By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
For those who watched 2017’s “Wonder,” “White Bird” is sort of a sequel to that well-made film, but more of a standalone spin-off. Directed by Marc Forster, this is a drama that will certainly tug on viewers’ heartstrings with its soulful messaging, only to be hampered by sloppy and lazy filmmaking. The story, however, is riveting and pure, taking the audience on a journey through time to show the bright side of humanity during a dark moment in history.
The story follows the character of Julian Albans (Bryce Gheisar), the main bully from “Wonder.” He’s trying to acclimate to a new school but struggles mightily as he closes himself off to making any meaningful connections. His grandmother (Helen Mirren) makes the long trip from Paris to visit the troubled teen, regaling him with a miraculous story from her past.
She was just a teenager herself named Sarah Blum (Ariella Glaser) during World War II in Nazi-occupied France. Managing to escape their roundup of Jewish students, Sarah fled to the countryside where she was hidden by fellow student Julien Beaumier (Orlando Schwerdt). An unlikely friendship develops between the two that blossoms over time, becoming Sarah’s only outlet of hope, especially as the Nazi’s grip tightened over the region. As his grandmother recounts this memory of kindness, courage, and love while surrounded by evil, the impact it has on Julian is profound.
Like “Wonder,” this is a powerful story with strong, positive messaging, the likes of which is needed today. It’s the kind of story that’s perfectly suited for the talents of director Marc Forster, who is responsible for great films like “Finding Neverland” and “Christopher Robin.” Like those movies, Forster successfully crafts and combines two enriching tales into one filmgoing experience that leaves the audience moved and fulfilled. He seamlessly incorporates flashbacks and flashforwards, with most of the screentime being correctly allocated to the WWII story, ultimately weaving it into the modern-day story beautifully. Focusing the sequel on the bully’s perspective rather than a continuation of the main character is a nice, interesting approach that is seldomly done, and it works very well.
Forster does make a series of blunders that keeps the film from achieving greatness. For instance, the flashback scenes take place in France with French characters, but all of them speak with an English accent. This is a major annoyance that distracts from the authenticity of the film. When setting a film in France, it is only appropriate to incorporate the language or at least the accents. He also commits some obvious errors in continuity like when the grandmother character tells her grandson that he was expelled from his school. This is not the case, he was actually suspended for two days for bullying and his parents decided to pull him out of the school, which was depicted in “Wonder.” Forster did not direct that prior film, but he should have familiarized himself with it to avoid these kinds of contradictions.
Even though she is only in a supporting role, Helen Mirren anchors this cast with an unmatched screen presence that makes the audience hang on her every word. The veteran Oscar winner is brilliantly cast to narrate her character’s WWII story, dispensing lessons and words of wisdom that are both inspirational and influential. The only problem with her performance was beginning the film trying to maintain a French accent and dialect, only to give up on it altogether, allowing her native English accent to dominate the rest of the way.
The youthful actors who occupy the main starring roles are Ariella Glaser, Orlando Schwerdt, and Bryce Gheisar, who reprises his role from “Wonder.” These young performers still have a lot to learn about their craft, but they are certainly above average for their age. This is Ariella’s first lead role in a motion picture, and she holds her own well, believingly portraying a teenage Jewish girl feeling the terror and heartache of not knowing the fates of her parents during the Nazi occupation. As she becomes the recipient of courageous kindness, she displays that emotional impact in her eyes. Veteran actress Gillian Anderson also has a supporting role, providing a key emotional performance that is quite moving.
This may not be the professional kind of production that warrants a trip to the theater, but it is definitely worth a watch and is suitable for the whole family. “White Bird” is an emotional impactful film with quality messages as well as its fair share of flaws. If you enjoyed “Wonder,” then you will likely enjoy this complimentary follow-up story of that film’s antagonist.
This movie earns:
