#ChooseKind is the movement that came from the book that inspired this movie. It’s a message of acceptance and kindness that’s the core of this story. Jacob Tremblay (the boy in Room) plays Auggie, who was born with facial differences. His homeschooling mom (Julia Roberts) decides it’s time for him to go to school with other kids and that’s when the conflicts begin. Children can be cruel and this film piles on the unkind acts. The narrative actually veers away from Auggie’s plight several times to detail the stories of people in his orbit. This film is a step above Hallmark sentimentality, thanks primarily to strong performances by the entire cast and direction by Stephen Chbosky that generally veers away from taking the maudlin way out. Overall, emotionally involving and sweet.
(3.5 / 5)