You might not be able to tell it from the trailers but Wonka, the latest movie inspired by Roald Dahl‘s classic 1964 children’s story “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” is, make no mistake about it, a full-on movie musical that I found to be more in the tradition of ’60s-era films like Oliver, Dr. Dolittle, Albert Finney’s Scrooge — basically a throwback to that kind of feel-good musical confection designed to be released during the year’s end.
Unlike 1971’s beloved (but not a hit initially) Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory with Gene Wilder, or Tim Burton’s darker 2005 take Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with Johnny Depp, this version directed Paul King and co-written by King and Simon Farnaby is an origin story of how Willy Wonka came to be Wonka, the magician, inventor and chocolate maker extraordinaire. Both previous films certainly have their legions of fans, but King’s creation actually feels original, taking the spirit of Dahl and his wickedly funny world and giving it a whole new spin.
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At this point it is hard to call Timothée Chalamet a revelation as he keeps turning in one wildly different performance after another, and now he proves you can add singing and dancing to the list. But he does both with unmistakable charm and seeming ease diving into new tunes like “A World of Your Own” and “A Hatful of Dreams” effortlessly if not with the kind of voice that overwhelms, but still fits nicely into the motif. He also beautifully takes on a classic Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse number “Pure Imagination,” imported from Wilder’s ’71 version, and manages to make the lilting tune sweetly his own. However, if you are looking for the big hit of that film, “The Candy Man,” I hear producers felt it was too closely identified with Sammy Davis Jr and not the film.
Chalamet’s Wonka hits what looks like a period 1800s-type European city (the time and place are unnamed) determined to follow his dreams from ship to shore. Wasting no time, King gives him a signature song to kick things off. Soon Wonka finds himself amidst a colorful crew of characters and teams up with Noodle, a young girl played nicely by Calah Lane. Willy is kind of an odd duck, almost childlike at times, while Noodle balances him as a child with more of a wise adult sensibility. An early encounter with partners in grime, Mrs. Scrubitt (Olivia Colman) and her unlikely “amour” Bleacher (Tom Davis), sets the stage for some of the wackos he is about to meet. She is something like a Miss Hannigan from Annie, presiding over a motley bunch but nobody’s idea of a good time. Willy attempts to dazzle with his talents, as he does with other encounters.
There is fierce resistance to this new guy, who soon shows that among those talents is the ability to make chocolate like it is nobody else’s business. Unfortunately, he has to deal with the Chocolate Cartel, a greedy triple threat of not-so-gentle gentlemen who have cornered the market on the three candy stores in town — separately, but working in concert it seems against emerging competition. There are the three stores they have plus an empty one they will make sure does not find its way into the hands of Willy. Paterson Joseph as Arthur Slugworth, Matt Lucas as Prodnose and Mathew Baynton as Fickegruber make up the trio, and they appear to have the ear of the chief of police (Keegan-Michael Key) who, judging by his constantly increasing weight, has a penchant to sample the merchandise.
Such veteran scene stealers are in and out along the way, notably a warm Sally Hawkins as Willy’s Mamma, offering sage advice to her son that he has never forgotten, and the inimitable Rowan Atkinson (yes, Mr. Bean) as a befuddled Father Julius. But the film is stolen lock stock and barrel by a hilarious Hugh Grant as the crotchety Oompa Loompa who inevitably comes into Willy’s life of course, standing in a jar with his green hair and orange skin. Grant plays him with dry dripping wit and memorably delivers the other borrowed classic tune from the ’71 score, “Oompa Loompa.” Shout-outs as well to Downton Abbey’s Jim Carter as accountant Abacus Crunch, Natasha Rothwell as washerwoman Piper Benz, and Rich Fulcher as the Rodney Dangerfield-style comic Larry Chucklesworth. They are just a few of the large cast that also includes a CGI (I think) giraffe that is quite the scene stealer himself.
Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy provides the six new songs, many quite hummable, while Joby Talbot did the score. The fine cinematography comes from longtime Park Chan Wook DP Chong Hoon Chun, whose past work from Oldboy to It to Last Night In Soho likely didn’t prepare him to help bring the world of the young Willy Wonka to life, but he has done so in style. Production design by Nathan Crowley and Lindy Hemming’s costume design are both aces.
King was notably responsible for the two best live-action family films from classic children’s stories in recent years, Paddington and Paddington II. With Wonka, he proves he has the golden ticket to make this often too-undervalued genre a pleasure no matter what your age. It is a spirit-lifting delight.
Producers are David Heyman (Harry Potter, Paddington), Luke Kelly and Alexandria Derbyshire.
Title: Wonka
Distributor: Warner Bros
Release date: December 15, 2023 (U.S. & Canada); December 6 (international)
Director: Paul King
Screenwriters: Paul King and Simon Farnaby
Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key, Olivia Colman, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, Hugh Grant, Jim Carter, Natasha Rothwell, Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas, Mathew Baynton, Rich Fulcher, Tom Davis
Rating: PG
Running time: 1 hr 56 min
