Stephen Chbosky is that rarity: a popular novelist who directed the screen version of his best-selling book, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. He has now followed that success with a beautiful adaptation of R.J. Palacio’s Wonder. It won’t take long to figure out why he’s done so well: his enthusiasm is palpable, whether he’s talking about the moviemaking process or naming some of his favorite films for Leonard and Jessie.

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