Chilean director Sebastián Lelio’s latest film, “The Wonder,” makes its streaming debut on Netflix this week, premiering Wednesday. “The Wonder” is co-written by Lelio, Alice Birch and Emma Donoghue, on whose 2016 novel the film is based. The film takes place in 1862 Ireland, where an English nurse, played by Florence Pugh, is tasked with watching a young girl, Anna (Kíla Lord Cassidy) who has not eaten for four months, claiming to be nourished by “manna from heaven.”
The film is an unsparing period piece, reckoning with the meaning of faith and family in the wake of the enduring trauma of the Great Famine in the 1840s. But it is also a curious and unexpectedly self-reflective film about the stories that we tell ourselves and others and the power of belief. Powerhouse young actor Pugh is excellent, as usual, and the supporting cast, which includes Tom Burke, Toby Jones, Ciarán Hinds and Niamh Algar, make up the strong ensemble.
Before, or after, streaming “The Wonder” on Netflix, you might want to check out some of the other films by the creators, especially Pugh, who has already had a big year with the splashy “Don’t Worry Darling” (on HBO Max), and she’ll also voice Goldilocks in the upcoming “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.” Pugh has already built an impressive resume at the age of 26, and there are plenty of other Pugh deep cuts to enjoy along with “The Wonder.”
