it effects a sibling who is often overlooked because she doesn’t require special attention so at times she gets no attention.

Look I’ll admit to being a sap for stories like this even if it is based on a work of fiction.  Actually that’s not true because while the movie plot may be based on a novel the story it tells takes place in every school every day. There is an important message here and one that should be shared by parents with their children. Beauty is more than just what is on the outside and kindness counts.

“Wonder” is simply wonderful…and yes I did cry at the end.

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