Writer of Pop Culture

How often is it that a person has fond memories as well as nightmare-inducing memories of the same movie? I know that I’m not alone when I say the original, 1971 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is that movie for me. While I loved all the various rooms of the Wonka factory, I was horrified when Augusta Gloop got stuck in a glass tube, when Violet Beauregarde turned into a large blueberry and that horrible boat ride through that nightmarish tunnel with its imagery of bugs, snakes and violence. But Roald Dahl’s story is enchanting and full of colorful characters, something that I still enjoy today. And Gene Wilder’s performance was great in that you weren’t sure if he was good or bad until the very end of the film.

The 2005 Tim Burton film, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, has its share of haters, but I rather enjoyed it for different reasons. Wilder’s version of Willy Wonka was mysterious while Johnny Depp’s version of the character was rather creepy at times. But the latter film had a charm of its own. I also really liked Wonka’s backstory about his mean, dentist father and how the Bucket family welcomed Wonka into their home for the holidays. Now we have a new Willy Wonka to contend with. And he’s more balanced. Mostly.

No, Wonka is not a remake of the classic Roald Dahl story nor is it a sequel. The Warner Bros. film is a prequel to the 1971 movie with some of the same characters and songs. It’s about a young Willy Wonka just getting started in the chocolate-making business. Unlike Wilder’s jaded Wonka, Timothée Chalamet’s Wonka is overly optimistic. He arrives in town with nothing but a “hatful of dreams.” But we learn that this overachiever is a talented inventor, magician and candy maker driven by the memory of his mother (Sally Hawkins).

Young Willy Wonka spends the night at an inn owned by Mrs. Scrubbit (Olivia Colman) and Bleacher (Tom Davis) despite the warnings of a smart little orphan girl named Noodle (Calah Lane) and finds himself in a rather tough situation. But he’s not alone. Accountant Abacus Crunch (Jim Carter), phone operator Lottie Bell (Rakhee Thakrar), washer woman Piper Benz (Natasha Rothwell) and comedian Larry Chucklesworth (Rich Fulcher) are stuck in the same spot.

Meanwhile, Willy’s dream of opening up his own chocolate shop will be a tough go given that three other chocolatiers, Slugworth (Paterson Joseph), Prodnose (Matt Lucas) and Fickelgruber (Matthew Baynton) are the “Chocolate Cartel” of the town. They are aided by the chief of police (hilariously played by Keegan-Michael Key) who gets paid in chocolate to keep out new candy makers. He can’t even trust Father Julius (Rowan Atkinson) who might have sold his soul for chocolate.

Unlike the dreary city featured in the first two films, this new Wonka world is beautiful and ornate. The story features a lot of callbacks to the original tale with edible plants and familiar songs. The whole production is reminiscent of movie musicals from the 1960’s and 1970’s. Not all of the songs are winners, but there are a couple of toe-tapping numbers. At least two songs from the original film are featured as well. “Pure Imagination” is cleverly used in a whole new way. I’m not sure if the music will resonate with younger audiences or not, but that’s the great thing about Wonka. It’s a story for all generations. If the kids can handle music that sounds a little dated, the adults can handle the mild bathroom humor. With the exception to a little innuendo here and there, Wonka is squeaky clean.

As for Chalamet, he makes for a fine Wonka. He’s cheerful and very likeable always thinking outside of the candy box. He’s a good singer. He and Noodle make a great team. But for no fault of his own, there is something a little off with Chalamet’s performance. Willy Wonka doesn’t present a wide range of emotions and really only gets discouraged once in the whole tale. It makes him a little one note, but maybe that’s by design.

Of course, the movie also features an Oompa Loompa. Despite the fact that Hollywood probably has a number of dwarves who would like to work, director Paul King chose to shrink Hugh Grant instead. His version of a little orange man with green hair is hilarious. He even has the dance down perfectly. In fact, the entire cast of Wonka are fantastic, and everyone looks like they are having the time of their lives playing their roles.

This year hasn’t been a great one for original tales and/or family tales, but Wonka found a way to be a hit. Roald Dahl is a tough writer to try to mimic, but Paul King and Simon Farnaby’s screenplay feels surprisingly authentic and worth a visit to the Cineplex rather than waiting to stream it a couple of months later.

(Main image: Warner Bros.)