A lot of Tim Burton

Rating: 8/10 (13 August 2005)

A little of Tim Burton goes a long way. In his "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" there is a lot of Director Tim Burton. There are about two too many Oompa Loompa song and dance numbers-- which have the analogous effect of riding Disneyland's "It's a Small World" in rapid succession. "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" is dark, macabre, absurd, and wacky. Talking with my bud, Ron, who is a fan of the Roald Dahl novel, Burton navigates closely by the book, a lot in spirit. John August's adaptation of the novel, is strange and at times overly stilted-- the children other than Charlie (wonderfully embodied by Freddie Highmore) are dreadful and for the most part despicable. Eventually August veers back toward the conventional ending, which worked for me at least. Johnny Depp's character turn near the end as Willy Wonka also returns us to the world of human beings. Charlie Bucket (Highmore) catches Willy Wonka's attention saying, "Candy doesn't have a point. That's what makes it candy." However, a movie should have a point, even if it is about that childhood romantic quality. With Highmore's Charlie we get that, and the value of family.
Depp steers the course on this very weird journey. In the beginning, I did not know what to make of Depp's Wonka. He seems to be doing a walk-through, playing a caricature of Michael Jackson sans the problematic legal creepiness. His Wonka is basically Peter Pan, who has an incomplete and unresolved relationship with his dentist father, Dr. Wonka (well played by Christopher Lee). Willy Wonka, chocolate magnate, being the son of a dentist is a great touch by August. Wonka's flashbacks to his youth are absurd, and Depp balances all this playing it straight up. Only at the end does he reveal Wonka's human vulnerability, with a light touch and wacky edge. Depp is an amazing and versatile actor.
I was interested in Burton's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", because it reunited Depp and Highmore. They had magical chemistry in "Finding Neverland". "Finding Neverland" is an entirely different kind of movie; however, they are also wonderful here. Highmore's Charlie Bucket lives in a broken down home with his parents (Helena Bonham Carter and Noah Tayllor), and both sets of grandparents. They are poor, and they are happy together. Willy Wonka announces to the world that he will open his world famous Chocolate Factory for a personal tour to the lucky five people who find a golden ticket hidden in the wrapper of his chocolate bars. Charlie finds the last ticket, and he and his Grandpa Joe (David Kelly) are among those to meet Willy Wonka. The other kids are despicable and annoying, and their parents are even more so. Perhaps, that is a message. This may almost be a miscalculation given the contest subtext of the story. All the other kids are so bad, and Charlie is a really good kid. Burton provides a visually stunning fantasy world inside the Chocolate Factory, even if there are two too many Oompa Loompa numbers. None the less, it is worth sticking out the over-the-top Burton for the end.
Freddie Highmore is an awesome young actor. He has a charm, earnestness, and warmth that are unmatched by many mature actors. When he is with Depp, the movie is amazing. Burton could have done more of this, instead of indulging in the bizarre and absurd. Then again, that is not in his nature. He is a skillful and eclectic director. "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" is worth seeing.