Depending on your generation, you’ve either read the original book by Roald Dahl, seen the first film with Gene Wilder, or the later version with Johnny Depp (or all 3!). Rather than retelling the same story again, Wonka is an original film telling Willie Wonka’s origin story: how he came to be the king of chocolate that we all know.
In the beginning of the movie, Wonka (Timothée Chalamet) is returning to Europe after traveling the world gathering ingredients to be the best chocolate maker ever. However, he is met with immediate resistance from the 3 big chocolate companies in the region, who get the police on their side to harass Wonka at every turn. To make matters worse, Wonka finds himself indentured to a shady boarding house owner, who forces him to clean laundry in the basement. Thankfully Wonka makes a friend there, Noodle, who sees the passion he has for his chocolate and agrees to help him achieve his goals. But the chocolate lords will not make it easy.
The film has fun, catchy tunes (it is indeed a musical), and Chalamet is charming as the titular character, but it is the magic that he spins that makes this film so wonderful. I was mesmerized, transported back to my childhood, and it is easy to feel like a kid again watching this movie. Highly recommended for the young and young-at-heart. ★★★★½
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