Young William Wonka has no more than ten coins in his pocket. Yet in the opening sequence of the children’s film Wonka, which opens in cinemas from Thursday, he does not hesitate to treat his silver children in a way that must raise the hairs on the body of anyone who believes in the hard pursuit of the American dream. Frivolous, some would say. Kind-hearted, others would point out.
Willy Wonka soon lies down – without a single coin, because he has given away or lost them all in an instant – on a bench under the bridge, which is not a good idea considering the surrounding cold. A guy with a sloppy expression tells him the same when he recommends a place to lay his head for the night. But due to the fictitious contract full of hidden text written in fine print, this night turns out to be a debt. It will take 10,000 days to complete it.
The film tells about the origin and past of the most famous chocolate manufacturer in the world known from the classic book by Roald Dahl, who in the film Mr Wonka and his chocolate factory from 1971 was portrayed by Gene Wilder, followed by Johnny Depp at the beginning of the millennium in Karlík and the chocolate factory.
When the news was coming, it looked like another purely commercial move by Disney. Because in this company, they have always, especially recently, put up with various remakes or other ways of working with already established stories.
Fortunately, Wonka was directed by Paul King, whose two-part series about Paddington Bear is one of the best family films of the last decade. And his Wonka is a sweet musical from start to finish, which may not sound like a recommendation to many viewers. But a master of detail and design, King tweaked it with a similar precision with which the hero creates his confections.
Timothée Chalamet known from the drama Give me your name or the science fiction Dune stars Wonka as a passionate, enthusiastic boy who believes in his “product”, in the best chocolate and its products. At the same time, he still comes off as someone who’s over-dreamed – and we viewers aren’t sure if there’s any real art behind that enthusiasm. In addition, the city is ruled by a chocolate cartel, determined to eliminate unfair competition.
Timothée Chalamet plays Willy Wonka, the world’s most famous chocolate maker. | Photo: Warner Bros.
While Wonka, like a number of other hot tenants of the boarding house, is serving an endless sentence and the clouds of conspiracy of the most powerful men in the city are gathering over him, he continues to work carefree on the foundations of his future chocolate empire. With enormously contagious determination.
Wonka is definitely not a film about making an entrepreneurial dream come true. On the contrary, it mocks the predatory capitalist nature that only pursues profit, which is all the funnier for a Disney film, which has been cutting its “candy” in recent years as if on a treadmill. And he sells them by weight.
The very first presentation of the candies born from Wonka’s mysterious hat has the power to amaze and stun. The mobile customers of the local luxury shopping center first acknowledge the unconventional combination of flavors. Then they will rise like a balloon. And at the end, according to Wonka’s words, bugs will fly out of their asses. In short, munchies as presented by Mr. Wonka can be tricky.
A darker and more ironic side is revealed here, from which one can feel the author of the original story, Dahl. Confectioneries are a staple of life in the nameless city – reminiscent of the old London of the previous century, slightly punched by Bavarian influences. The trio of “chocobarons” use them to bribe the police chief so that she can have everything under her thumb. And Wonka is unwelcome because he is difficult to defeat and, above all, an unpredictable element. No one can be sure in front of his sticks.
In the title role, 27-year-old Chalamet is a similarly guileless stranger in the new world as Paddington. But at the same time, he has significantly higher ambitions than just passively fighting his way through. He can draw the audience to his side with a similar force, although he is not an animated, perpetually marmalade-eating furry from the Peruvian jungle.
Not all the songs he sings in this musical are destined to become classics on first listen. And Chalamet’s voice is full of determination rather than professionalism. But actually this is also part of the charm of his character.
The film is not overly sweet, although it is all about sweets. The picture features Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka and Hugh Grant as Lofty. | Photo: Warner Bros.
Wonka is like a poke in the ribs to a kind of Dickensian world dominated by industrialists who have a very coarse and ruthless idea of how capitalism works. And director King slyly laughs at these upstarts. For example, there is a man who automatically feels sick as soon as someone says the word poor. There are a whole galaxy of similar jokes in the film.
King once again populated the stage with unforgettable characters and characters. Olivia Colman plays a corpulent “husband” who keeps Wonka and a whole line of slightly eccentric individuals as slaves, Tom Davis stands by her side as a thunderous and unruly partner in this criminal enterprise. Hugh Grant enjoys a slightly slimy role as the Oompa-Loompa, a fictional dwarf tribe. And comedian Keegan-Michael Key transformed into a police chief with an all-too-much weakness for sweets.
Wonka is a more than worthy addition to the Roald Dahl universe. If you’re looking for a light-hearted Christmas family movie, there’s no better choice in theaters this year. It’s not over-sweetened like many, although it’s all about sweets.
Film
Wonka
Director: Paul King
Vertical Ent., Czech premiere on December 14.
2023-12-15 11:43:12
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