This tear-jerking yet heartfelt film follows Auggie Pullman, a ten year old boy with a facial deformity due to a rare genetic condition called mandibulofacial dysostosis, through the fifth grade. This kid is anything but ordinary, not because his face is unpleasing to the eye, but because he has the emotional endurance to survive bullying.

The film did an excellent job of telling how Auggie’s condition affects all the people around him. We see his sister, Via’s perspective.  She is typically overlooked by their parents since they mainly focus on Auggie’s medical and social problems. We also get a look into Auggie’s good friend Jack Will’s outlook as well as Via’s best friend Miranda’s. In other words, the only living being in this movie who isn’t affected by Auggie’s condition is their dog, Daisy.  

The film is based on a book with the same name by R.J. Palacio. Although many would say “the book is always better,” I feel the movie did an excellent job of capturing the essence of the story. Only minor details were cut out and rearranged, but the bulk of the book is almost unchanged. While reading the book, you understand that Auggie looks different than other kids, but you never get a visual representation of what he looks like. The movie finally gives us that much needed visual. This helps you understand and sympathize with Auggie. In the movie, the first few times you see Auggie it is a little shocking, but it becomes normal by the end of the movie. This really highlights the fact that looks can be deceiving.

This film is beautifully made, the director Stephen Chbosky knew exactly how to make a quality film while still telling this important story. The actors are perfect for their roles, the eleven year old actor Jacob Tremblay who plays Auggie Pullman sat through two hours of makeup and prosthetics to transform into his character every day. In many coming of age stories such as this one, the acting can be a bit cheesy, but actors in this movie did an incredible job of making their characters feel real and relatable.

Overall, this is a must see for all ages. There’s something for everyone in the movie because it is so realistic and personal. For example, Auggie loves Star Wars, so there’s several references to that in the movie. The movie shows what it means to be a true friend, parent, sibling and person. Auggie deals with constant bullying throughout the fifth grade and sets a great example on how to handle it. Without giving too much away, Auggie has no problem cutting rude people out of his life, even if this means he is sitting alone at lunch or doesn’t hang out with anyone after school. I think we can all take notes on how to deal with similar situations and apply it to our lives because if it worked for the Pullmans, it can work for us.