Any filmmaker with the hubris to try and recreate a magical classic is doomed to fail. Those who’ve seen Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) starring Johnny Depp can attest to this. So, it’s clever of director Paul King of Paddington (2014) and Paddington 2 (2017) fame to focus his whimsical efforts on a prequel rather than remake the stellar and subversive gem Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971).
King’s Wonka (2023) is an origin story with Timothée Chalamet playing the eccentric candyman who first appeared in Roald Dahl’s beloved novel “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (1964). Of course, most people associate the iconic character with Gene Wilder in Dahl’s 1971 screen adaptation. Nevertheless, all three actors received a Golden Globe nomination for their performances.
Rather than emulate Wilder’s unforgettable work, Depp went an entirely different way with his 2005 characterization which came off as creepy and cold. Although manic, Wilder’s take maintained a warmth behind his twinkling and menacing eyes. Like the three-course dinner chewing gum that turned Violet Beauregarde blue, Wilder’s layered portrayal is revealed in three phases: he initially appears kid-friendly until he purposefully puts children in danger before ultimately exposing a gentle soul.
*** minor spoilers ahead ***
Chalamet’s Wonka emphasizes the latter. He’s younger, kinder and more optimistic than previous screen depictions. As with Mia Goth’s performance in the X (2022) prequel Pearl: An X-traordinary Origin Story (2022), audiences encounter a less jaded and more unguarded character. Indeed, the script by King and Simon Farnaby presents Wonka before cynicism and paranoia creep into his psyche. He hasn’t yet been betrayed by future factory employees trying to steal his sweet recipes.
That’s not to suggest the aspiring chocolatier isn’t without hardships. In addition to being roughed up by a corrupt Chief-of-Police (Keegan-Michael Key) per the bribes of confectionery competitors Slugworth (Paterson Joseph), Prodnose (Matt Lucas) and Fickelgruber (Mathew Baynton), the wide-eyed hero finds himself in debt. He’s signed a contract with massive small print (a trick he’ll later use to his advantage in the 1971 film) and consequently is bound to scheming innkeepers Mrs. Scrubbit (Olivia Colman) and Bleacher (Tom Davis) ala Madam and Monsieur Thénardier from Victor Hugo’s “Les Misérables” (1862).
While trapped in legal servitude, Wonka exhibits the ingenuity he’ll use on subsequent candy-making inventions to his fellow workers. But except for accountant Abacus Crunch (Jim Carter), none of these Dickensian-named cohorts — comedian Larry Chucklesworth (Rich Fulcher), plumber Piper Benz (Natasha Rothwell) and telephone operator Lottie Bell (Rakhee Thakrar) — are crucial to the Wonka legacy.
More important are the female forces that help guide Wonka to success. His dearly-departed mother (Sally Hawkins) leaves him the secret ingredient for the best confections. And an orphan called Noodle (Calah Lane) helps him escape his captors. Together, Lane and Chalamet share a chemistry that’s as pacifying as a lollypop.
Noodle is a predecessor to Charlie Bucket; a poor kid who rolls with the punches opposed to the nasty and entitled children who emerge with their enabling parents in the 1971 and 2005 films. Yet without the comedic comeuppance of such characters, Wonka loses its bite.
Luckily, Hugh Grant’s dry-witted Oompa Loompa provides a much-needed saltiness to the otherwise saccharine story. Whenever he’s on screen with Chalamet, the film comes to life. Alas, Grant is used sparingly since much of the nearly 2-hour run time is spent on Wonka’s adversaries. Instead of covering the candy cartel’s private meetings, Scrubbit’s romance and conversations between her discontented staff, the movie should have honed in on Wonka’s past.
How did he get his signature top hat and purple coat? Did he trade candy to a hungry haberdasher and tailor after ripping his clothes during a hike in Loompaland? Or was he advised to don colorful garb to draw crowds when selling sweets in town? In lieu of a fashion flashback, the film introduces Wonka as fully-realized within the first frame. Not to mention, there’s no mention on how he became a magician or obtained the collateral to rent a castle. Certainly some mentors must have appeared along the way.
Even though the story is fantastical, there are a lot of holes in the screenplay. But instead of asking why Noodle’s mother never looked for her or why the thieving Mrs. Scrubbit didn’t steal the orphan’s birthright jewelry, it’s more rewarding to sit back and enjoy the lavish sets by Nathan Crowley and lush cinematography by Chung-hoon Chung.
Wonka also includes amusing musical numbers choreographed to new songs by King, Farnaby, and Neil Hannon. Chalamet’s dance moves and vocals echo Wilder’s while Joby Talbot’s score incorporates Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley’s “Pure Imagination” and “Oompa Loompa” tunes from the original film.
Despite the familiar chords that link Wonka to Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, the new movie can stand alone. Wonka may not be perfect, but it’s perfectly charming in its own way.