Wonderwell movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Wonderwell

This fantasy drama is now playing in select theaters and on digital platforms.

RATING: PG-13

LENGTH: 1 hour 36 minutes

MOVIE REVIEW MOM GRADE: B

IN A NUTSHELL:

Congratulations to Vlad Marsavin for his directorial debut! The screenplay was written by William Brookfield (Kidnapping Mr. Heineken).

Set between modern-day Italy and the fantastical realm just beyond, Wonderwell is a coming-of-age fairy-tale that follows Violet (Kiera Milward), a naive and inquisitive 12-year-old girl, on an intriguing adventure with Hazel (Fisher) and Yana (Ora) that will transform her life forever.

THINGS I LIKED:

I loved the music and images during the opening credits. So magical and intriguing.
I also loved seeing Carrie Fisher (Star Wars) in her last film. She and her mother, the multi-talented Debbie Reynolds, are iconic legends. Carrie threw a lavish 60^th birthday party in her hotel, inviting everyone from the movie cast and crew. Sweet!
One of the co-stars, Rita Ora, said of Carrie, “Working alongside Carrie Fisher was one of those experiences that you never forget. I can’t wait for the world to see this intriguing and magical world of Wonderwell.” Rita is a world-class singer in her own right.
Other cast members include Rita, Kiera Milward, Nell Tiger Free, and Sebastion Croft.
The music is lovely. It features music by William Ross (Destination Wedding, Ladder 49) with “Violet’s Theme” composed by Grammy winner Angelo Badalamenti (Mulholland Drive, Twin Peaks) and performed by The London Symphony Orchestra. It features the many changes the protagonist is going through. The music changes from dark to light to also illustrate the differences between the two realms.
Like many films nowadays, the story features an alternate universe.
Fun fact: This movie originated as a short story and movie short, winning several awards!
The themes of light and dark are illustrated in the lighting of various scenes, as well as in the two witch sisters themselves.
The scenes where one of the little girls interacts with nature are so sweet. I love how the flowers willingly wrap their stems around her wrist.
The film was shot in beautiful Italy, specifically Rome and Tuscany. I love both of those areas so much! Needless to say, the gorgeous location must have made it easier for the cinematographer (Kenji Katori) and director to get stunning shots.
In order to visually separate the two worlds, notice how the color palette changes.
Italy is known for its incredible fashion design, so Italian costume designer Nicoletta Ercole and her team showcased over 800 costumes for the actors, PLUS Yana’s entire fashion line!
The visual effects team combined CGI with live-action and animatronics to create the fairy-tale feeling of Wonderwell. The special effects budget had some challenges, which resulted in a film release delay of 7 years!
Ultimately, the movie does a great job of illustrating that delicate transfer from childhood to maturity.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

It’s a bit confusing as the story bounces between the two alternate areas.
The movie starts as a somewhat sweet, innocent story but quickly develops more mature themes. It’s hard to know which age is the perfect target audience.