FilmSnobReviews

Title: Wonderstruck
MPAA Rating: PG
Director: Todd Haynes
Starring: Oakes Fegley, Julianne Moore, Millicent Simmons
Runtime: 1 hr 56 mins

What It Is: Two deaf children Rose (Simmons) in 1924 and Ben (Fegley) in 1974 have similar experiences escaping their family and living in New York City. How similar their experiences are they’ll never realize and the way those similar stories connect is something that you won’t see coming. Through their mysterious quest, we’ll learn that their connection is far stronger then we think. Told through various visual and aural cues it’s an exhibition through the world of the deaf.

What We Think: Haynes has always been a director willing to take chances. Look at his filmography it’s littered with films that are very very risky. I mean look no further then I’m Not There which as a concept is as odd as it gets. I mean several actors playing the same iconic person? Crazy! Here he takes some huge risks but some of them don’t pay off. I loved the fact that all of the scenes in Rose’s 20’s New York were in black and white. The score changed to something a bit jazzier whereas in the 70’s the score has a disco flavor to it.

Our Grade: B+, A marvelous story that shoots for the moon but gets lost in the stars. A film that lives up to its title. It could leave you quite wonderstruck but it might also leave you a bit bored. Like I said something like this it’s a difficult to truly figure out how audiences will gauge it. The ending will sock you directly in your heart strings and it is quite beautiful. For sure I can recommend this film to the crowd. But I caution it’s a film that many may not get. I hope you do as it explores the world of the deaf.