Considering this movie is called Wonderstruck, it kinda leaves itself open to ridiculous puns if it turns out to be a disappointment. I could say that it struck out. I could say that I was wondering when the movie was going to actually get good. I could also call it wonder-suck. Of course the movie could avoid me making fun of it's title if it turns out to be a masterpiece. By the end of the film, it struck me that the narrative simply lacked the proper amount of wonder that it needed to have to truly wow me with what it was trying to do.
On a visual level, I still have to give Director Todd Haynes credit for making the experience at least pleasing to look at. There are many scenes that purposefully linger, so as to allow us to breath in the settings and the items being showcased. The movie has a huge theme about museums and history, so having a focus on seemingly innocuous locations and objects seemed appropriate enough. I appreciated what this movie was trying to do in that regards, but you have to understand why many might find that boring to watch.
As for the story itself, it seemed to rely heavily on these mysteries that are introduced to us throughout the narrative. The story intercut between the character of a young girl in 1927, and a young boy in 1977. The 1927 story is done like a black & white silent film, while the 1977 story is in full color with lots of sounds. Both characters go through an adventure in the city, encountering different characters, and different objectives. The thing about this story however is that it constantly lays out situations that are out of context, and we're suppose to be compelled enough to care about that mystery before it is actually revealed. It's like it's suppose to be this fun and exciting game of "guess what's going on," but instead becomes a series of frustration, impatience, and disappointment. If I cared enough, it would have worked, but I just didn't care enough.
Not to disparage writer Brian Selznick on his film adaptation of his own best-selling novel, but I just didn't find the conclusions to all those mysteries to be that satisfying; although I have to say that the final act is probably the best part of this movie. While I overall have issues with the narrative, at least the cast is fantastic. From Oakes Fegley, Millicent Simmonds, Jaden Michael, and Julianne Moore, their presence in this movie should at least get your attention.
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