White Bird movie review: Did Julian change as a human being?

White Bird, released on October 4, 2024, is a sequel to the 2017 hit Wonder, yet the film takes a different direction. Sara Blum, a young Jewish girl living in Nazi-controlled France during World War II, is at the center of the story.

The movie shows how difficult it was for Sara to stay alive while she hides from the Nazis with the help of Julien Beaumier, a classmate. It explores themes of bravery, kindness, and grief in times of war and loss.

Directed by Marc Forster, White Bird is mostly about Sara's journey, but also connects to Julian's story from Wonder. Both stories are about empathy and growth. In Julian's mind, Sara's story shows him how important it is to be there for others, even when things go wrong. As the movie progresses, it takes viewers through poignant scenes of both happiness and melancholy.

The movie highlights Sara's childhood and how the holocaust affected her family. Her story is meant to inspire Julian and make him understand how the kindness of strangers and friends saved her life. It also makes one think about how fear and prejudice can lead to cruelty, and how that cruelty affects both the people who execute it and the people who are afraid of it.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from White Bird.

---

The plot of White Bird

In the White Bird movie, Sara Blum is a Jewish girl whose life falls apart when the Nazis take over her French town. She hides in a barn with her disabled classmate Julien while they try to get to Switzerland. At the same time, Vincent, a former classmate, turns into a spy for the Milice and vows to track down Jewish people, including Sara.

Sara and Julien become close, but Vincent is always trying to find them, which adds to the tension in the movie. Vincent's hatred is shown next to Julien's bravery and kindness, which brings out the main theme of the movie: how to choose between being cruel and caring in times of trouble.

---

Why does Grandma Sara tell Julian her story?

Sara from White Bird movie (Image via Lionsgate movies)

White Bird links to Wonder through the character of Julian, who was a bully (he previously bullied Auggie) in Wonder. As a teenager, Julian is cold and doesn't care about others. His grandmother, Sara, decides to tell him about the Holocaust to show him how important it is to be compassionate. Sara hopes that Julian will learn from her story how to be a better person by understanding the power of love.

Not only is Sara's story about survival, but it's also about how valiant it is to be kind in a cruel world. Sara stresses that even small acts of kindness can have a big effect by telling the story of Julien's family who risked their lives to save her. Julian seems moved by the end of her story, which shows that he is starting to change.

---

What happens to Sara’s mother?

A still from White Bird movie (Image via Lionsgate movies)

The end of Sara's mother, Rose Blum, is one of the saddest parts of the movie White Bird. She was a math teacher, but when the Nazis take over their town, she loses her job.

Rose is still hopeful because she thinks that their French citizenship will keep them safe. But Sara loses contact with her parents when Nazi soldiers start rounding up Jews. In the end, Rose is caught and killed at Auschwitz, leaving Julien to help Sara stay alive.

---

Vincent’s role as the antagonist

Vincent serves as the primary antagonist in the film White Bird. Vincent, who was previously a class bully, is now a Milice informer, motivated by a bizarre sense of superiority and hatred. He targets Sara for her Jewish heritage and Julien due to his disability.

The film's tension and suspense are heightened by his relentless determination to find them, which leads to a tragic sequence of events.

In addition to cruelty, Vincent's actions are also driven by fear and indoctrination. His mind gets so full of hateful ideologies that results in the commission of atrocious acts. Nevertheless, his demise is poetic justice, as he is ultimately killed by wolves while tracking Sara.

---

The ending of White Bird

The ending of White Bird movie is emotionally challenging. After enduring countless close calls, Julien is eventually arrested when Vincent tips off the authorities. Tragically, just as Julien’s parents secure his release, he is killed in a failed escape attempt. His death is a devastating blow, but his legacy lives on in the kindness he showed to Sara.

On the other hand, Sara makes it through the war and is reunited with her father in the end. The Beaumiers, who took care of her, continue to support her until she moves to Paris. This story about Sara is an unforgettable example of how kind people can be and how much people are willing to risk their lives to protect others.

---

Julian’s transformation

Julian shows that he has learned from his grandmother's story in the last few minutes of the White Bird movie. His behavior changes after hearing Sara's story. He stands up for a classmate who is being picked on when he sees it. For Julian, this is a turning point as he starts to show the kindness and empathy that his grandmother tried to teach him.

The primary premise of the movie is Julian's change, which connects the lessons of the past with the lessons of the present. Julian is not the mean kid he used to be by the end of the movie. He is now a young man who knows how important it is to stand up for others.

White Bird movie masterfully intertwines themes of courage, kindness, and loss in a Holocaust drama that is both heart-wrenching and inspiring. The film is currently running in theaters.