All around good, quirky fun!

Rating: 10/10 (19 July 2005)

"Candy doesn't have to make since, that's why it's candy," so says the character Charlie in Tim Burton's (Sleepy Hollow, Big Fish) re-adaptation of Roald Dahl's beloved children's tale, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. So does this, in so many ways, "quirky" film, have to make since? Should the interesting, and kind of scary performance by Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean, Finding Neverland) matter on whether this film is good or not?
Over the past week, critics such as Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper have said that "this movie has succeeded despite Depp's performance, which should have been the high point of the movie." Now lets consider the career of Johnny Depp; he started in the 1980's in Wes Cravens' A Nightmare on Elm Street. He considered himself an actor when he got to Oliver Stones' Platoon. Then he received a Golden Globe nomination for his silent-actor portrayal of an outcast in Edward Scissorhands, then to Benny and Joon, for which he received a Golden Globe nomination. Then he had another venture with Tim Burton, and received a Golden Globe nomination and critical acclaim for his work in Ed Wood. Then he stared in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, portraying one of his favorite authors, the late Hunter S. Thompson. He stared in another film by Tim Burton, Sleepy Hollow, for which he received a Blockbuster Entertainment Award. Then to Blow. And a few years later, he received Academy Award Nominated performances in Pirates of the Caribbean, and Finding Neverland. Now we're off topic, but the point of that was, his entire career is made up of versatility, just in this past half decade, he played a gypsy (Chocolat), a drug lord (Blow), an inspector (From Hell), and a Pirate (Pirates of the Caribbean). So, Johnny Depp did a wonderful job considering he was trying to portray Willy Wonka separately, away from Gene Wilder's performance in the 1971 adaptation. Sure, he reminded us of Michael Jackson mixed with Mr. Rodgers, but it works. In my opinion, that's probably what Depp wanted. He enjoys freaking people out, especially the producers, with his performances. He made it seem like Wonka was a recluse, which he indeed was. I thought this was a wonderful ingredient to Johnny Depp's filmography.
Tim Burton has worked with Johnny Depp three other times, Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, each one a classic. It was a risk to make this film. Many people were hysterical about it, including the original Willy Wonka, Gene Wilder. Tim Burton's main purpose of this movie was to re-adapt the book, not remake the movie. With many new ideas, it is successful. It is visually amazing, with the introduction, to the set decoration, also the incredible score and songs, written by the composer of almost all of Burton's films, Danny Elfman, to the incredible book-to-screen adaptation.
The low point of the movie Freddie Highmore. It's true, sorry to say it. Highmore possibly bought you to tears in 2004's Finding Neverland. For that performance, Johnny Depp was so pleased with it that he recommended him for this film. Freddie doesn't touch the grain of good acting, he was unnatural, and monotone. And he is really bad at showing emotion in this movie (surprising considering his recent film). There is a scene where he is forced to make a decision, that decision results in him being mad at Wonka, and it was an immediate change, nothing leading into it, and it just made people laugh at him, with the look of intimidation and it sent audiences chuckling. So, despite his critical acclaim in Finding Neverland, this performance is not what you wish it could be. Peter Ostrum never did another film after Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, which was out of his own will. It is truly ironic that Highmore himself says that he does not plan to continue acting as an adult.
Johnny Depp and Tim Burton are working together again, in the stop-animation film The Corpse Bride, a cousin to Burton's A Nightmare Before Christmas.
So, does this film have to make since? Many people don't think so, considering the track records of Depp and Burton, but, yes it does. It has to, and it does. Charlie has hilarious acting, good directing, good story, it's all around good, quirky fun!
I've always been told to close with a quote, because someone else already said it, so why try and top it? When asked about his roles being so different than the others, "I hope so. That's kind of the goal, isn't it? To try something new, each time out of the gate, and, you either make it work or you fail miserably." Johnny Depp