Matilda
Tags: comedy, fantasy, cruelty, paranormal, dramatic, cute, cult, clever

Plot synopsis:
Matilda Wormwood (Mara Wilson) is an incredibly brilliant child born to crass and ignorant parents. Her father Harry (Danny DeVito), a crooked car salesman, and her mother Zinnia (Rhea Perlman), a dim-witted Bingo enthusiast, ignore their daughter constantly and, despite her pleas, do not enroll her in school. Left home alone all day, young Matilda makes frequent trips to the library for mental stimulation. She develops a love for reading, and for knowledge in general.Matilda's intelligence does not impress her father, who interprets it as "being a smart-aleck." After being unfairly punished once too often, Matilda plays a stealthy string of practical jokes on Harry (including swapping his hair oil with bleaching peroxide, and gluing his hat to his head). After a particularly nasty outburst from Harry, Matilda stares at the television in anger until it explodes. Confused by the phenomenon, she shakes it off.A disgruntled Harry finally enrolls Matilda in Crunchum Hall Elementary, after the principal becomes a customer at his dealership. Miss Agatha Trunchbull (Pam Ferris), the headmistress, is an enormous, intimidating, and brutal woman with a passionate hatred for children. Matilda arrives at her first day of kindergarten and befriends two students, Hortensia and Lavender, who warn her of Miss Trunchbull's violent habits. The student body witnesses Trunchbull, an ex-Olympian, perform a "human hammerthrow," and fling a little girl over a nearby fence by her pigtails. Despite the initial horrors of Crunchum Hall, Matilda's teacher Miss Honey (Embeth Davitz) is a kind and gentle woman, and Matilda is praised for her intelligence for the first time.Miss Honey speaks with Matilda's parents at their house and attempts to convince them of their daughter's brilliance. They rebuff her rudely, but she is not dissuaded from finding intellectual stimulation for Matilda. The next day at school, Miss Trunchbull once again demonstrates her cruelty. Calling all the students to a special assembly, she devises a public punishment for a boy called Bruce Bogtrotter who had allegedly stolen cake from the school kitchen. Trunchbull forces him to eat an enormous cake in one sitting, and is furious when he manages to succeed without getting sick. She gives the whole student body a five-hour detention.The next day, Miss Trunchbull's car breaks down and she takes her anger out on Matilda, simply because she is Mr. Wormwood's daughter. Matilda is put in the Chokey, a small closet in Trunchbull's office studded with nails on the inside, forcing its inhabitant to stand poker-straight. Miss Honey's class prepares for a lecture from the headmistress, who visits classrooms sporadically to intimidate the children up close. Matilda's friend Lavender gets revenge on Trunchbull by hiding a newt in the water pitcher on the teachers desk. While Miss Trunchbull menaces the students, Miss Honey rescues Matilda from the Chokey and brings her back to class. After Trunchbull drinks a glass of water she spots the newt, causing her to have an uncharacteristically childish panic attack when she sees it. She instantly blames Matilda for the newt in the glass. Matilda is furious and, using the same angry energy from the television explosion, manages to tip the glass over with her eyes, sending the newt flying onto Trunchbull. Trunchbull blames Matilda again but Miss Honey points out that Matilda had never left her seat. After the disgruntled headmistress leaves, Matilda tells Miss Honey that she had indeed tipped the glass over using her eyes. She cannot repeat the phenomenon in the moment, but Matilda knows she has a strange mental power that had also caused her parents' television to explode. Matilda and Miss Honey soon form a bond, and Matilda is invited over for tea after school. Miss Honey lives in a tiny cottage, and tells Matilda the story of her childhood: She had once lived in a beautiful mansion (which they had passed on the walk from school), where Miss Trunchbull now lives. Miss Honey's mother had died early on, and her father invited his wife's stepsister (Trunchbull) to look after the house and his daughter. Miss Trunchbull, not surprisingly, was cruel to her niece. A few years later, Miss Honey's father mysteriously died, and his death was ruled a suicide.Miss Honey walks Matilda home, and they pass Trunchbull's house once again. Matilda suggests they go in and retrieve Miss Honeys beloved childhood doll, as they saw Miss Trunchbull getting into her car and preparing to leave. Miss Honey tries to dissuade Matilda, but the girl dashes into the house leaving Miss Honey with no choice but to follow her. They explore the house