Then there’s the bountiful score by Matthew Herbert, whose hair-raising music creates pulsating waves of distress and uneasiness throughout the film. Tom Burke & Florence Pugh in ‘The Wonder’ courtesy of NetflixĬinematographer Ari Wegner ( The Power of the Dog) captures the desolately raw, yet gorgeous landscape of 1860s Ireland in a way that makes the location feel like its own relentless character.

Lib sympathizes with Anna but begins to gradually lose patience when faith begins to overshadow fact, leading to a potentially lethal situation as the young girl starts to grow weaker. The child takes time to chant the same prayer dozens of times a day and when questioned, reveals that she had a brother that passed whom she and her family believe is burning in hell and her own sacrifices will be how he’s saved. The English nurse, out of suspicion, bans any outside contact from anyone but herself and the other observer, including Anna’s own parents. The young girl in question is Anna, portrayed by the brilliant Kíla Lord Cassidy, who tolerates Lib’s incessant surveillance, physical checks, and note-taking without complaint.

Lib is ridiculed by locals for being unconvinced, which only drives her to be more determined to debunk this presumed religious spectacle. Her skepticism is met with a brash retort as many surrounding village people believe this to be an act of God or sign from above. Lib is obviously perplexed as she takes watch over the girl, carefully observing her on walks and while she sleeps, sharing shifts with a nun. This phenomenon comes in the form of a young girl who has supposedly not eaten a single bite of food in over 4 months, yet appears wholly and entirely healthy. The Wonder begins as English nurse Lib Wright (Florence Pugh) is summoned to a remote area in 1860s Ireland to investigate an alleged miracle. Led by the riveting Florence Pugh, The Wonder follows one nurse doing whatever it takes to assure the safety of a child while trying to navigate a world of delusion and religious fervor Many young girls lost their lives despite having access to good health. These facades were often orchestrated by families in an attempt to bring blessings from their communities in a post-famine era. The story is inspired by the very real “fasting girls” that first appeared around the middle ages. The Wonder, directed by Sebastián Lelio, is also based on one of Donoghue’s works of the same name. One of her earlier novels, Room, displays that kind of powerful relationship front and center and saw success on the big screen in 2015. Irish-Canadian author Emma Donoghue has a knack for telling compelling stories that often involve a complex look into the special bonds between women and children.

The wonder emma donoghue review