Wonka Review: Timothée Chalamet Dazzles as the Famous Chocolatier

Daydreamers, Wonka is the film for you this festive season as Paul King delivers a treat that once again reminds us why we're safe in the arms of the Paddington director.

An origin story of the world's most beloved chocolatier, Wonka stars Timothée Chalamet as a young Willy Wonka who dreams of owning his very own shop among the finest chocolate makers the world has ever known.

Wonka is a sight to behold. It feels like a Roald Dahl book come to life, bursting with all the wordplay, silliness, and magic children adore in Dahl's books. It's bright and colorful, full of awe and space to daydream with plenty to feast your eyes upon, so much so it's impossible to look away from. Very much in the realm of Matilda: The Musical, which hit screens last year, Wonka takes advantage of physical comedy (even too much advantage at times) and leans into its ridiculousness earnestly.

It feels rare that we get a film that is truly fun for all the family in a way that provides meaningful entertainment for adults and children. Both audiences can wander safely among the spectacle, dining upon the candied delights of the sparkling production design provided by six-time Academy Award-nominee Nathan Crowley, captured lovingly by cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung.

Paul King may be our most uncynical working director. His pursuit of narratives that heal our inner child and remind us to stay hopeful when all is lost is admirable in a world that all too often feels bleak. To dream a film like this into reality in a world full of skeptics is a triumph.

Doubts were rife when the first images hit of Timothée Chalamet on set, and they doubled down when the trailer landed, but any worries audiences may have going in are quickly swept aside.

Wonka respects the beloved Gene Wilder 1971 classic, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, by peppering loving homages throughout without lazily copying and pasting. It wants to be something new and isn't, at any point, self-conscious about whose footsteps it's following in.

Its ensemble cast makes the movie what it is, with everyone on the same page about the world they are depicting. The note-perfect comedy lands almost every time. Olivia Colman, Paterson Joseph, Tom Davis, Mathew Baynton, and Matt Lucas are highlights, with a standout performance from Calah Lane as Noodle.

The Academy Award-nominated Timothée Chalamet is yet to deliver a subpar performance, and anyone hoping that Wonka will be his first will be let down. He has a task and a half, expected to sing and dance his way through Wonka while also depicting a character beloved by generations. He can only be praised for melting into the role seamlessly, toeing a fine line between a young boy who lost his mother and an ambitious daydreamer with the confidence and audacity to fight for his dreams.

The excellent songs from Neil Hannon will assuredly be sung on repeat when the soundtrack hits the mainstream. The musical element elevates the film, allowing it to hold its own and embrace the musicality of Dahl's writing. Joby Talbot provides a dreamy score, and combined with Hannon's music, the film is elevated to a new level.

You leave the theater with an affirming message about not only pursuing ambitions even in the face of adversity, but also the importance of dreaming. It is necessary to wander off into a world of pure imagination from time to time, even when it defies explanation.