briefly, with Miss Honey experiencing nostalgia from her childhood, but are terrified when they hear Miss Truchbull re-enter. Her car (purchased from Harry Wormwood) broke down on the driveway, and as she bellows to him over the phone she senses something awry. Matilda and Miss Honey desperately evade Truchbull as she tears through the hallways searching for the intruders, and escape from the house just in time. Out of breath and terrified, Miss Honey makes Matilda promise to never enter the house again.Harry is being secretly followed by two undercover agents (Paul Reubens and Tracey Walter) due to his shady methods of restoring shoddy used cars, such as reversing the mile counter with a drill and attaching bumpers with superglue. Agents Bob and Bill lurk in a car outside the Wormwood house, snapping incriminating photos of Harry. Meanwhile, Matilda discovers that her telekinetic powers work when channeling her anger towards her family. She uses this knowledge to practice her telekinesis, and soon becomes adept enough to move objects quickly and easily from a good distance away. Matilda buys some extra time for her father by stealing the agents' evidence tape and disposing of it.Matilda resolves to return to Trunchbull's house and retrieve Miss Honey's doll. On a stormy night, she climbs onto Trunchbull's garage roof and begins to move items inside the house in order to scare the superstitious woman. Matilda transports the doll out of a window, and escapes. A horrified Miss Trunchbull seeks refuge in her car, but discovers Matilda's red hair ribbon (blown off during the storm). She brings it to school the following day, and menaces Miss Honey's class to a new degree. Matilda finally demonstrates her powers to Miss Honey, and uses them to write a message on the blackboard which the children read in eerie unison. The message appears to be from the ghost of Miss Honey's father, demanding that Trunchbull give his daughter back her house and rightful possessions. It is suggested that he was, in fact, murdered by Miss Trunchbull long ago. When Trunchbull is sufficiently frightened, Matilda uses her powers to battle Miss Trunchbull by pummeling her with flying classroom equipment. The broken-down and horrified headmistress flees the school forever and is pelted with food by the entire student body.Some time later, Matilda is visiting Miss Honey, who lives in her childhood home once again. The Wormwoods suddenly arrive and (with sirens in the background) say they are immediately moving to Guam and demand that Matilda get in the car. Matilda resists and produces adoption papers, begging to be allowed to stay with Miss Honey. Miss Honey defends Matilda and agrees. Matilda's mother finally shows remorse for her treatment of her daughter, and signs the papers to grant her a better life. The Wormwoods leave forever.Eventually, Miss Honey is named the new principal of Crunchum Hall Elementary. She and Matilda start a new life together, with Matilda only using her telekinesis for small tasks like removing a book from a shelf.

Review: And in MATILDA we see all elements of childhood shine through by the intentionally ridiculous, over-the-top performances of Danny DeVito (Matilda's Dad), Rhea Perlman (Mom), and Pam Ferris (Ms. Trunchbull, the principal).And yes, there is a scary element to the movie: The chase in Ms. Trunchbull's house; the "Chokey"; the spooky scene of Matilda taking back "Lizzie Doll" from Ms. Trunchbull while "haunting" her house.
Danny DeVito has demonstrated a lesson well-learned from the Disney animated films of yesteryear: The more evil the villain, the more noble and victorious the heroine.To miss seeing MATILDA is to miss a heart-warming, hand-clapping, magical trip back to your childhood fantasies and ideals..
The characters are archetypal.Matilda perfectly captures what it is like to be an intelligent person, trapped in the body of a child, and surrounded by idiots who control far too much of your life.The notion that bad people (even adults) deserve to be punished for their evil ways (even by children) is truly subversive.
Those same unthinking, uncaring, and ignorant parents will probably hate this movie, unless they are wise enough to see the truth behind the fantasy.Despite the difficulties Matilda faces, like all good fantasies this movie has a wonderfully happy ending.
Both her demeanor and her looks bring the book's character alive.'Matilda,' while straying from the book's true form, is still highly enjoyable to watch, especially for those of us who have read the Dahl's masterpiece.
In addition, Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman, Pam Ferris, and Embeth Davidtz all were wonderful in their roles as Matilda's parents, principal and teacher, respectively.
