The Netflix period drama based on a true story that fans are raving about
Sebastian Lelio's 2022 historical thriller The Wonder has been lauded as "entirely fresh and equally brilliant" by critics. The film, available on Netflix, is based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Emma Donoghue, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Lelio and Alice Birch.
Set in post-famine Ireland in 1862, The Wonder tells the story of English nurse Lib Wright, played by Florence Pugh, and a girl named Anna O'Donnell (Nan), brilliantly portrayed by Kila Lord Cassidy. Lib is sent to a devout rural community to observe a mysterious 'fasting girl', who claims to survive without food through divine intervention.
While the film is based on a work of fiction, its premise reflects historical reality. During the Great Famine in Ireland, there was a disturbing increase in cases of 'fasting girls'.
These women claimed to live on heavenly 'manna' and said they could go months without food, according to Surrey Live, reports the Express.
The Wonder stars Academy Award-nominated Florence Pugh and features an impressive cast including rising star Kila Lord Cassidy, Tom Burke, Elaine Cassidy, Niamh Algar, Brian F. O'Byrne, Dermot Crowley, and David Wilmot.
Shooting amidst the stunning Irish landscapes in late summer 2021, 'The Wonder' wowed cinema-goers in a limited November 2022 release before garnering widespread acclaim on Netflix. The film's prowess was acknowledged with a nod for Outstanding British Film at the 2023 BAFTA Film Awards.
During an intimate chat with Screen Daily about her choice to collaborate with Chilean director Sebastian Lelio for 'The Wonder', Florence Pugh gushed: "It's been said many times by women who have worked with Sebastian that he has this fantastic ability to tell women's stories.
"It takes a pretty special person to (a), not be from the country that the film is about, and (b), not have proof of doing an era like this before and tell a very challenging female story."
Diving deeper into her decision, Pugh remarked, "I wanted to play Lib in a very raw and natural way and he was 100% behind me. Then, of course, you get him on set and you see the crew is in love with him and everybody is so happy to be working on that job. I suppose it all trickles down from the top and he gave such an amazing example of how to lead a film."
Critics lauded the film effusively, with one reviewer commenting: "Not every story can or should be a movie, despite Hollywood's insistence otherwise. Some should remain books. Some should remain silent. And some, such as this, provide a fresh reminder of the power of visual storytelling."
The film garnered glowing reviews, with one critic saying: "Equally haunting, heartbreaking and heartening, it's a narrative about narratives' ability to transform, destroy, resurrect, imprison, and liberate."
Another critic praised the film's development, noting: "As the picture develops from a spooky Bronte romance into a pointed indictment of society, it takes aim at some familiar targets, but the dramatic impact is powerful."
In appreciation of the movie's theme, a reviewer remarked: "A film about the danger of believing without questioning that turns us into full-throated believers in whatever Lelio and Pugh can do."
Florence's performance was hailed by critics, as one stated: "It might have all been too weighty and metaphorical were it not for Pugh... She is the whole package. A wonder indeed."
This sentiment was shared among viewers, with one audience member commenting: "It is a well-told story, far from the empty stories that we are always told every day, you can appreciate the layers of the characters and Pugh's great artistic ability to make us experience these types of emotions."
An audience review professed: "Wonderful, poetic, captivating. A rare movie that makes you think. Excellent acting keeps you in tension throughout the movie, great soundtrack."
One person described the film as "a thrilling exorcism of beliefs", while another shared their viewing experience: "initially a bit slow, but ultimately engrossing and rewarding".
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