The Wonder (2022)

"Pugh’s sensuality, passion and human sympathy are the driving forces of a movie which might otherwise teeter under the weight of its contrivances..."

"An evenhanded but ultimately preposterous adaptation of Emma Donoghue’s novel..."

"The Wonder often skims along the surface when it should cut deeper..."

"The film will be remembered primarily for the monumental performance by Florence Pugh..."

"It takes aim at some familiar targets, but the dramatic impact is powerful."

"The Wonder remains interested in the immense suffering felt by its characters at the hands of a draconian religion, and is not terribly taken by their humanity."

"Pugh is riveting..."

"It might have all been too weighty and metaphorical were it not for Pugh... She is the whole package."

"Forcing yourself to watch movies until the end isn’t your job, is it? So there’s no reason for you to sit through a film that feels like work and that leaves you with very little."

"Wonder's spare, muted intrigue hangs mostly on Pugh and atmosphere, an elusive minor-key mystery."

"The Wonder is a transfixing, transportive film..."

"A clever prestige project whose neat assembly of themes and talent can sometimes seem to have started in a flat-pack."

"It's an interesting and compelling premise, but it feels pretty dull and empty."

"A rare misfire from director Sebastián Lelio, whose approach... is far too plain to be mysterious or stirring."

"There’s a deep emotional seam that runs through The Wonder..."