Wonderstruck
Two lonely children, separated by fifty years, follow parallel quests through New York toward family, identity, and connection.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- wistful
- tender
- dreamy
- family movie night
- quiet afternoon
What critics said
Critics generally found the film emotionally resonant and visually inventive, while noting that its alternating timelines and tonal shifts do not always cohere smoothly.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Rose's 1927 escape and Ben's 1977 search are repeatedly intercut across the film.
Rose's storyline is presented in black-and-white and largely without spoken dialogue, evoking silent cinema.
Rose is deaf and Ben's hearing loss shapes their struggles to connect with family and others.
Both children run away to locate missing or idealized parents and understand where they belong.
Films like Wonderstruck, and why
Hugo
child protagonists pursuing family connections through visually inventive, emotionally sincere storytelling
The Fall
interwoven childhood narratives, nostalgia, and a search for belonging shaped by cinema and memory
The Secret of Roan Inish
tender coming-of-age drama centered on isolation, communication, and unlikely connection
A Monster Calls
quietly magical child-centered storytelling with handcrafted visual imagination and themes of family
Movie Details
- Director
- Todd Haynes
- Release Date
- 2017-10-13
- Runtime
- 116 min
- Rating
- 6.1 / 10 (436)
Cast
- Oakes Fegley
- Millicent Simmonds
- Julianne Moore
- Michelle Williams
- Cory Michael Smith
- James Urbaniak
- Damian Young
- Patrick Murney
- Lauren Ridloff
- Anthony Natale
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Wonderstruck about?
- Two lonely children, separated by fifty years, follow parallel quests through New York toward family, identity, and connection.
- What is Wonderstruck like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Wonderstruck as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Wonderstruck violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Wonderstruck.
- What did critics think of Wonderstruck?
- Critics generally found the film emotionally resonant and visually inventive, while noting that its alternating timelines and tonal shifts do not always cohere smoothly.
- Which films are like Wonderstruck?
- Films with a similar feel include Hugo, The Fall, The Secret of Roan Inish, and A Monster Calls.
- How long is Wonderstruck?
- Wonderstruck runs 116 minutes.
- Where can I watch Wonderstruck?
- In United States, Wonderstruck streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
