‘Wonka’ pitch perfect musical magic

Many will say a new Willy Wonka is unnecessary. With an iconic performance in the Gene Wilder original, and source material that has aged poorly through a modern lens, it’s easy to want to leave Willy well enough alone. What isn’t easy is coming out of Wonka without a smile on your face, or humming its infectious tunes, and a serious craving for chocolate.

What sets Wonka apart from its predecessors is its position in the past. Timothy Chalamet’s performance as Willy Wonka is a far less jaded version of the chocolatier, who thinks it his destiny to show the world his candy creations. Naturally, his optimism is met with disdain from the chocolate robber barons, who seem to maintain a firm grip on a coastal city full of chocoholics.

While Willy’s ways do provide some intriguing backstory to the character, he still maintains the air of mystery to his whimsy. Inside the confectionary outer shell, there’s a gooey emotional centre that’s too sweet to be denied. Chalamet plays the role with openness and roots his motivations in his deep connection with his mother.

When the movie isn’t bringing you to the brink of tears, it’s dazzling you with a good old-fashioned musical. The music is captivating, and the film’s original songs manage to hold their own next to the returning classics. The sequences in song are not only catchy, but give way to the film’s creative side. Inventive visual gags crammed into nearly every scene make Wonka’s script feel like it’s brimming with pure imagination.

The film’s sprawling cast has a fair bit of development, with characters becoming beloved soon after meeting them. Where the movie falters is with its secondary antagonist. Wonka leans into a continuous gag in which Keegan-Michael Key’s chocolate-obsessed police chief becomes rotund as the film progresses. For a film so wholesome, the inclusion of fat-focused humour is puzzling to say the least.

The best of the supporting cast is Calah Lane as Noodle, who serves as Wonka’s assistant. Her role brings the film’s sweetness into overdrive, and without Lane’s performance, the impact would be lesser. Combine that with the moustache-twirling antics of the films trio of villains, and Wonka is a movie with a well-balanced tone that’s not afraid to get downright fanciful.

Wonka’s release at the end of the year is frankly pitch perfect. It may not be a Christmas film, but the snow-covered streets and sugary treats make it fit just enough. The film’s grandiosity makes it a must on the big screen. If you see one film this holiday season, make it Wonka.

Rating: Big Screen Watch

Damian Levy is a reviewer and podcaster for Damian Michael Movies