Are You Feeling Well in Yourself? 3.5 / 5
Directed by Sebastián Lelio.
An English nurse goes to a tiny village to observe what some see as a medical anomaly and others a miracle, that a girl has survived without food for months.
Releases worldwide on Netflix: November 16th 2022
Inviting you in with the offer of a perplexing story, The Wonder is a demanding watch that makes good on its promise with an atmospheric period piece that delves into the dangers of faith and how far some will go to keep it.
Florence Pugh gives a subtle but powerful performance as a nurse sent to investigate the mystery of a young Irish girl who has supposedly taken her fast to new and dangerous extremes as she hasn't eaten for over four months. As Pugh opens the mystery as to how the girl is even still alive, she opens a pandora's box of religious persistence and grief showing there is more to this tale than meets the eye.
Matthew Herbert's howling score chills the air, adding a layer of trepidation to this ticking time bomb of a film. The slow burn pace was admittedly a challenge on this early morning watch but the final act is all the better for it, as you can feel the exasperation of the characters who are longing for a conclusion to this story.
A bittersweet film that challenges the religion vs science argument and the impact that family can have on our lives for better and for worse.
Written by Jack Aling Read his latest reviews at: letterboxd.com/TheJackAling