I wrote to a friend about the film, which I saw last week due to an interviewed scheduled with its director Stephen Chbosky next week:
"It was better than expected, I was actually surprised at how likable it was. And it doesn’t just focus on Auggie, the disfigured kid (Jacob Tremblay). At some point, the film starts to shift toward other characters linked to Auggie and tells their own stories, with each chapter titled after them. There must have been around three chapters dedicated to three separate characters. It seems as if critics are already shooting darts at it, mostly because of that misguided trailer, so who knows how the reviews will turn out? But all the child actors are really good in this, all of them delivering in a very believable way. I bought the story of the kid as well. It never felt maudlin or sugar-coated. (Julia) Roberts was also excellent, probably her best work since…what, "Duplicity"? We shouldn’t be so surprised that Wonder has turned out to be a good movie. Chbosky, who brought a sensitive and delicate touch to "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," is no slouch. The ending is a bit flat, but most of the movie works. It definitely had the audience I was with all teary-eyed by the finale"
Review to come once the embargo is lifted on the 12th.