Wonka (Me) (Kid)

So, another origin story arrives on our screens. Considering the 1971 original Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is one of the best children's films ever made, it might have been wise to steer well clear of this Roald Dahl IP. Luckily, in the hands of writer/director Paul King and co-writer Simon Farnaby, Wonka justifies it's existence. Just. 

Timothée Chalamet plays the young Wonka with a louche absurdism, channelling all the nuttiness of Gene Wilder but sadly, none of the edgy paedophobia. This scans in that it probably takes a long time to nurture that distaste for children that Wilder's Wonka displayed so winningly.

Story goes, Wonka arrives on a ship at one of those cities that often appeared in 1960s and 70s films (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the original Wonka, even Mary Poppins) that represented American ideas of old Europe. Is it Germany? England? France? Austria? Call it Generic Europa and leave it at that. He is on a mission to sell his chocolatey wares and, in the process, live up to a promise to his departed mum (flashback Sally Hawkins). 

As you might guess, things don't go to plan and he ends up at the mercy of disreputable landlords, Mrs. Scrubbit (Olivia Colman) and Mr. Bleacher (Tom Davis). On top of this, the chocolate cartel of Slugworth, Prodnose and Fickelgruber want rid of him toot sweet, calling in the corrupt establishment forces of the constabulary and the church to help. The cartel are (over)played by Paterson Joseph, Matt Lucas and Matthew Baynton and the pantomime villain force is extremely strong with these three.

The 'greedy may beat the needy' but little Willy has some chums on his side in the shape of Noodle (Calah Lane), Abacus Crunch (Jim Carter), and various other inmates of Scrubbit's wash-house. While there's no sign of any Veruca Salts or Augustus Gloops, Noodle, with her selfless altruism, acts as a Charlie Bucket substitute. Standout cameos from Rowan Atkinson and, especially, Hugh Grant add value to the film. King and Farnaby pack the dialogue with clever chunks, especially in the song lyrics. The songs were written by Neil Hannon and they're a treat. He's the rakish nerd from The Divine Comedy and The Duckworth Lewis Method, who also wrote the themes for Father Ted and the IT Crowd. 

Now then, I saw Wonka with my nine-year-old lad and he loved every minute of it. For me though, this is a colourful delight, tempered by sentimentality. There's nothing necessarily inventive in the story but if you're willing to give yourself over to the sweets, the immediate sugar rush will leave a smile on your face. 

Wonka opens everywhere in Aus on Dec 14th.

See also:

The already mentioned Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (directed by Mel Stuart, 1971) is a must-see if you haven't yet. And it was a fun little trip picking all the alumni from Brit comedy (Peep Show, Horrible Histories, Yonderland, Snuff Box, etc) but Matthew Baynton is responsible for one of the funniest scenes I've ever seen in The Wrong Mans (directed by Jim Field Smith, 2013). I have it.

(Film stills and trailer ©Warner Brothers, 2023)