What age is Wonder appropriate for?

Wonder is rated PG and PopcornCheck recommends it for ages 8+, based on reading the actual screenplay. The film includes a physical fight where older seventh graders confront Auggie and Jack in the dark woods at the nature preserve, and a classroom moment where Jack suddenly punches Julian in the mouth, alongside emotionally heavy bullying content.

Does Wonder have swearing or bad language?

Wonder has Mild language. Mild language includes 'crappy' (1), 'crap' (2), 'sucks' (2), 'shut up' (3), 'hell' (1), 'butt/butts' (3), and 'pee' (1).

Wonder has Mild violence. Jack punches Julian in the mouth during a heated classroom argument about science fair partners.

Is Wonder scary for children?

Wonder has Mild scary scenes. Auggie's first day of school is portrayed with tense anxiety as he nervously anticipates meeting other children who may react badly to his appearance.

Is Wonder OK for Kids?

Name: Wonder
Director: Stephen Chbosky
Genre: Family, Drama
Released: 2017
Duration: 113 min
Cast: Jacob Tremblay, Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Izabela Vidovic, Noah Jupe

FamilyDrama

PG⭐ 7.9 / 102017 · 1h 53m

Stephen Chbosky

Where to Watch

United States

Stream

Rent

Rent or Buy on Amazon

Streaming data by JustWatch

What's In It

Based on the actual screenplay

🗡️Violence

Mild▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Cartoon / Comedic

Action & Peril

Injuries & Death Shown

Graphic & Disturbing

Jack punches Julian in the mouth during a heated classroom argument about science fair partners.
A group of older seventh graders including Eddie confront and fight Auggie and Jack in the dark woods at the nature preserve, with pushing, hitting, and grunting.
In a lighthearted contrast, Auggie and his family playfully wrestle and tackle each other over pizza at dinner in a comedic, non-threatening way.
No weapons are used and no one is seriously injured or killed on screen.
Overall violence is brief, realistic schoolyard/bullying style conflict rather than graphic action.

💬Language

Mild▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mild Words

(damn, hell)

Moderate

(ass, b**ch)

Strong

(sh*t)

Extreme

(f**k)

Mild language includes 'crappy' (1), 'cr*p' (2), 'sucks' (2), 'shut up' (3), 'hell' (1), 'butt/butts' (3), and 'pee' (1).
Moderate-level name-calling includes 'jerk' (1) and 'freak' (2), used as insults directed at Auggie.
No f-words, s-words, or slurs are used anywhere in the script.
Language is mostly playground-level insults and mild exclamations rather than harsh profanity.

👻Scary Scenes

Mild▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mildly Tense

Startling Moments

Genuinely Scary

Deeply Disturbing

Auggie's first day of school is portrayed with tense anxiety as he nervously anticipates meeting other children who may react badly to his appearance.
The confrontation with seventh graders in the dark woods during the nature preserve movie night creates real tension and physical danger for Auggie and Jack.
Jack unexpectedly punching Julian during a class discussion is a sudden, startling moment rather than a scary or violent horror beat.
All tense moments resolve with other children (Amos, Miles, and others) stepping in to help, and no lasting physical harm occurs.

💕Romance

Moderate▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Crushes & Holding Hands

Kissing & Dating

Suggestive

Sexual Content

Via develops a sweet crush-based relationship with Justin, a high school drama club student, who walks with her and visits her home.
Justin and Via share a kiss, referenced briefly in the context of their involvement in the school play.
There's a humorous reference to a kissing scene in the play 'Our Town' (jokingly mentioning 'page 110').
Miranda is shown to have had an innocent childhood crush on Auggie, evidenced by her having bought him his astronaut helmet.
Nothing sexual is shown or implied beyond brief, age-appropriate kissing.

🍺Substances

Mild▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Mentioned in Passing

Shown Casually

Featured Prominently

Glorified or Abused

A joking reference is made to peppers giving 'Daddy gas' as digestive humor.
Parents jokingly reference being 'drunk' as a celebratory joke after finishing a thesis, not depicting actual drinking.
Halloween candy and trick-or-treating are discussed casually throughout as a normal childhood activity.
No actual alcohol, drug, or tobacco use is shown on screen.

⚡Stimulation

Moderate▼

Moments in the script, mildest → most intense

Gently Engaging

Exciting

Intense

Overwhelming

Jack and Auggie's camera obscura science fair project generates exciting crowd reactions and demonstration energy.
The nature preserve fight sequence with multiple older boys attacking is the most intense scene, involving fast movement and physical confrontation in a dark setting.
The school science fair and Via's 'Our Town' theatrical performance provide engaging, upbeat sequences without overwhelming sensory content.
The graduation ceremony where Auggie receives the Henry Ward Beecher medal is emotionally engaging but calm and gentle in pacing.
Sensory-sensitive children should be aware of the tense energy in the fight scene, but overall pacing is moderate and family-friendly.

Wonder — Heads Up for Parents

Despite the family-friendly tone, the confrontation in the dark woods at the nature preserve involves multiple older boys physically attacking Auggie and Jack, which may feel more intense than parents expect from a film about kindness and acceptance.

About Wonder

Wonder follows Auggie Pullman, a boy with facial differences, as he starts mainstream school for the first time and navigates friendship, bullying, and self-acceptance. Told partly through the perspective of his sister Via, the film is an emotional family drama about kindness, resilience, and finding your place. It balances heavy moments of cruelty with uplifting scenes of family love and community support.

👨‍👧

Best watched together

Younger children (under 8) may need a parent present to process the bullying content, including the woods confrontation and classroom punch, as well as to discuss the film's themes about appearance-based cruelty and how to respond with kindness.

Family Takeaways from Wonder

What it gets right

✓The film realistically portrays both the cruelty Auggie faces and the genuine kindness he receives, such as Summer sitting with him at lunch when no one else would.
✓It shows imperfect friendships repairing themselves, as when Jack Will ultimately stands up for Auggie against bullying despite earlier hurting him.

Wonder Cultural & Values Guide

Cultural & Values Guide

Faith & Religion

●Christian themes

The film includes references to prayer and 'precepts' about kindness taught by Mr. Browne, reflecting Christian values woven into the family's and school's moral framework.

Values & Themes

●Traditional family values

The Pullman family's unconditional love and support for Auggie, including his father's declaration 'It's my son's face. I wanna see it,' and the family unity during Daisy's illness and death, emphasize strong traditional family bonds.

Cast:Jacob TremblayJulia RobertsOwen WilsonIzabela VidovicNoah Jupe