Ben and Rose are children from two different eras who secretly wish their lives were different. Ben wishes for the father he never knew, while Rose dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his home and Rose reads an enticing headline in the newspaper, both children are out on quests that unfold with mesmerizing symmetry.
Was I wonder-struck by Wonderstruck? Yes and no: While the movie has outstanding production design, a timeless feel, and a great score from Carter Burwelll, this movie suffers from a confusing plot and an abnormally long running time (nearly two hours in length).
One thing that makes Wonderstruck stand out from other movies is how both Rose and Ben are, in fact, deaf. Rose was born deaf, while Ben lost his hearing after getting hit with lightning. Ben’s new friend Jamie can communicate with him by writing on his notepad.
Rose’s story is set in the 1920s, so there’s no color and, more importantly, no sound. Ben’s story, meanwhile, takes place in the 70s with a post-Beatnik aesthetic. I personally find Ben’s story more engaging because not just because there’s sound and color, but also because it was more interesting. I personally didn’t care for Rose’s story, and I feel that it could’ve been edited out entirely.
In conclusion, Wonderstruck is a serviceable film, but it obviously doesn’t measure up to the Pixar masterpiece Coco, which was released around the same time.
Rating: 3.3 stars out of 5.
