Let’s get one thing straight before we jump in. If you’re expecting a reincarnation of Gene Wilder, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Wonka is magical on its own, and Timothée Chalamet puts on an exceptional performance that should be applauded.
Directed by Paul King, Wonka follows a young Willy Wonka (Timothée Chalamet) as he dares to follow his dream of being a chocolatier. He travels alone and relies on the kindness of others to get by, which lands him in a myriad of sticky situations. When an impressionable Wonka arrives in the city, he quickly finds himself lodging for the night after squandering his money through the opening musical number. This predicament lands him at a laundromat run by Mrs. Scrubbit (Olivia Colman) and Bleacher (Tom Davis). A young servant girl named Noodle (Calah Lane) sneakily suggests that Wonka read the fine print of a drummed-up contract but does so to no avail. Needing to generate revenue to pay for his night’s stay, he heads into town and successfully promotes his chocolate (through another musical number). To Willy’s chagrin, his act is cut short and earnings seized by the chief of police (Keegan-Michael Key) at the direction of the chocolate cartel: Prodnose (Matt Lucas), Fickelgruber (Matthew Baynton), and Slugworth (Paterson Joseph). With his earnings taken and nowhere to go, he’s unable to pay Bleacher and Mrs. Scrubbit for his stay and is forced to 10,000 days of labor. Although it seems like our young adventurer’s story is over, it’s truly just beginning.
The onscreen chemistry between Chalamet and Lane was wonderful. You can see the magic in the eyes of Noodle as she goes from a timid nonbeliever to a confident supporter of Wonka. Strengthened by the most sacred of agreements, the pinky promise, the two build an unbreakable bond that grows to be one of the strong points of the film.
The casting for this film was absolutely wonderful. It was enjoyable to watch Natasha Rothwell in a different element than her popular character from HBO’s Insecure. The same goes for Paterson Joseph, who I remember from The Leftovers, getting to perform musical numbers and hurl insults in the Queen’s English. A greater helping of Hugh Grant would’ve served well for the film but I’m not disappointed with what was served (but seriously, he was really funny).
Wonka was vastly better than I expected. Just when you think you have your “Top 10” sorted out for the year, a film like this comes along and shakes things up. Visually, there aren’t too many films this year that can match what Wonka delivers. From the captivating colors to the magic of simply believing, grab a glass of giraffe’s milk, sit back, and enjoy this enchanting adventure.
Wonka gets a 9 out of 10. There’s chocolate for everything. Do you want to float? Is your confidence low? Is your hair not growing like it used to? Edible flowers are par for the course. The judgment of “death by chocolate” is just as delicious as it is sinister. This film has every immersive touch the wandering eye could want.
Wonka hits theaters on Friday, Dec. 15th.
-Jon Jones
Photos: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures