WONKA, a Paul King confection
Written by Simon Farnaby & Paul King (screenplay) and Roald Dahl (based on characters by)
Directed by Paul King
Starring Timothée Chalamet, Calah Lane, Tom Davis, Olivia Colman and Keegan-Michael Key
Runtime 1 hour and 56 minutes
MPAA Rating PG for some violence, mild language and thematic elements
In theaters December 15

by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport & Editor in Chief

“All I got is my chocolate and a hatful of dreams.”

Timothée Chalamet (who I will now refer to as Timmy from here on out), is no Gene Wilder but he brings a charming sweetness to Wonka that is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Paul King’s Wonka does not waste any time informing the viewer that this picture is indeed a musical as it opens with a song and dance number that immediately sets the picture’s fancy free, whimsical tone. Willy Wonka (Timmy) arrives in an unnamed European city determined to open a candy shop in honor of his late mother. Together, they shared a love of chocolate. Willy’s good heart gets the best of him when he frivolously spends all his coins, leaving him penniless by nightfall. (Un)Fortunately he is approached by a stranger that provides him with a tip on where he can catch some winks for the night. Wonka is led to an inn of sorts that is managed by the smarmy owner, Mrs. Scrubbit (Olivia Colman).

It is quite clear from the onset that Wonka’s only focus in his life is his chocolate studies, which makes him oblivious to the world around him. Toting around a makeshift candy factory within his hulking briefcase, Wonka often avoids the formalities in favor of confectionery chatter. This lack of attentiveness causes him to ignore the scrawl on the outside of the building that states, “come for a night, stay forever”. In order to stay the night, Wonka must agree to the terms of a cumbersome, never-ending, fine print contract. This of course being one of the many nods to the 1971 picture sprinkled throughout the movie. Mrs. Scrubbit assures Willy that underneath all the legal mumbo jumbo it simply states that he will pay for the room in full the next day. Wonka’s overly confident personality gets the best of him when he agrees to the terms. He believes that once he introduces his fantastical chocolate concoctions to the market square the next morning, he will easily make the money back and then some.

Unfortunately, things don’t go according to plan as Willy has a run-in with the Chocolate Cartel. This particular plot point drives much of the story’s conflict throughout. Led by Slugworth (Paterson Joseph), the cartel is comprised of three confection companies working together to ensure that any competitor attempting to open a candy store will be eliminated. Due to this unforeseen predicament, Willy is unable to settle his account with Mrs. Scrubbit and is given a lifelong sentence at her laundromat. Conveniently located in the basement of the inn, Willy finds that he is not alone in this dire predicament and is introduced to a gaggle of characters. Cue Rich Fulcher. As a fan of shows The Mighty Boosh and Snuff Box, never did I ever expect to see Rich Fulcher in such a delightfully pleasant film. The sheer glee I had when he appeared can not be understated.

Unsurprisingly, Wonka soon finds himself the leader of this rag tag group and hatches an escape plan to break out with one goal in mind: to sell his soon to be famous chocolates, of course. He takes the impressionable, whippersnapper, Noodle (Calah Lane) under his wing and together they go on a few madcap schemes, including breaking into a zoo to milk a giraffe. That’s right, milk a giraffe all in the name of chocolate making. Calah sparkles on screen and the scenes shared with Timmy prove that we have not seen the last of this young talent.

Walking into the cinema, I was expecting this film to be a total bomb and was pleasantly surprised to find an amusing, colorful tale with many layers. It is a touching story with a caper on the side. Writer/Director, Paul King once again performs magic, much like what was seen in his hit Paddington films. Wonka, is a worthy prequel to the 1971 classic picture that manages to stand all on its own. Timmy plays the role of Wonka with his own flair while paying homage to the late Wilder. One other key benefit of this version that I found is it having no trace of the Bucket family. I found I did not even mind Hugh Grant’s portrayal of the Oompa-Loompa. This character’s story was woven into the film without sending it off the rails or serving merely as a spectacle.

Is this picture a masterpiece? No, but it sure is a nice way to escape the world for a bit.