Wonka Review: The fantasy musical film stars Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka, Hugh Grant as Lofty (Oompa-Loompa), Olivia Colman as Mrs Scrubbit, Keegan-Michael Key as Chief of Police, Calah Lane as Noodle, Matt Lucas as Prodnose, Paterson Joseph as Arthur Slugworth, Mathew Baynton as Fickelgruber, and others. Based on Roald Dahl’s novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the movie is directed by Paul King, and the screenplay was penned by him along with Simon Farnaby.
Joby Talbot and Neil Hannon have composed the music for the Wonka movie. The cinematography is done by Chung-oon Chung, and the runtime is 116 minutes.
Willy Wonka, a young and high-spirited magician and dreamer, wants to open his chocolate shop in Paris. It’s his childhood dream, and he also has the knack of making some delicious chocolates that make people experience eccentric things. But Slugworth, Prodnose, and Fickelgruber of Galeries Gourmet—the Moghuls of the city’s chocolate industry—shatter his hopes at once.
Apart from them, Wonka’s desires are also crushed by his renters, Mrs. Scrubbit and Chucklesworth. However, he is still hopeful, and tremendous help from a girl named Noodle makes him keep going. Will Willy Wonka start his chocolate factory? That’s something we find out in the end.
From the first scene itself, when Wonka travels the sea to reach Paris, singing a song about his big dreams, the movie gets your attention. Chalamet is a delight to watch on screen and sounds marvellous. Director Paul King wastes no time and takes a direct approach to telling us who Willy is and what he aspires to do.
As the director gives us a peek into Wonka’s sweet aspirations in a bitter world, he treats us to some goofiness from the characters on screen. Not only the dialogue but also the lyrics have a comical tone to them. The city in the movie looks straight out of a vibrant storybook. Along with the feel-good storytelling, the visuals make Wonka an appetising watch.
One might think that since it’s a fantasy movie that caters to a young audience, the jokes must be silly. But that’s not at all the case. From terrific word plays to one-liners calling out societal bias, the makers have taken a clever approach. For the entire first hour, you will find yourself laughing at many instances, especially at the absurdity of the wicked and wealthy souls.
In the second hour, the movie’s tonality mellows down a bit. If the first hour is devoted to illustrating the joys of dreaming and working towards them, the second hour serves as a reminder of reality. There are internal and external conflicts. The humour and music take a backseat, and Paul gives the character space to feel sorrow and loss. However, just when you are deep into the hearts of these characters, feeling these profound emotions, things quickly fall into place. The director took an easy path to giving a sweet ending to everyone’s story.
Timothée Chalamet is truly the star of the movie. The actor is one of the best young talents we have in Hollywood right now. His career graph includes playing intense and emotionally complex people. However, with Wonka, Chalamet has gotten out of his “comfort zone” of playing demanding roles. He sings, dances, and innocently says funny things with great conviction. Timothée is remarkable throughout. The actor looks beautiful in every frame.
While Wonka is truly one of the most cheerful characters I’ve seen in recent times in a movie, radiating lots of positivity, even the supporting characters have impressive subplots. It’s commendable considering the movie is just 116 minutes yet manages to give satisfactory conclusions, especially to the characters Noodle, the villainous trio, and the wicked renters.
Actors Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key, Paterson Joesph, Olivia Colman, Hugh Grant, and Rich Fulcher bring great zest and life to the movie. Wonka wouldn’t be such a visual treat without Chung-hoon Chung’s choreography. It is not just the enthusiastic and colourful set that makes the movie visually appealing. It is also the skill with which Chung uses his camera to balance the tones and shades so that each frame presents a dreamlike scene.
Along with the story, writing, direction, performances, and cinematography, what makes Wonka a fantastic watch is its music. Some incredible foot-tapping songs by Joby Talbot and Neil Hannon will have you nodding your head in time to the beats.
Wonka Review: Final Thoughts
Overall, the world of chocolates and dreams has never been sweeter on the big screen. It’s a year-end treat for people to remind them that every dream matters. Timothée Chalamet’s fantasy musical is a joyous recipe of great entertainment infused with ingredients of sweetness, great talent, and an amazing story that nourishes your soul.
The movie releases in theatres from December 8.
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