A Surprisingly Sweet ‘Wonka’ Dodges Dahl’s Bitterness
about 5 months ago (12/14/2023)
‘Wonka’ Review: Sweet Film Dodges Roald Dahl’s Bitterness | KQED Skip to Nav Skip to Main Skip to Footer The Do List A Surprisingly Sweet ‘Wonka’ Dodges Dahl’s Bitterness Michael Fox Dec 14 Save Article Save Article Failed to save article Please try again Facebook Share-FB Twitter Share-Twitter Email Share-Email Copy Link Copy Link Timothée Chalamet stars as the chocolatier Willy Wonka in Paul King’s original musical prequel to ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.’ (Jaap Buittendijk/Warner Bros. Pictures) From a child’s perspective, there is no higher use for the application of magic than conjuring candy out of the air. In and of itself, this first law of speculative metaphysics, which I just coined, makes Wonka an irresistible film for children. In addition to the expected superficial pleasures, writer-director Paul King’s original musical prequel to Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964) force-feeds a theme that is perennial catnip for youngsters: the unquenchable thirst for self-invention and reinvention.