Wonka – Review

Pure sincerity is often dismissed by modern audiences. The self-conscious, winking Marvel humor and the “what if ________ but hardcore” trends have taken a lot of the glee out of the movies. An oasis in the desert was Paul King’s Paddington, a sweet movie about a sweet bear and his newfound family. He followed it up with Paddington 2, one of the greatest family films ever made, and from there he was contracted to write and direct a new adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I adore Gene Wilder’s performance and I have to admit that I have some measure of fondness for Tim Burton’s remake. The character of Willy Wonka is special to me after adoring Dahl’s work as a kid and I was trepidatious about an origin story film.

Luckily it’s just one of the most charming things I’ve seen in years.\

Despite Warner Bros. trying to hide the film’s musical numbers in the film’s marketing, this rousing musical drops lead Timothée Chalamet into Berlin/London/Paris/Dickensian streets with nothing but a song and a hat full of dreams. He’s decided to found his chocolate shop in the Galeries Gourmet, a shopping center full of restaurants and chocolate shops. Wonka doesn’t know that the city is controlled by a confectioner cartel, complete with police bribes and murder coverups, and winds up run out and indentured to a laundromat run by a ruthless woman (Olivia Coleman) and her goofy, lovestruck sidekick (Tom Davis).

Each piece of this puzzle feels like it should be a failure. Wonka forced to work in a laundromat? A plucky young girl hanging out with this weird man who is desperate to sell chocolate? Hugh Grant as a CGI Oompa Loompa? None of this should function but the sheer charisma of Chalamet’s performance is not a trifling matter. There’s not one bit of self-awareness, of that winky nonsense. Instead, Chalamet stands up and leans into the sugary sweetness of the Wonka character that hasn’t yet become cynical. He can dance, he can sing, and he’ll steal hearts.

What a decision Warner Bros. has made. Releasing a film around Christmas that is about the evils of capitalism, monopolizing an industry, unbridled wealth, and trusting your dreams in the hands of others is certainly a choice. The company has spent so much time gutting art, erasing it, or canceling it for tax write-offs as the creative talent is brushed aside. Wonka is a direct look at what kind of ugliness these actions bring and the pitfalls of pumping your talents into a world that will not value what you’ve made if it doesn’t increase this quarter’s profit margin.

The film is supported quite well by the production design of Nathan Crowley, a Dahl fan through and through. Charm and color ooze out of every moment Wonka is in his element, gleefully selling things that make people smile. His shop, only open for a brief period, is a dynamic scene that is meant to serve as a precursor to the candy field the factory will contain later. It’s beautiful, with visuals that match the songs from The Divine Comedy’s Neil Hannon, and it helps stabilize what might otherwise be a disjointed story.

Wonka is going to be a wonderful holiday classic this year. It’s a great time, it’s charming, and I think it’ll rejuvenate many who are still unsure about stepping out to the theatre. Triumphant, bright, and brash, Paul King’s latest film is such a winner.

Wonka is currently playing in theatres.