The Wonder

Main Plot

"The Wonder," directed by Sebastián Lelio, is a psychological drama set in the Irish Midlands in 1862. The film follows an English nurse, Lib Wright, who is summoned to a small village to observe an 11-year-old girl named Anna O'Donnell. Anna has reportedly not eaten for months but remains miraculously healthy, leading to claims of divine intervention. Lib is tasked with determining whether Anna's condition is a genuine miracle or a hoax. As she delves deeper into the mystery, Lib confronts the community's fervent religious beliefs and uncovers unsettling truths. The film explores themes of faith, skepticism, and the human need for wonder, all while maintaining a tense, atmospheric narrative.

Characters

• Florence Pugh plays Lib Wright, a nurse investigating a young girl's miraculous fasting, uncovering hidden truths in a 19th-century Irish village.
• Tom Burke plays Will Byrne, a journalist investigating the mysterious fasting girl, Anna, and uncovering the truth behind her condition in the 19th-century Irish setting.
• Kíla Lord Cassidy plays Anna O'Donnell, a fasting girl whose mysterious condition becomes the center of an investigation, challenging beliefs and uncovering hidden truths.

Ending Explained

In the movie "The Wonder," directed by Sebastián Lelio, the story culminates with a resolution to the central mystery surrounding Anna, a young girl who claims to have survived without food for months. Lib Wright, a nurse tasked with observing Anna, discovers that the girl is secretly being fed by her mother through chewed food passed via kisses, a practice rooted in religious fervor and superstition. Lib confronts Anna's family and the local council, but they dismiss her findings, driven by their own agendas and beliefs. Determined to save Anna, Lib devises a plan to rescue her from the harmful environment. She convinces Anna to leave her family and start anew, symbolically "rebirthing" her with a new identity. They set fire to the house to cover their escape, suggesting Anna's death to the community. In the end, Lib and Anna, now assuming the name Nan, leave the village together, embarking on a journey towards a hopeful future. The film concludes with a poignant commentary on the clash between faith, science, and the power of human connection in overcoming adversity.