45/27
Julian Albans: Right now, I’m just trying to fit in
Synopsis
Struggling to adjust to his new school after being expelled for his treatment of Auggie Pullman, Julian is visited by his grandmother and transformed by the story of his attempts to escape Nazi-occupied France during World War II. Originally scheduled for release on September 16, 2022, it was pushed back to October 14, 2022. Later that month, the film was quietly removed from the schedule and pushed back to August 25, 2023, due to poor performance at the fall (2021 ) box office, and pushed back again to an unspecified date due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. Grandmother mentions that Julian was expelled from Beecher Prep due to his bullying of Auggie in Wonder (2017). However, in that movie, Julian was never expelled from Beecher Prep for bullying Auggie. He got a two-day suspension, and after finding out, his parents decided to pull him out of school at the end of that school year.
Julian Albans: Whatever
That’s kind of been my motto since I left my old school. Grandma: What? Julian, you didn’t leave your old school. You got kicked out for being mean to another boy. You know what I mean. If I’ve learned anything since then, it’s to mind my own business.
Just be normal
Don’t be mean, don’t be nice. Grandma: And that’s what you’ve learned? Buy them normally? Julian Albans: What’s wrong with normal? Grandma: Nothing. And everything..
Continued by Čudo (2017)
It Can’t Be Wrong Written by Kim Gannon, Max Steiner Starring Vera Lynn. The headliners of Helen Mirren and Gillian Anderson drew me to this, the kind of film I would normally pass up, as it deals with a subject that has probably been covered a hundred times before. And of course it has, but not always so compellingly and effectively. It avoids becoming too sappy or clumsily pulling on overused emotional strings. However, there are sweet moments and powerfully emotional ones, but they are so subtly done that they creep you in with great effect. Of course the darker side of human nature is introduced fairly early on, as the daily life of a sleepy French town is mercilessly invaded.
As an added bonus, the cinematography and production values are superb with an effective soundtrack
That said, this is still a film that can be watched by the whole family, as it avoids being graphically violent, while leaving viewers in no doubt about the nature of evil. There are all sorts of lessons to be learned (or relearned) about how people choose to behave in ordinary and extraordinary situations. The young actors appear to have as much experience as the two much older stars mentioned above.