CATCF Review

Rating: 10/10 (13 March 2019)

I had first seen this movie when I was just a girl. I remembered how much I loved the movie aesthetic, and the storyline. Yes it was childish and funny, but it was enjoyable in all types of ways. The movie stayed with me throughout my life, junior high, high school. Etc. I would never forget how good the book was after I decided to read it as well. It's great for all ages of course. Kids or adults. The message that it portrays is hidden, but prominent in child development.
On occasion, I have the guilty pleasure of watching it on the weekends. The quality of the film is exceptional, and the actors represent a character that can be felt on a personal level. With this movie, I feel like I could watch it repeatedly, and never get bored. However it doesn't just give a satisfying performance. It touches on the problems with raising the ¨perfect¨ child, and acceptance. Scenes in the move for instance show the problems of not being raised properly, or an overarching theme of forgiveness. With Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, it gives a splendid look into the life of a boy thriving off being the balance in a group of the flawed.
This whimsical film begins with an vision of just how complex the factory is. The process that sends chocolate to cities worldwide is fascinating just as it is mysterious. It then focuses on the main character of the movie, Charlie Bucket, and his family. A quest that is sent by Willy Wonka has people from all around the world looking for a ¨golden ticket¨" in their candy bars. His yearn for the last golden ticket sent him on a fateful trip to the candy store. Children that discovered the golden tickets popped up fast. From spoiled to unhealthy, the unlikely group of foul children explored the factory, and took away valuable lesson they'd surely remember.
The film touches on how to raise a perfect child. Not unhealthy, spoiled etc. But like Charlie, possess characteristics of a well maintained kid. Near the beginning of the movie, we see the kids who discovered the golden tickets in their Wonka bars. The first kid to find the golden ticket was Augustus Gloop. A laughable line exclaimed from Mrs. Gloop read, ¨We knew Augustus would find the golden ticket. He eats so many candy bars a day that it was not possible for him not to find one!¨ He is clearly not healthy, and is indulging in very bad habits at such an early age. The next kid to ¨find¨ a golden ticket is Veruca Salt. Spoiled by her parents, she gets just about anything she wants. The rich father of Veruca told reporters: ¨soon as my little Veruca told me she had to have one of these golden tickets, I started buying up all the Wonka bars I could lay my hands on.¨ Not only was she just handed a ticket that wasn't even earned, but what she says after receiving the ticket is that she ¨wants another pony.¨ Next in line, headlines blast that Ms Violet Beauregarde has found the 3rd golden ticket. A bratty chewing-gum obsessed bragger is sure to stun the press with her trophies. She states that she is gonna get the special prize ¨because i'm a winner.¨ Not caring about the other kids, she boasts that her cocky attitude will earn her the first place spot. Last but not least, the 4th kid to discover a golden ticket is Mike Teavee (Ironic). Screaming and gunshots heard in the background indicated that this was another prime example of a tech obsessed youngin. When asked how he felt about the taste of the chocolate bar he replied, ¨I dunno, I hate chocolate. Now buzz off, okay? The Sopranos is starting.¨ Good thing he is touring a chocolate factory.
Seeing the lineup of kids touring the factory, it seems as if there isn't one good thing in any of them. Bratty, spoiled, unhealthy,and tech obsessed behavior, are factors of bad parenting that can teach many kids and parents a lesson. It appears that they need the perfect kid to balance out the attitudes.
Another theme hidden beneath the creative storyline is forgiveness. Nearing the final clips of the film, Willy Wonka is conflicted. He recalls to when he was a kid, and was basically abandoned by his father. His father was a dentist that would hammer Willy about consuming any type of sugary food, including chocolate. Willy decided for himself that he would leave in protest, but returned to find nothing. Upon finding where his father had resided, he decided to pay him a visit. When Wilbur (Willy´s father) had first encountered his son, he simply thought that it was a regular visit. Wilbur muttered, ¨Heavens, I haven't seen bicuspids like these since... since.. Willy?¨ They hugged awkwardly afterwards, which they hadn't done in presumably a long time. Willy had been dreading to go visit his father for fear of his reaction, however they hugged as if nothing ever happened all those years ago. This teaches any age that its okay to be scared of trying to mend broken relationships, but it can be reliving to turn the new leaf. Family issues may be solved over time, and it will ultimately be a regret of not fixing dead weight placed upon someone's shoulders.
When I go back and watch this movie, I still get the same happy feeling afterwards, as I did when I was a kid. I don't think parents will rely on a children's movie to inform them on how to parent, but it gives an image of how it should not be done. I can say with certainty that this is still one of my top 5 favorite movies. Not only does it convey inspiring themes, but it just sticks with you. I have seen several movies that made me laugh, and then want to cry, but this movie makes you feel like you are in the shoes of a boy who truly wants nothing more than for love to spread through his family and community.