--- title: "Wonka" year: 2023 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/wonka" fi1m_id: "wonka" imdb_id: "tt6166392" tmdb_id: 787699 wikidata_id: "Q108456719" fi1m_score: 68 critics_score: 72 critics_reviews: 22 published: "2026-09-10" updated: "2026-09-18T08:38:03.930593+00:00" region: "IL" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Wonka (2023) Directed by Paul King · 1h 57m · IFRB All · Comedy, Family, Fantasy ## Identity Wonka - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/wonka - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** wonka - **IMDb ID:** tt6166392 - **TMDB ID:** 787699 - **Wikidata ID:** Q108456719 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6166392/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/787699, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q108456719 **Fi1m score: 68** · Critics 72 from 22 reviews *In a sentence:* Hugh Grant, orange, green-haired and furious, is the only person in town not smiling > Paul King brings the Paddington manner to Roald Dahl, and the result is handsome, kind and funny whenever Hugh Grant is on screen. It is also sweet without pause for 117 minutes, and Dahl’s bite is nowhere to be found. ## Synopsis A young Willy Wonka (Timothée Chalamet) sails into a snowbound European city with a few coins, a hatful of recipes and a plan to open a chocolate shop in its grandest arcade. The city’s chocolate is run by a cartel of three, Slugworth (Paterson Joseph), Prodnose (Matt Lucas) and Ficklegruber (Mathew Baynton), who keep the Chief of Police (Keegan-Michael Key) supplied and do not welcome competition. Penniless by nightfall, Wonka takes a room at a boarding house run by Mrs Scrubbit (Olivia Colman) and finds the small print has him working off his debt in her laundry, alongside an orphan called Noodle (Calah Lane). Hugh Grant plays an Oompa Loompa with a grievance. Paul King directs, with songs. ## Review Paul King has made a film about how Willy Wonka came by his factory, which is not a question Roald Dahl’s 1964 book asked and not one the 1971 film with Gene Wilder thought worth answering. King and Simon Farnaby, who wrote *Paddington 2* together, answer it anyway, with songs, the answer being that Wonka was a nice young man who wanted everyone to have a bit of chocolate. *Wonka* is handsome, well acted and easy to sit through, and it is sweet from its first minute to its last in a way that had us longing, by the hour mark, for one sour note. It is a good family film. It is not a Dahl one. The city is the best thing in it. Nathan Crowley borrows arcades from Paris and a cathedral from somewhere colder, adds a canal, and puts a glass-roofed hall of chocolate shops at the centre where the rich go to be sold to. It is a place you would happily walk around for an afternoon, which is more than most invented cities manage. Timothée Chalamet plays Wonka as an open book. He beams, he means every word, he sings in a light, pleasant voice that never strains, and he dances as if he had been taught rather than born to it. It is a likeable performance and a deliberate one; King wants us to meet the man before the factory doors closed on him. The cost is that there is nothing behind the eyes. Wilder’s Wonka might have been about to do you a kindness or a cruelty and you could not tell which. Chalamet’s would never do the second, and the film loses a little tension every time he smiles. Hugh Grant, orange, green-haired and small enough to keep in a jar, plays an Oompa Loompa who has been stealing Wonka’s chocolate at night to settle a debt from Loompaland, and he plays him with the weary disdain of a man sent to a party he did not wish to attend. Every line lands. We laughed properly at him, more than at anything else in the film. Olivia Colman, in a mob cap and a foul temper, runs the boarding house with Tom Davis’s Bleacher as a pantomime villainess. Paterson Joseph leads the cartel with relish, Jim Carter and Natasha Rothwell are good company in the laundry, and Rowan Atkinson’s chocolate-loving priest gets fewer laughs than he should. The trouble is sugar. Every problem is solved by kindness, a song or both, and after ninety minutes of it we felt as one does after a third éclair: not unhappy, but done. The songs are bright and tuneful and we could not hum one by the car park. Joby Talbot’s score under them does more of the work, especially in the quiet scenes about Wonka’s mother, which moved us more than we expected because the film goes quiet for once. Keegan-Michael Key’s Chief of Police is bribed with chocolate and grows steadily fatter under a series of prosthetic suits, and the film treats this as a running joke; it is a cheap one and it runs too long. Mark Everson cuts briskly, but there is too much to cut: a cartel, a police chief, a boarding house, a debt and a missing mother. At 117 minutes the film is a reel longer than its story. *Paddington 2* worked because the bear was kind in a London that mostly was not, and the film let London push back. Here nearly everyone is kind, the villains are silly rather than frightening, and the poor are cheerful. Dahl’s books ran on spite and punishment and the suspicion that adults were dangerous. There is none of that here. A nervous six-year-old could watch this Willy Wonka without once hiding behind the sofa, which we could not say of the 1971 film, and we mean it as a mixed compliment. Most critics have liked it more than we did, and we see why: it is generous, it looks lovely, and Grant is worth the ticket on his own. Take children. Take a grandparent. Do not take anyone who remembers what happened to Augustus Gloop and misses it. *Fi1m score 68, published 10 September 2026.