Wonka first reactions: Timothee Chalamet praised for ‘charming, pitch-perfect performance’ in early reviews for the ‘surprisingly good’ origin tale

• Paul King’s $125M-budget musical fantasy hits UK theaters December 8 and US theaters December 15
• The 27-year-old Oscar nominee earned $9M to portray the titular character after beating out Tom Holland, Donald Glover, Ezra Miller and Ryan Gosling for the role
• Wonka also features Keegan-Michael Key, Matt Lucas, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, Olivia Colman, Hugh Grant, and newcomer Calah Lane 

Timothée Chalamet was praised for his ‘charming, pitch-perfect performance’ as Willy Wonka by critics finally permitted to share their early opinions of the ‘surprisingly good’ origin tale via X/Twitter.

‘#Wonka is a super charming delight powered by an exceptional & pitch-perfect performance from Timothée Chalamet,’ Collider senior producer Perri Nemiroff wrote.

‘It can get quite silly and there’s a few plot points that are a tad on the thin side, but that couldn’t stop such an impossibly sweet film with a hefty & very effective dose of sincerity from warming my heart.’

Gizmodo senior reporter Germain Lussier wrote that the 27-year-old Oscar nominee was ‘reason alone to see’ Paul King’s $125M-budget musical fantasy.

‘He’s infinitely charming [and] a blast to watch,’ Lussier tweeted.

Timothée Chalamet was praised for his ‘charming, pitch-perfect performance’ as Willy Wonka by critics finally permitted to share their early opinions of the ‘surprisingly good’ origin tale via X/Twitter

‘The movie around him isn’t as good but it’s enjoyable. The story & tone fight against each other leaving it a bit muddled. And yet it’s filled with joy & the songs are delightful.’

Variety/The A.V. Club film critic Courtney Howard called Wonka ‘a winning confection, filled with perfect amounts of charm, whimsy & poignancy, powered by pure imagination & bright, nimble musical numbers.’

‘Timothée Chalamet is a charisma factory. His full committal is intoxicating,’ Howard added. 

 ‘Hugh Grant [as an Oompa-Loompa] in exceptional IDGAF mode.’

IndieWire chief film critic David Ehrlich simply wrote: ‘Wonka good. Paul King king.’

Vanity Fair critic Richard Lawson was also a man with few words, tweeting: ‘WONKA is, in fact, good.’

Bleeding Cool editor-in-chief Kaitlyn Booth said it took her ‘by surprise with how much’ she liked Wonka.

‘It’s whimsical and taps into that sense of wonder we got from the original while doing its own thing,’ Booth tweeted.

  

‘Timothée Chalamet channels the energy of Gene without doing an impression. Great family film for the holidays.’

TheWrap film reporter Scott Mendelson wrote: ‘I was not expecting #Wonka to be the most realistic movie about human trafficking opening in wide theatrical release this year. Not a criticism, but also not a joke.’

Mendelson’s colleague at TheWrap, Drew Taylor, called Wonka ‘a delicious confection, at times salty, at times sweet, but always visually dazzling and emotionally rich.’

‘Paul King once again proves that he is one of our most exciting filmmakers, creating a world unafraid to go to the dark, strange places that Roald Dahl would,’ Taylor tweeted.

Roger Ebert associate editor Robert Daniels ‘surprisingly, mostly, enjoyed WONKA’ and called Timothée ‘a really gifted comedic actor, smartly leveraging his star persona for laughs.’

‘The staging is good and there’s lots of heart and whimsy. I did not however like the barrage of fat jokes. Poor form in a delightful film,’ Daniels scoffed.

Variety senior artisans editor Jazz Tangcay called Wonka ‘visually delightful’ and gave a special ‘shout out’ to production designer Nathan Crowley: ‘His world building is fantastical in every way.’ 

Fandango managing editor Erik Davis posted the lengthiest review about the ‘sweet and sincere’ film not unlike Paul King’s Paddington films.

The origin tale on Willy Wonka – based on Roald Dahl’s 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – hits UK theaters December 8 and US theaters December 15

Wonka also features Hugh Grant (pictured), Keegan-Michael Key, Matt Lucas, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, Olivia Colman, and newcomer Calah Lane

Chalamet earned $9M to portray the titular character after beating out Tom Holland, Donald Glover, Ezra Miller and Ryan Gosling for the role

On Tuesday, the boyfriend of Kylie Jenner braved London’s 40F-degree weather wearing a berry-colored velvet Tom Ford SS/24 womenswear suit sans shirt for the Wonka premiere held at Royal Festival Hall

Timothée – who styles himself – accessorized his pantsuit with square-toe Chelsea boots and a custom Cartier choker featuring 964 emeralds, rubellites, pink tourmalines, and blue opals

‘It also reminded me of #Annie in ways (Olivia Colman’s character is very much sending Miss Hannigan vibes throughout),’ Davis tweeted.

‘Cute, crafty, wholesome & perfect for the whole family. Timothée Chalamet holds his own as the legendary Willy Wonka. Definitely not as grizzled and maniacal as Gene Wilder’s version. Chalamet’s Wonka is a young and naive dreamer who learns to harness his talents with a little help from the friends he meets along the way.

‘Shout out to Hugh Grant and Keegan-Michael Key for putting it all out there in their roles and stealing scenes. Dad Tip: Parents, grab a chocolate or candy-making kit to create your own treats at home with the kids after the movie.’

The origin tale on Willy Wonka – based on Roald Dahl’s 1964 novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – hits UK theaters December 8 and US theaters December 15.

Wonka also features Keegan-Michael Key, Matt Lucas, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, Olivia Colman, Hugh Grant, and newcomer Calah Lane.

Chalamet earned $9M to portray the titular character after beating out Tom Holland, Donald Glover, Ezra Miller and Ryan Gosling for the role.

The eccentric genius, who delighted in punishing naughty children, was memorably originated by Gene Wilder in Mel Stuart’s 1971 beloved classic Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.

On Tuesday, the boyfriend of Kylie Jenner braved London’s 40F-degree weather wearing a berry-colored velvet Tom Ford SS/24 womenswear suit sans shirt for the Wonka premiere held at Royal Festival Hall.

Timothée – who styles himself – accessorized his pantsuit with square-toe Chelsea boots and a custom Cartier choker featuring 964 emeralds, rubellites, pink tourmalines, and blue opals

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