"I'm smart your dumb, I'm big your little, I'm right your wrong and there's nothing you can do about it!" What a catchphrase  I could use that on my brother sometime but anyhow this was an influence on Matilda that made her strong and prepared her for her turbulent time ahead at school, especially with a nasty head teacher 'Miss Trunchbull'.
Roald Dahl had written this book to show that a small girl like Matilda can show courage and get herself out of a bad situation, once the film had been made, everything I can remember from the book was alive with a sweet girl to a lazy Mum and Dad (played by Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman).
It follows the continuity of both "The Witches" and "James and the Giant Peach," casting repulsive Trunchbull into the roles of Grand High Witch and repulsive evil aunt, with a bit of the ogre (especially during the chase in Magnus House).It's also pretty obvious that J.K. Rowling had read Roald Dahl long before she wrote the first of her Harry Potter books.
I can't say 'Matilda' was one of my favorite Roald Dahl books as a child but the movie adaption isn't that bad.
the simple wonderful story , the great acting specially from MARA , that was amazing , that's a kind of movies we are missing these days .
What makes Matilda the movie special is the fabulous story and message, the great acting, and that is also fun, sweet, naughty and entertaining.
She is the quintessential Matilda to me, perfect for the role, great acting despite her age and the circumstances on which she filmed the movie.
You know, there are many cute children movies with good acting and characters out there, but what separates Matilda from the rest is that the film has an Universal message that is still modern despite Dhal's book and DeVito's movie being oldies.
Furthermore, the script, focuses on highlighting those elements that make any child's upbringing successful: good morals, care for your family and love ones, respect for people, and puts a great emphasis on the value of education and on working hard to achieve what you want.
Matilda teaches children, especially little girls, that you don't need to be an empty doll to get what you want in life, you can be average-looking and clever and succeed at anything you focus on.
Unlike so many "kid's" movies, this is a film that can be watched and enjoyed by adults too.
Author Roald Dahl, as he did with Willy Wonka, liked to create exaggerated characters.'Matilda' (Mara Wilson) has outrageous parents and a super-outrageous school principal.
From the children's book by Roald Dahl about a brilliant, self-sufficient youngster from an outrageously dysfunctional family developing her telekinetic powers and using them when the time is right.
A triumph of art direction and special effects wizardry, however the film, directed by Danny DeVito (who also narrates and plays Matilda's father), is perhaps too stuffed with gimmicks and feels a bit top-heavy.
I do consider myself (to quite a high degree, even) to still be young, imaginative and playful, and as such I like to think that, if a children's movie is really good, I would also enjoy it.
It is wonderful in every way, and unlike the Potter movies it hits the exact comical tone that makes the exaggerated things - like the cruelty and insensitivity of the parents - really work.
I know that the title character's parents are portrayed as evil, but overall this movie could send a lot of wrong messages to young children.
Her unique character, her extraordinary intelligence and some newly found powers, make her easily remarkable and with the help of her teacher, with a troubled past of her own, are about to radically change her live forever.It's a wonderful movie, filled with laughter and joy, which presents a small portion of a girl's life, who once sent to school, is about to find out that there is a real life out there to be found, quite different to those she found in the books.
The special effects used are also very good, considering its time, contributing a lot to the outcome especially in the last part.It's the perfect film to watch with your family.
It's just an entertaining and light-hearted film that will definitely resonate with its target crowd of younger children, but it made me feel like a kid at the same time.
Imaginative and unique, Matilda is a movie that children of all ages will likely enjoy on some level, but also happens to be a worthwhile time for the whole family..
Roald Dahl's short story for children was produced and adapted for the screen by Danny DeVito who also stars in it along with his wife in real life Rhea Perlman.
They play the parents of Matilda, a child they neglect with some amazing powers and resourcefulness.The British origins of the story are unmistakable even though the location is in America with DeVito in that most American of occupations, a used car dealer.
Ms. Honey is the good teacher, Matilda's parents are the Wormwoods and Ferris's principal has a really great character name in Agatha Trunchbull.
There's something between Davidtz and Ferris, but I can't reveal that because it's part and parcel of the story.Matilda ranks right up there with Dahl's other children's fantasies like Willy Wonka and James And The Giant Peach.
