Who can take a sunrise and sprinkle it with dew? Apparently, Timothée Chalamet can. Ever since the Wonka movie hit the theaters back in December, Chamalet fans, chocolate lovers and Roald Dahl readers are all losing their jellybeans over this movie and for good reason.
Chalamet, known for some of his emotionally raw and vulnerable performances in movies like Beautiful Boy or Call Me By Your Name, has done a complete 180 by playing a completely different type of character: a magical, whimsical, candy man! It might be hard to imagine someone like Chalamet playing this type of role, considering that his previous roles are so deep and dimensional. However, even a silly character like Willy Wonka has some depth to him, which Chalamet was really able to showcase in the movie.
In fact, don’t be surprised if you leave the theater teary eyed! Chalamet is just that good at what he does. No matter what type of role he plays, he is able to continue telling a raw and emotional story, even if it’s about the childhood of a crazy, kooky, chocolate creator. “I definitely cried during the movie,” Kristen Yezzi, a first year student at IC admits. So don’t be fooled by the magical mischief of the Wonka aesthetic! There are definitely layers to be unwrapped with this emotional plot.
If it was unexpected that Chalamet is playing a silly character like Willy Wonka, it might be even more surprising to know that the movie is a musical. Meaning, Chalamet sings AND dances! Lily Ashman, a freshman at IC was not surprised at all to see Chalamet breaking out into song and dance throughout the movie. “I personally thought his voice fit the movie perfectly,” she said. “Timothée has the right amount of fun and whimsy in his voice that works well for a kid’s movie.” Chalamet definitely lets his whimsical side shine in this movie and it’s hard not to admire his flare and silliness. However, some of the songs in particular left the crowd confused. “I think not a single song was memorable at all. I’m not kidding. I walked out of that theater and I thought to myself: I could not sing you one of those songs, except for the… ‘noodle doodle apple strudel’ one,” Yezzi says. Apparently she’s not alone in being skeptical about the song choices.
The “Noodle Doodle” song, called “For a Moment,” is a silly quirky song that Wonka and Noodle sing together while searching for giraffe milk to make their perfect chocolate recipe. “That song was a bit crazy. I don’t really know how to describe that…” Noah Rodgers, another first year student at IC admits. Although the lyrics and silliness of that song may have thrown some people off, that is essentially what this movie is all about. It’s about being unapologetically silly and unexpected even if it comes off as confusing. That’s the magic of Wonka. He is never really supposed to make perfect sense.
In addition to the silly songs and somewhat unexpected casting, some may find it hard to connect with this movie, after being attached to the fan favorite comfort film starring Gene Wilder, the “original” Willy Wonka. “I would not say that it lived up to the same magic or nostalgia of either of the original wonka movies, because those are probably some of my favorite comfort movies ever,” Kristen says. There is something so magical about Gene Wilder’s original performance that it could be hard to ever top that, but it’s still important to appreciate Chalamet’s attempt to recreate that magic.
The Wonka movie, after all, is based on the brilliant and unforgettable story written by Roald Dahl: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. A childhood favorite that almost all of us can remember reading and daydreaming about. Golden tickets, chocolate rivers and fizzy lifting drinks. A world of pure imagination with no age limits and endless possibilities. If you haven’t seen the new Wonka movie, it wouldn’t hurt to attempt to escape into the world of pure imagination and relive your childhood wonders. Chalamet has the charm, the whimsical flair, a hatful of dreams and is ready to take you on a magical adventure. You might be surprised by the song choices, or maybe even the silly story line, but it might be worth it to attempt to relive some magical moments you experienced when watching the originals, even if it’s for a moment.
Autumn Valdes is a First-Year Journalism major who would buy Wonka Bars by the box full if they were real, in order to find a Golden Ticket. They can be reached at [email protected].