Can a girl survive on faith alone in this haunting 1862 Irish period drama?
In short: Set in the shadow of the Great Famine, The Wonder follows an English nurse tasked with observing a young girl who claims to survive without food. As the community watches, the nurse must uncover whether this is a miracle, a calculated deception, or a desperate act of religious trauma.
Directed by Sebastián Lelio and based on the 2016 novel by Emma Donoghue, the 2022 film stars Florence Pugh as Elizabeth "Lib" Wright. Lib is a Crimean War veteran sent to a rural Irish village to monitor Anna O'Donnell, a girl who has allegedly not eaten for four months. The story is deeply colored by the lingering trauma of the Great Famine, which shapes the suspicion and religious fervor of the local community.
Lib initially finds no evidence of trickery, but her investigation is complicated by her own grief and reliance on laudanum. She eventually discovers that Anna's mother has been covertly feeding the girl through mouth-to-mouth kisses. Anna reveals that her fast is a penance for the sins of her late brother, who had sexually abused her. She believes her starvation will secure his salvation, a belief her mother supports to ensure both children are united in heaven.
The film, which has been compared to folk horror due to its atmosphere of dread and religious foreboding, culminates in a desperate rescue. Lib orchestrates a plan to fake Anna's death, allowing the girl to be reborn as "Nan." The film concludes with Lib, the journalist William Byrne, and the recovered Nan fleeing to Sydney, posing as a family. Critics have largely praised the film, particularly Pugh's performance, with Rotten Tomatoes reporting an 85% approval rating from 171 reviews.
While some reviewers like David Ehrlich found the narrative slightly undercooked, others, such as Stephen Farber, lauded it as an illuminating study of prejudice. The production, which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in September 2022, is noted for its ability to weave historical trauma with a psychological exploration of belief and survival.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The Wonder (film)
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