At the time of seeing this, I was 8 years old, and after seeing it, all I wanted to do was be like Matilda, to have the powers she had, to have her life.
I loved Embeth Davidtz performance too, purely because she was so sweet, and was perfect to play Miss Honey.I loved Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman's characters too, and I thought Rhea's performance was particularly strong at the end.
The film is about a very intelligent 6 year old girl who is under appreciated by her family and it's a very good adaptation of the book.
But she makes friends with her teacher (who has the appropriate name of 'Miss Honey') and begins to understand she has certain special powers...Story by Roald Dahl brought to the big screen by Danny DeVito, who plays Matilda's father as well.
And he does a good job as well, as from an acting point of view, there isn't much wrong with this film.The characters are way too flat though, and in the end the story really isn't that magical or even entertaining as it could be.
STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead *Avoid At All CostsI was pleasantly suprised by Matilda,which I saw last night on video.I liked the special effects and the captivating performance by Embeth Davitz as Miss.Honey.Even for the minimal plot development that was intended,she really got you believing the kids were heading somewhere in their lives,and that life was so beautiful.The whole thing was pleasantly put together by Danny DeVito,who narrates amongst other things.If there was a complaint to be made,it would be Pam Ferris' slightly cartoony turn as Miss.Trunchbell,perhaps not sophisticated enough to fit into the movies whole.****.
This film has humor, a great family vibe and great acting, it also sends a pretty good message to children watching.
This film will leave children wanting to go to the library and hire out the book Matilda by Roald Dahl..
When I read Roald Dahl's "Matilda" in third grade, I got the feeling that it would make an interesting movie.
Matilda is a wonderful film,just as good as the book.The Quentin Blake illustrations of Miss Trunchbull look the same as Pam Ferris.She is the only British person in the film.Unlike most parents,Matilda's mum and dad do not care about her much.In the scene when her dad pulls her up by the ear,it is shown from the back so as not to frighten people.It is illegal to do that to a child anyway,I think.Matilda is an amazing child with magical powers.When she goes to school,she is terrified of the principal,Agatha Trunchbull,but she feels safe with her pretty and sweet teacher,Miss Honey.The name says it all.Her first name is Jenny,and in the book Matilda makes up a flattering limerick about her.I would never have the guts to make up a poem about a teacher,especially if I had to use his or her first name..
So, it came as a delightful surprise that the film adaptation was able to match the excellence of the book.The film, based on the much-loved novel by Dahl, centres on six-year-old Matilda Wormwood, a little girl raised in a home where she is very much the neglected second child with parents who have no time for her.
She clearly throw herself into the character, thoroughly relishing emphasising Trunchball's loathing of little children!'Matilda' is a very charming film that would easily appeal to all members of the family and remains as timeless as ever.
It retains the childlike wonder of the novel, the feel-good quality of seeing the bright and brave Matilda beating back against the big, bad adults and the particular brand of dark humour that only Dahl could get away with (not many authors could depict child abuse in a comical light).
Apart from that, a scene which was added in the movie which i don't recall from the book adds to the eccentric and mad-jock like character of Miss Trunchbull is just as entertaining like in the scene where Matilda and Miss Honey sneaked into her house and she hunted them down like rats.A fun and entertaining movie for the whole family.
This film is about a little girl who lives with her parents, Zenia and Harry, and her brother, Michael.Matilda is only six years old, but she is very, very intelligent.
immediately you step into matilda's world and you understand how she feels about life and the fact that her parents hate her.Eventually she makes friends with lavender and her caring teacher Miss Honey.I laughed at the chocolate cake part and whenever the kids got their own back on evil miss trunchbull.This movie is a must for all kids!.
Since this was not just an adaptation of a silly story that took someone five minutes to complete the main idea of the story and put it to text, it was a movie based on an actual novel, making it a  full and well done movie.Mara Wilson, who played Matilda, is a child who was adopted at a young age and is raised in a chaotic family of cheaters, liers, and gamblers.
I must say, I thought the casting was really great, but my favorite people were the Wormwood parents, played by a real-life Hollywood couple, Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlmen.
The story itself obviously owes it's greatness to Roald Dahl, but the film is very true to the story and does a superb job of bringing the book to the big screen.Very funny, and I'm 20 yrs old and still thought this was good.
