The mysterious new trailer for Todd Haynes’ Wonderstruck is sparse on detail but, man, does it have dramatic atmosphere to burn.
David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” (aka the Major Tom song) provides the soundtrack to the new Wonderstruck trailer, which is appropriate given the spot’s vibrant look and somewhat otherwordly mood. And while the trailer is about two and a half minutes long, it doesn’t provide too much in the way of unambiguous plot details. This helpful narration from star Michelle Williams is the bulk of the exposition:
"This is a story about what makes us different. And about having the courage to find the place where we belong."
Otherwise, the trailer introduces us to Ben (Oakes Fegley), a young boy living in the loud, colorful 1970s, and Rose (Millicent Simmonds), a young girl in the silent, black and white 1920s. Despite the five decades that stand between them, the two kids’ adventures feel like two halves of one story. Ben lives with his mother (Williams) but doesn’t know his father; Rose’s mother is dead. Ben can speak but a mysterious incident involving lightning leaves him deaf. Rose can apparently hear but won’t talk; she writes notes to communicate with others. A bookmark left behind by Ben’s dad leads him to New York City; a famous actress (Julianne Moore) draws Rose to NYC as well.
While Ben and Rose’s separate sojourns to the Big Apple bring them to the same sights, namely a museum that boasts the Cabinet of Wonders, it seems that they are truly on parallel journeys –their paths aren’t destined to cross.
Or are they?
Moore’s character, Lillian Mayhew, appears to figure into both parts of Wonderstruck. Perhaps she is the point at which Ben and Rose’s stories converge?
See what you think after watching the trailer:
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Brian Selznick adapted Wonderstruck from his own novel of the same name. The film opens in select theaters October 20.