Julia Roberts says ‘Wonder’ shows radical power of kindness

In this photo taken on Sunday, Nov. 5, 2017, actors Owen Wilson, left and Julia Roberts pose for a portrait photograph while promoting the film "Wonder" in London. "Wonder" could have been designed as an antidote to the headlines. It's a thoroughly positive movie about the importance of kindness. Based on R.J. Palacio's best-selling kids' novel, the movie follows Auggie Pullman, a boy with a craniofacial deformity, as he takes his first anxious steps into an intimidating world. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)

LONDON (AP) — “Wonder” could have been designed as an antidote to the headlines. It’s a thoroughly positive movie about the importance of kindness.

Based on R.J. Palacio’s best-selling children’s novel, the movie follows Auggie Pullman, a boy with a craniofacial deformity, as he takes his first anxious steps into an intimidating world.

In the hands of director Stephen Chbosky, this story about embracing difference wants to comfort rather than disturb.

Julia Roberts, who plays Auggie’s mother Isabel, said that in a world full of bad news, the film’s positivity feels like a radical statement.

She told The Associated Press that “some sweet little offering like this is kind of a handful of revolutionaries.”

“Wonder” opens Friday in the U.S. and Dec. 1 in the U.K.