Wonka: A Spoiler-Free Review

It’s the 27th December. I wake up to a message that two tickets have been booked for the highly anticipated Wonka, only to minutes later, open TikTok to find myself face to face with Timothee Chalamet himself in an interview for W Magazine back in 2017, talking about his so-called ‘bad’ birthday, the 27th December! Even before I had sat down in the cinema things had started coming together! Spoiler alert! That sentiment did not end there.

I was pleasantly surprised to have a musical number open the film, full of intricate choreography, a pleasing pace across the lyrics, lines, and steps. Setting the tone in this way was much appreciated and frankly respected. Let it be known Wonka is truly a musical to its core. I don’t know whether reading that is a breath of fresh air or a sigh of disappointment for you, but I say it with a huge smile, counting it to be one of its greatest factors, continuously rhythmical and whimsical.

Wonka could not be anyone else. Chalamet brings impressive vocal to the role with natural belt and tone, whilst maintaining a youthful energy. It is everything we want it to be. Lil Timmy Tim and the Tiny Horse saga are only a small hint of what he can do. His portrayal is effortless and wonderfully theatrical, from the way he carries himself as a dancer to the captivating command he has on screen, working with the music to build that anticipation and grandeur. We should have expected as much, knowing as we do his background in LaGuardia where he starred in multiple musicals, but there is no doubt we are all the more aware of his star power now.

His singing voice is admittedly not as well-rounded as those currently on the West End for example but his performance contains pockets of these beautiful musical choices, performing certain phrases in ways that take you by surprise and give you something truly special, excitement, emphasis, character, hints of a crooner, a showman, with a smile that is catching and the return of the dramatic, silent close up shot of a teary Chalamet that gets us all choked (see Call Me By Your Name) and the power of Timothee Chalamet in period dress.

Calah Lane as Noodle has a wonderful natural talent, taking on this layered role with a great maturity and keeping up with a star-studded cast with frankly unbelievable ease. The emotional richness and control in her vocal is beautiful, and only soars higher when you add the heart-warming connection between herself and Chalamet and the way their voices harmonise so wonderfully together.

The film takes us just out of the realm of possibility expertly, following in the footsteps of projects like Mary Poppins Returns and, of course, Paddington. A world apart from ours where the ridiculous is believable and amazement is the default sensation, fuelling this sense of humour and imagination from beginning to end.

Music moves the story along with rhyme and rhythm more than rhyme and reason. Going into this, I did not think that I would listen to the soundtrack but since leaving the cinema I have done just that. When lyrics mean so much more than what is happening on screen, to the point where it threatens to bring a tear to your eyes and you could swear the world just got a little brighter, you know you’ve got a quality movie musical.

In a soundtrack, brilliantly composed by Neil Hannon and Joby Talbot, quick detours into different genres and certain melodic choices remind me, particularly in instrumental moments, of the Matilda The Musical movie. The Roald Dahl Musical Universe is truly materialising, and it’s in other elements too, themes, characters, plot points, the importance of family, whether chosen or born into, the saving grace, the experience of slowly putting together the reality of a little side story woven into the main. Not to mention, Chalamet’s growing reputation for bringing books to life in his work. From Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, to Little Women, to Dune, to Call Me By Your Name, we’ve almost seen every genre. When something feels so meant to be its all the more special and magical and for a movie like this, that already holds that feeling in buckets and spades, that’s saying something.

The cast is completed brilliantly with some iconic names of British TV and Film, some we were clued in on and some lovely surprises too. We have something of a Zendaya in Dune situation with Hugh Grant’s part of the Oompa Loompa origin story in this film but nevertheless his portrayal was full of fantastic comedic delivery and timing and to all fans of the various TV projects of the Six Idiots, specifically Ghosts, prepare to be flabbergasted by more familiar faces than you thought! The casting puts drama, comedy and music at equal priority and the fun the cast had working together on this really shines through.

Paul King clearly had a vision when it came to putting this together and it shows in the effortless final product with a consistently beautiful feeling of innocence and joy. Little intricate details have great effect for the most part but some elements, in fact one in particular, is not thought out so well and creates a snag and bump in an otherwise seamless project to almost a confusing degree. Considering everything else they were able to achieve, this gross misstep is hard to let go of.

However, overall, Wonka is the sum of all its perfectly picked parts and more. Scattered satisfying references to previous iterations of the quirky chocolatier add a sparkling finish to the piece, particularly in relation to Gene Wilder’s portrayal in Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971) but with some additional nods slipped in. Previously the fact that I have never watched Gene Wilder’s portrayal of Willy Wonka would have seen me met with, understandable, resentment or, at its worst, disownment, but now I have the chance to watch it fresh, with this colourful origin story in mind, and see how Chalamet’s portrayal grows up!