Wonka – Review

Cert – PG, Run-time – 1 hour 56 minutes, Director – Paul King

Dreaming of opening a chocolate shop, a cash-strapped Willy Wonka (Timothée Chalamet) must evade the city’s chocolate cartel (Paterson Joseph, Matthew Baynton, Matt Lucas), set on controlling the market.

While the trailers may have hinted the odd moment of song and dance the very opening of Wonka makes it clear that it sets out to be a proper musical. When breaking out in song, each new number greeted with great welcome, there are feelings that Neil Hannon’s songs could have been taken straight from an already-existing, successful stage musical. Thoughts of fellow-Dahl adaptation Matilda: The Musical run throughout Wonka and a handful of the ideas which spur its protagonist, and those around him on.

For those expecting something close to Gene Wilder’s 1971 Wonka Timothée Chalamet’s performance is distinctly different. A bounding figure of bubbling hope he jumps and sings his way through his dreams of opening up a chocolate shop. In some ways the main similarities lie in the odd phrase – “strike that, reverse it” – and Chalamet’s costumes. Costumes which bring further colour to the segments within Wonka’s dreams and vision – as he walks through a chocolate landscape singing perhaps the best number of the film, A World Of Your Own, you can’t help but sit in open-mouthed wonder – caught by director Paul King and cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung.

King’s expert handling of the Paddington films – with which Wonka shares a number of cast members – comes in handy here, particularly during flashbacks and emotional shifts. As Wonka calls back to his mother (Sally Hawkins) and where his chocolate-based dreams started there are flashes of Paddington’s pop-up book fantasy, the same going for the personal hopes of orphaned friend Noodle (Calah Lane); also trying to escape a hefty debt in a dodgy hotel/ laundromat (run by Olivia Colman and Tom Davis, dialling up their toothy performances and bringing about some of the best lines of the film – “you’re eyes are like rabbit droppings in two bowls of custard”). The visual aspects which which these are shown, whether like a flip-book of photographs or hand-drawn fantasies there’s an emotional effect to be found within such expressions and depictions.

Further helped by the director’s ability to handle the screenplay’s (co-written with Simon Farnaby) snap-shifts in tone. From the joy of floating on a literal cloud of cotton candy to instant downfall, or worry being turned to hope these turns are precisely handled so as to bring in effect without any whiplash from what could feel like sudden changes. As the titular chocolate maker tries to evade the market-controlling chocolate cartel (Paterson Joseph, Matthew Baynton, Matt Lucas) the world he travels through feels consistently lived-in, connecting the audience further with him and his dreams. Emotion is sustained to feel more real, while laughs may crop up they’re bittersweet and directed towards the villains.

As a team forms around Chalamet’s lead – with the actor truly selling his performance in the musical numbers which he truly puts an effort into, forming even greater earworms that’ll be with you long after the credits have rolled – the plot, which is jumped into from the off, moves quickly. There’s plenty to enjoy about the heart and humour on display, bringing you in once warmed up and settled in, shortly after the opening number. Since watching earlier today I’ve had multiple songs from the film going around my head, and playing on a loop. Spreading that bit more joy from the film which puts a genuine spring in your step once it’s over. Some have made comparisons between Wonka and Paddington, and while there may be some shared feelings and elements this is far from a repeat of that formula. What it does do is show that Paul King understands what connects us to characters and their hopeful pursuits, with buckets of joy, emotion and, yes, a little bit of pure imagination.

With Wonka Paul King demonstrates his mastery of joy and emotion, their tonal changes and co-existence. Thanks to Neil Hannon’s earworm songs there’s a lot to be wrapped up in throughout, including the heart and humour of trying to achieve a dream.