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Julian Albans: Right now, I’m just trying to fit in
Tale
Struggling to fit in at his new school after being expelled for his treatment of Auggie Pullman, Julian is visited by his grandmother and transformed by the story of his attempts to escape Nazi-occupied France during World War II. Originally scheduled for a September 16, 2022 release, it was pushed back to October 14, 2022. Later that month, the film was quietly pulled from the schedule and pushed back to August 25, 2023, due to underperformance at the fall (2021) box office and pushed back again to an unspecified date due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. Grandma mentions that Julian was kicked out of Beecher Prep due to his bullying of Auggie in Wonder (2017). However, in that film, Julian was never kicked out of Beecher Prep for bullying Auggie. He got a two-day suspension and upon hearing this, his parents decided to take him out of school at the end of that school year. That’s kind of been my motto since I left my old school. Grandma: What?
Julian Albans: Whatever
Julian, you didn’t leave your old school. You got expelled for being cruel to another boy. You know what I mean. If I learned anything from that time, it’s to mind my own business. Don’t be mean, don’t be nice. Just be normal. Grandma: And that’s what you learned? To be normal?
Sequel to Čudo (2017)
Julian Albans: What’s wrong with normal? Grandma: Nothing. And all… It Can’t Be Wrongwritten by Kim Gannon, Max SteinerPlayed by Vera Lynn. This magical film, White Bird, demonstrates the power of dreaming, laughing, and appreciating the presence of others despite the evil acts of others. From the world of Wonder and Academy Award-winning director Marc Forster comes the sequel film White Bird, which takes us a step further into the life of Julian (Bryce Gheisar) as he must finally face the consequences of his past actions – particularly the bullying of Auggie Pullman, a 10-year-old boy born with facial differences. Kicked out of school for his mean acts towards others, Julian gets a taste of his own medicine as he is alienated and challenged to make friends at his new school. His grandmother, Sara Blum (Helen Mirren), visits him in hopes of sharing her haunting and deeply moving story of surviving Nazi-occupied France during one of the darkest times in history.
While both stories contain heartbreak, they both end with hope
Intricately told, White Bird tells us two stories; one about Julian’s present-day struggles and the other a moving account of his grandmother’s difficult struggles during World War II. Flashbacks of young Sara (Ariella Glaser) and her courageous classmate Julian (Orlando Schwerdt) show viewers how traumatic Jewish life was in Nazi-controlled territories. Their relationship is more than just survival – it’s one of kindness, love and sacrifice. What I love most about White Bird is the visualization of young Sara Blum’s life and how her story had a purpose. I connected emotionally to her story as she teaches her grandson the valuable lesson of kindness. The stories of two troubled teenagers – young Sara and her grandson Julian – are well-channeled and flow with ease. This movie is a masterpiece filled with a beautiful balance of warmth and wisdom. The historical drama combined with the modern coming of age scenes adds a special touch to White Bird and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the movie.
It is a must-see family movie
A box of tissues nearby is a must while watching this movie. White Bird has many teachable moments and contains many life lessons. The message of the movie is loud and clear: it is a message of kindness and the need to share and practice it. Hate is all around us, it is a fact. However, the smallest acts of goodwill can lead to the greatest change.
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