You only have to think back two years to remember the cheers and jeers that greeted the news that not only was a new Willy Wonka movie on the way but that it was going to be a prequel and Timothée Chalamet had clinched the titular lead role.
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How could they touch a classic? They weren’t going to, and no one was going to erase the 1971 Gene Wilder “Grown Up Wonka” movie (which was not a hit, by the way). How could you cast Timothée Chalamet as Wonka? Easily. He’s popular and has the baby-faced fantastical vibe by the bucket load and an army of hardcore followers far exceeding the number of Chalam-haters. And it’s a musical? Clutch your pearls as much as you want, but Willy’s world has been perfect for song and dance since Roald Dahl first put pen to paper in the original book.
Director Paul King co-wrote the script with “Paddington 2” collaborator Simon Farnaby. The movie got made, and the world didn’t burn. Now, here we all arenas this is “Wonka.”
“Wonka” focuses on Chalamet’s enigmatic and eccentric young confectionist, Willy Wonka, a character first introduced in author Dahl’s 1964 novel “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.” He arrives in town with a head and heart full of grand dreams about opening a store renowned for its chocolate. However, he faces two major hurdles, the first being that Wonka is broke. The second is the discovery that the industry is gatekept and controlled by a cartel of greedy candy dealers, Slugworth, Prodnose, and Fickelgruber, played by Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas, and Mathew Baynton, respectively. They become hell-bent on doing whatever it takes to keep Wonka out of business, enlisting Keegan-Michael Key’s Chief of Police to do their dirty work.
Not only that but just as Wonka and his new companion Noodle (Calah Lane), a girl he befriends after being tricked into captivity in a wash house, get a breakthrough in making his dream a reality, Hugh Grant’s Oompa-Loompa turns up. He’s been sent there to reclaim the exquisite and magical cocoa Wonka took from their people. If the Oompa-Loompa succeeds, Wonka’s dreams are over.
By this point, if anyone doesn’t get that King’s Wonka isn’t another version of the beloved tale audiences know and love, there’s no hope. That said, add in the fact that while the adaptations of Dahl’s book have both had musical elements, “Wonka” is the first to be an all-out musical. Those numbers, ranging from slower tempo whimsy to pacey sizeable spectacles dripping with vibrant color and splendor, are the work of Neil Hannon, who penned seven tunes for the film. Having had great success as a singer-songwriter performing in The Divine Comedy and having written music for stage and TV, this is the first time Hannon has taken on a whole movie. Hopefully, this won’t be the last time because tracks like “A World of Your Own” and “You’ve Never Had Chocolate Like This” are winners. “Wonka” was apparently a dream project for Hannon, and his passion and connection with the heart of the material prove he was the right man for the job.
As the film’s leading man, a lot rests on Chalamet’s shoulders, and he revels in the child-like glee and wide-eyed and lightly kooky nonsensical optimism that is Wonka. There’s a naïve charm at play, and he loves to roll the pithy and playful dialogue around his mouth. You can see on his face that the words are dancing around his head before they come out, especially when it comes to verbal homages to Wilder’s Wonka. As with all of the film’s main characters, Lindy Hemming’s exemplary costuming adds a visual opulence that plays a vital role in bringing the cast of characters to life.
There will be comparisons made with not only Dahl’s version as well as Wilder and Johnny Depp’s older adult incarnations, but he’s not trying to imitate them and what the character becomes; this is Chalamet’s Wonka, and he makes this part of the character’s evolution his own. Whether you love his performance or not, he commits.
However, as endearing and engaging as Wonka is, Grant’s Oompa-Loompa steals the show in every scene they share. While he remains small and orange with the trademark green hair, there is a charming indignance laced with a reticent warmth to Grant’s version of the character, who is as iconic as the film’s lead character. As with Wonka, the wardrobe for the diminutive reluctant sidekick is absolutely on point and is the most sartorially stylish presentation of the Oompa-Loompa to date. Thanks to Chung-hoon Chung’s rich cinematography, every element of the film’s opulent design pops.
While Grant and Chalamet are the stars of the show, Wonka’s supporting cast, assembled by Nina Gold, who outdid herself here, boasts the cream of predominantly British talent, including Olivia Colman and Tom Davis as Mrs. Scrubbit and Bleacher, Rowan Atkinson, Jim Carter, and Sally Hawkins in roles of varying sizes. Rich Fulcher, who previously worked with King on the UK comedy show “The Mighty Boosh,” deserves special mention for his irresistible, hilarious, and heartfelt performance as Larry Chucklesworth. He is, and anyone who already knows his work is aware of, absolute genius.
“Wonka” is a sweet treat that never feels too saccharine. The delicious fantasy is a whale of a good time that brings fresh life to the lore of this iconic creation, taking nothing away but adding adventure, laughter, and its own heart and warmth to Dahl’s original vision. It is a delightful experience to embrace “Wonka” with the wide-eyed wonder it deserves. [B]
“Wonka” opens December 15 via Warner Bros.
