There’s a ton of love for the classic Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971). I first saw the film when I was around 8 or 9 years old. The original book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, from which the film was adapted, was on the Accelerated Reader (AR) list in my elementary school. The Roald Dahl book was good, but it was the film that really sparked my imagination. Visions of a real factory and a real Wonka danced in my head.
Fast forward twenty-seven years or so, and I am still looking for the right moment to open the Wonka Bar I found in a vintage candy store a month ago in anticipation of the release of Wonka (2023). That spark of my imagination was once again ignited by Warner Bros new film, Wonka.
Willy Wonka has been brought to life once again — this time in an origin story about his younger self. The film tells how Wonka became the famous chocolate maker we know today. With a touching family story, fun hijinks, and an introduction to Oompa-Loompas, Wonka shows Willy as a great magician, inventor, and eccentric chocolatier. Directed by Paul King (Paddington) and co-written by King and Simon Farnaby (Paddington 2), the film stars Timothée Chalamet in the title role, along with newcomer Calah Lane as Noodle, the orphan who befriends and helps Willy. Wonka also includes an amazing ensemble cast: Keegan-Michael Key, Sally Hawkins, Olivia Colman, Rowan Atkinson, Jim Carter, Natasha Rothwell, Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas, and Hugh Grant as an Oompa Loompa.
It’s a new, refreshing take on a beloved character. In these times, a little magic, hope, and optimism are needed. As a fan of musicals, I can say that this movie does a great job of working in the songs to move along the plot. The singing voices of the entire cast were great too. This might be one of my favorite films of the year. It was a lot of fun to watch.
We all knew the song “Pure Imagination” would be in there, as well as a version of the Oompa-Loompa melody and dance. Chalamet does a lovely rendition of “Pure Imagination.” Who knew he could carry a tune, let alone sing? This is far from his SNL skit raps. These songs are Willy Wonka essentials at this point. There is a new song sung by Chalamet and Lane that is truly wonderful. It’s vulnerable, sincere, and hopeful. It captures the imagination as they take to the sky using balloons from a zoo.
Timothée Chalamet is a great Wonka. I wasn’t sure he could pull it off. He was able to bring the charm, the scatterbrained nonsense, and the humor that all Wonkas need. Chalamet can command an audience and be gentle enough to make friends and inspire. There’s an appreciation for getting the backstory of a character like Willy Wonka. Seeing where he came from and why he turns out to be a guy willing to invest in children and give away his life’s dream actually makes sense with Chalamet’s rendition.
The mother-son relationship was endearing and added an insight into Wonka’s motivation and humanity. With careful dialogue and subtle nuances, Sally Hawkins became the Mama Wonka who made more sense than a candy-hating dentist in Johnny Depp’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005). Ms. Wonka made the most delicious chocolate for her son and taught him the values he holds dear. Hawkins gives a perfect performance with facial expressions and limited dialogue.
The supporting cast was pretty awesome, too. Noodle (Calah Lane) was a wonderful addition to the Wonka story. Her story was just as important, delightful, and magical! Her imagination was kickstarted as were her hopes and dreams. She represents the kids in the audience who may need a reminder that it’s okay to be silly, dream, and have fun. Her chemistry with Chalamet was strong. It’s very much a positive big brother, little sister vibe. She also has a charm that makes you love her from the beginning.
Along with the acting of the main protagonists, Wonka makes a few other notable changes to the well-known property. A standout point in this film is its diversity. You have men and women of color portrayed as good guys, bad guys, smart and educated, and holding an array of positions in society. They aren’t typecast or playing into stereotypes. There are also a lot of life lessons and themes that resonate with what we know a Wonka story should hold. The adults in the film are reminders to the audience that indulgence in the good things is okay once in a while and that greed holds no place in life.
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this rendition of Willy Wonka. It spoke to my imagination. I was easily reminded of a quote I read in Roger Ebert’s review of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) that resonates with this version at this time for the family of today. “It is everything that family movies usually claim to be, but aren’t: delightful, funny, scary, exciting, and, most of all, a genuine work of imagination.” It’s so hard to entertain kids these days, but Wonka does its best to be the family film of the year. In my opinion, it succeeds.
Wonka releases in theaters December 15th.
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