'WONKA' Delights in Making the Roald Dahl-Verse Dreamy Again

Two words: Paul. King. The 45-year old British writer/director has not so much stumbled as pioneered his way into the most winsome of formulas with his trifecta of perfectly delightful family friendly films, Paddington, Paddington 2, and, now, Wonka. By exploring the backstory of the mysterious titular character from one of Roald Dahl’s most iconic tales, King seamlessly blends the charm and whimsy that have defined his previous works with the musical fantasia of the 1971 Gene Wilder-starring film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. The result is a truly special prequel: a largely wonderful and never-not-dazzling film that revels in oodles of fun, deliciously lavish set pieces, and many a toe-tapping song and dance numbers.

Joyously unfurling the origins of everyone’s favorite child-abusing chocolatier, Wonka introduces Timothée Chalamet’s portrayal of the iconic character. Arriving in an intentionally vague European city, he has nothing but a pocketful of sovereign coins and a dream of opening his first chocolate store. Having devoted his early years exclusively to the study of chocolate, the illiterate Wonka accidentally ends up in an indentured servitude situation with the nefarious Mrs. Scrubbit (Olivia Colman, wonderfully devious here), and her towering, frog-throated henchman Bleacher (Tom Davis) after signing a contract he could not read. He’s forced to work in the pair’s underground laundromat, scrubbing all day and night alongside a colorful cast of characters.

His fellow misbegotten marks include orphan Noodle (Calah Lane), accountant Abacus Crunch (Jim Carter), sanitary worker Piper (Natasha Rothwell), failed standup comedian Larry Chucklesworth (Rich Fulcher), and quiet telephone operator Lottie (Rake Thakrar). Determined to break free and realize his candy-colored dreams, Wonka and his companions concoct a plan to stealthily distribute his magical chocolate creations. They skillfully evade the vigilant eyes of Scrubbit, the increasingly-portly chief of police (Keegan-Michael Key), and outmaneuver rival chocolate barons: Mr. Slugworth (Paterson Joseph), Mr. Prodnose (Matt Lucas), and Mr. Fickelgruber (Matthew Baynton). Naturally, there’s also a roguish Oompah Loompah, played by a scene-stealing Hugh Grant, at the absolute the peak of his powers as a pocket-sized imp to whom Wonka is indebted, further complicating affairs.

While this critic will admit that the idea of a Willy Wonka origin story held little appeal, King pulls it all off wonderfully. This success is largely due to King making the story distinctly his own. The script, co-written with frequent collaborator Simon Farnaby, ventures into new narrative territories instead of feeling obligated to bridge every gap from Wonka’s early life to the famed golden ticket contest. What could have been an unfocused sprawl instead feels focused, singular. That it feels more stylistically and thematically in harmony with King’s widely-beloved Paddington 2 than it does with Tim Burton’s decidedly odd 2005 remake starring Johnny Depp is likely to delight most viewers. However, there may be some who fail to recognize the uncorrupted magnanimity of the eponymous character and hunger for a bit of his darker shades and sharper edges.

Chalamet’s Willy Wonka is a ‘glass half full’ type. Unlike Wilder’s take, Chalamet’s Wonka hasn’t yet been hardened by a lifetime of espionage and betrayals. Similarly, his Wonka is a far cry from the bizarre, maybe mentally-unfit weirdo brought to life by Depp. He’s a day-dreamer, radiating infectious optimism and giddy invention, with a song in his heart and a genuine desire to bring people together one delectable bite at a time. Chalamet nails the role, blending a measure of whimsy and effortless star-power with his impressive singing and dancing skills.

Aided by decadent production design that equally calls to mind his previous works and Wes Anderson’s obsessive, razor-sharp framing, there’s a sense of warmth and wonder that permeates every single scene of the film. Perfectly suitable for families, especially during the holiday season, King’s film possesses the rare ability to captivate audiences of all ages through its mixture of eye-catching set pieces, silent film era physical humor, and clever in-jokes. The lovely original songs from Neil Hannon help give the film its sense of weightlessness while also calling back to the original in interesting, but never overbearing, ways. It all adds up to a truly dazzling production that is as utterly charming as it is an effective continuation and reimagining of the Roald Dahl brand. If only other creators could make family-friendly fare appear this effortlessly magical.

CONCLUSION: Timothée Chalamet plays a bubbly young version of Willy Wonka in Paul King’s magically musical prequel that exceeds any reasonable expectation. A true delight for the whole family, King’s extension of the Wonka-verse succeeds by making it fundamentally his own.