This is a sign of a superb film when it's destined age is the young teens and young children, but me and my family all enjoyed it on the Sky channel one night.Keep up the Roald Dahl good movies, i.e The Witches, Charlie and the Chocolate factory and now Matilda..
There are a few minor annoyances or inconsistencies in the movie....Matilda's teacher Miss Honey is just a bit *too* perfect (although still very likeable) and I have to admit I am puzzled at how, despite the oppressive atmosphere of the school, each and every one of the children was perfectly sweet and well-behaved...not a single brat in the bunch.
I think the climax of this movie is where Matilda uses her telekinetic power to fight against the headmistress-Miss Trunchbull.
In this movie, the author gives Matilda a gift of telekinetic power and intelligence in studying .I think it is a very good story line.
To me, this film was like every other family movie ever made.
And Danny DeVito did an excellent job acting and directing, but, like I said, the movie as a whole is just so-so.One last thing-- that Mara Wilson girl is nauseating.
However, in the latter part of the movie, the mood is rejuvenated when Matilda is adopted by her loving teacher, Miss Honey.
I used to watch "Matilda" all the time when I was a child, it was (and still is) one of my favourite childhood films.
She is terrifying and looks almost exactly like the Quentin Blake illustration from the book.The movie is perfect as a family film.
It is, at times, bogged down by some bizarre additions to the plot (like the cops watching the house, while that was briefly mentioned in the book, it wasn't necessary for the movie because it simply wasn't that important a plot point and, as mentioned before, Matilda's excursions in the Trunchbull's house didn't really work that well either).
The use of forced perspectives really add to the film as well because you really do feel like a child.If you're looking for an absolutely perfect adaptation of Matilda, this isn't your movie.
From the best selling author roald dahl and the unique vision of danny DeVito comes matilda the story of a quite extraordinary little girl.Unfortunately for matilda her farther is a used car salesman who bamboozles innocent customers.And her mother Zinnia lives for bingo and soap operas.far from noticing that their daughter is a budding genius.In love with books and with learning they barley notice her at all.They bundle matilda of to crunchem hall a bleak where students cower before the whip hand and first of hulking monster Miss trunchbull but amid crunchem's darkness matilda finds miss honey who reconises the girl's remarkable skills and magic powers to allow her to turn the tables on the wiked grown ups in her world one of roald dahls most popular stories matilda is a charming and hilarious film.
The acting is great, young Mara Wilson is perfect as Matilda, Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman did a great job as her uncaring parents and Pam Ferris was suitably grotesque as the vile Miss Trunchbull.I'd certainly recommend this film to people of all ages, although it might not be a good idea to show it to younger children just before sending then to bed...
If you're after a truly good Roald Dahl film, skip Matilda and just watch The Witches..
To wrap this up, I'd like to say, "To all you Danny DeVito, Rhea Perlman, or Mara Wilson fans who have not seen this excellent movie for all ages, I highly recommend it!".
I think kids would love it because Matilda is a strong and smart character in this film.
Mara Wilson did great as the titled character and Danny Devito was good as her father and the narrator..
I like very much this film, I could say that I grew up with it.It tells us that everything is possible, but all depend on us, and I like that a lot:)).If you haven't seen it yet, see it, you will like it:))).I think that this movie is great not only for children, but also for big persons that have forgotten what is the feeling, the beautiful feeling, of being a child.
All those people who said the film was great should go read the book and see just how wrong they got the movie.
Great fun and a movie to watch with your kids..
Lessons that fail because they are overshadowed by the utterly stupid parents and a demonic principal that will never exist in the real world.I suppose people will blame me for failing to address other aspects of the film, like the good teacher, or Matilda's friends.
Which would make children fail to realize that a lot of their comforts in life come from the hard work their parents put in.This movie is fine and fun to watch.
I like Danny Devito's "Matilda" a lot, but I have never thought it to be a children's movie.
Actually, this quality is common in Roald Dahl's stories.Embeth Davidtz's adult character is really the movie's main focus and the Matilda character almost seems to be a fantasy created in her mind as a way to deal with the demons of her own dark past.The last thing I would call this challenging film is "pleasent.".
Well, for one I guess one reason to not give this movie a 10, is I feel like Matilda's character is a little annoying at times.