kids may not notice or care, but the movie, which advocates kindness, comes with an irony. It's a film about embracing differences and seeing beyond appearances, but it rarely bucks convention or gets more than skin deep
it's all just too relentlessly nice. Every teacher is sweetly empathetic; every misunderstanding is eventually understood; every bully eventually apologizes. Nothing truly shocks, or even seriously threatens, any of the characters
as generous as it is linear (and only emotionally pornographic towards the end), "Wonder" may be manipulative, but it's also instructive. It's a how-to guide for kindness - a good lesson for kids, and a helpful reminder for adults
by Peter Bradshaw [The Guardian ]
by Joe Dziemianowicz [NY Daily News ]
by Stephen Whitty [Newark Star-Ledger ]
