An English nurse named Lib Wright (Florence Pugh) is hired by the community elders to watch over Anna (Saoirse Ronan), a young woman who has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Despite the belief of the village and Anna herself that God is at work, Lib is sceptical. She thinks the miracle is a hoax and is worried that Anna’s health could be at risk. ..
In Sebastian Lelio’s new film, Anna (Lena Headey) is in danger. A miracle may be taking place, but it’s not clear if Anna is actually safe. Let’s take a closer look at the film to see if there is any truth to the claims.
Why does Lib think the miracle is a hoax?
Lib is someone who has a stronger belief in science than religion, so this is partly why she isn’t ready to believe in Anna’s story. Another reason is the life Lib has lived. She cared for dying soldiers during the Crimean War and she also experienced the death of her husband and son. It’s likely that these traumas gave her further cause to dismiss the possibility of miracles. ..
Anna arrives at her home to be met by a very religious family who believe Anna is being sustained by God. Anna tells Libby that she is being fed with “manna from Heaven” which could be interpreted as physical food or God’s blessing on her life. However, we later learn something else about Anna and her mother which could hint at what Anna was referring to. ..
Anna’s parents are secretly passing food to her, according to Lib. To prove her theory, Lib forbids them from spending time with their daughter. Not long after, it seems that Lib’s suspicions have been proven correct as Anna starts to become weak and unwell.
Have Anna’s family been feeding her?
Anna’s health has deteriorated significantly in recent weeks, leading Lib to believe that the family was feeding her a secret diet. However, when she asks Anna and her mother about this, they both vehemently deny it. ..
Lib returns to the community elders and expresses her concern for the girl, but they are dismissive of her assertion that Anna could die. The only person who seems to believe Lib is William (Tom Burke), a journalist that she has become friendly with. He wants to write a story about the miracle child, but becomes more concerned for her health when Lib explains the situation to him. ..
Anna’s family fed her. Lib realises that Anna’s mother had been secretly passing her food through her mouth when giving her a kiss, a little like a bird feeding its chick. This is why the mother had previously insisted to Lib that a “mother’s kiss” was important. The food could also be the “manna of Heaven” that Anna earlier referred to.
Anna, a 12-year-old girl living in a refugee camp in Greece, has been surviving on scraps of food since she was forced to flee her home country. Despite this, she continues to believe that God is looking after her and is not interested in the food she is given. Anna tells her friend Lib about this belief and how it has helped her through difficult times. ..
Why did Anna refuse to eat?
Anna’s brother, from the family photos, wasn’t there when Lib arrived at her house. Lib assumed he had just left home, but later discovers he had died.
Anna’s refusal to eat is connected to her brother’s death. Anna tells Lib that she has been fasting so her brother’s soul will be released from Hell. She tells Lib she knows he is in Hell because when she was 9, he repeatedly raped her. Despite this, Anna still loved her brother but by atoning for his sin through her fast, she hoped her sacrifice would be enough to rescue him.
Lib is outraged by what she hears and speaks to her mother about the situation. Unfortunately, the mother blames Anna for the incest and believes that the brother died from sickness as punishment for the sinful relationship. She now believes Anna must be sacrificed to save her late son’s soul and as such, refuses to give her dying daughter any more food. ..
What happens to Anna?
After realising that Anna’s parents are willing to let their daughter die, Lib decides to rescue her with the help of William. ..
Anna is taken to a stream by her family for a religious ceremony in which Lib tells her that she will soon die, but that she will be reborn as “Nan.” Lib is trying to brainwash Anna here and as the girl is delirious, she is susceptible to what Lib is saying. This isn’t a bad thing, however, as Anna needs to separate herself from her religious delusions.
Lib hid Anna at the stream where William was due to meet her and take her away. Lib then returned to the house and set it on fire so Anna could be declared dead and given the freedom to move away from the village without anyone knowing she is alive. ..
Lib reports the fire to the elders, who are fearful of reprisal for their actions in letting a lowly nurse look after her. They agree to let Lib go without consequence. ..
Lib is surprised to hear from the nun about the vision. She is curious to know more and asks the nun where she obtained her information. The nun tells Lib that she saw an angel carrying Anna away on horseback. Lib is skeptical but decides to investigate further. She goes to the convent and asks around for more information about the vision. Eventually, she learns that the nun was right - an angel did carry Anna away on horseback.
In the movie’s final scene, we see that Anna is alive and well and travelling with Lib and William. We then see them together sitting at a dinner table with others, where Anna is eating a meal. It can be assumed that the girl is now part of a new family with her two rescuers and that she is able to eat again because she is mentally separated from the fasting child that she was before. ..
What is the meaning of the words “In/Out”?
In the final scene of the film, Niamh Algar, who played the family servant Kitty, breaks the fourth wall and speaks to the camera with the words “In, out, out.”
This is in reference to the toy as William said that the same thing happened to him as Niamh. The meaning of the words likely relates to freedom. The bird was freed from its cage in the same way that Anna has now been freed from her caged existence.
The Wonder Movie is a great movie that will leave you feeling satisfied. The story is engaging and the acting is excellent. The only downside is that it can be a bit too predictable at times.