* ## What the critics say Most critics like it, and they like it for the same reasons. Timothée Chalamet’s earnest, guileless young Wonka draws praise in nearly every review, as does Paul King’s carrying over the warmth and daftness of his Paddington films. The songs, the production design and Hugh Grant’s Oompa Loompa are the other recurring pleasures. The reservations cluster around sweetness: several reviews find the film cosier than Dahl and miss the author’s spikier side, and a few think the plot too busy for its two hours. The spread is fairly wide for a family film. The Hollywood Reporter calls it cloying and twee, Sight and Sound finds it lacking the original’s mix of light and dark, and The Ringer argues the very idea of a prequel drains the mystery from the character. A smaller dissent runs the other way on the lead: Vulture and /Film consider Chalamet the weakest element rather than the strongest. ## Straight answers **Is Wonka worth watching?** *Wonka* is worth watching as a handsome, kind family film, and we scored it 68. Hugh Grant's furious Oompa Loompa earns the ticket on his own, and Nathan Crowley's snowbound city is a pleasure to look at. It is also sweet for all of its 117 minutes, and anyone hoping for Roald Dahl's spite and menace will find none of it here. **How long is Wonka, and what is it rated?** *Wonka* runs 1h 57m and is rated All by the IFRB in Israel. It is a comedy and family film. **Where can I watch Wonka in Israel?** *Wonka* is streaming on HBO Max in Israel. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How does Wonka compare to Paddington 2?** *Wonka* is the softer and less satisfying of Paul King's two films, and [*Paddington 2*](https://film.one/film/paddington-2) is the one to see first. Both are generous and funny, and both give Hugh Grant the best lines, but the bear's kindness had a mostly unkind London to push against. In *Wonka* nearly everyone is nice, the villains are silly, and the film loses tension every time its hero smiles. **What should I watch after Wonka?** After *Wonka*, try [*Paddington 2*](https://film.one/film/paddington-2) (2017, Fi1m 91): King’s kindest film, and the one where the kindness has something to push against. Then [*Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory*](https://film.one/film/willy-wonka-and-the-chocolate-factory) (1971, Fi1m 82): Gene Wilder’s Wonka, who might hug you or drown you, and the songs you can hum; and [*Fantastic Mr. Fox*](https://film.one/film/fantastic-mr-fox) (2009, Fi1m 84): Dahl with his teeth still in, and Wes Anderson’s fur and corduroy. ### Reviews we read (27) - **Evening Standard**, Nick Howells (85/100, inferred): The critic praises the film as a rollicking sweet treat that makes people feel good, highlighting Chalamet’s star turn and the flawless ensemble cast including Hugh Grant’s riotous Oompa Loompa. The songs and endearing characters are singled out for making the slim plot zip along joyously. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/wonka-movie-review-timothee-chalamet-hugh-grant-olivia-colman-b1124184.html) - **Los Angeles Times**, Katie Walsh (85/100, inferred): Wonka is a whimsical and wonderful tale that is hard to resist, a playful and heart-tugging take on the character that is smarter than it lets on. The critic singles out Chalamet's winning, guileless performance as the earnest young Wonka for particular praise. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-12-14/wonka-review-timothee-chalamet-hugh-grant-roald-dahl) - **Total Film** (85/100, inferred): King brings his Paddington touch to Dahl, creating a flawed but fulsomely crowd-pleasing musical fantasy that is every inch a Paul King confection. The buoyant, infectious tunes and sly social subtexts stirred into the fantastical setup are highlighted as strengths that deliver anti-cynical uplift. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/wonka-review/) - **The AV Club**, Courtney Howard (B+): Praises the film as a soul-warming musical with genuine charm, whimsy, and poignancy, highlighting the inventive songs, production design, and Chalamet's ebullient performance. Notes some undercooked supporting characters as a minor flaw. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/wonka-review-timothee-chalamet-concocts-a-delightfully-1851064552) - **Empire**, Ian Freer (80/100, inferred): The film breezes by on a waft of ingenuity, charm and warmth, with a huge generosity of spirit embodied by Chalamet’s benevolent Wonka. King’s delightful, daffy world and committed musical numbers are singled out for praise, though it does not quite reach the heights of his Paddington films. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/wonka/) - **Little White Lies**, Adam Woodward (4/4/4): A visually dazzling and charming prequel musical that delivers pure imagination and progressive sensibility; Chalamet's sensational, weirdly endearing lead performance is the standout. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/wonka) - **Radio Times** (4/5): A cosy, sweeter origin story that is a magical thrill ride thanks to Chalamet's assured and likeable young Wonka; it prioritises charm and positivity over the source's cynicism. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/wonka-review-timothee-chalamet/) - **RogerEbert.com**, Matt Zoller Seitz (80/100, inferred): Paul King's prequel is a breezy, formulaic but charming musical comedy that amuses and delights while inspiring cheers. The critic singles out the exceptional performances, especially Chalamet's elegantly withholding Wonka, along with the tone and production design for praise. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/wonka-film-review-2023) - **Slant Magazine**, Derek Smith (80/100, inferred): Celebrates the film's intoxicating effervescence, masterful world-building, and Chalamet's warm, spirited performance suited to a prequel. Highlights the meticulous details, songs, and balance of whimsy with underlying menace. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/wonka-review-timothee-chalamet-paul-king/) - **The i Paper**, Christina Newland (75/100, inferred): The prequel is knowing, fantastical and full of heart but no classic, with Chalamet charming and earnest at its centre. King’s good-natured humour and the visually sumptuous, colourful world are praised, though fat-shaming jokes and songs that don’t quite match expectations are noted as drawbacks. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/wonka-review-timothee-chalamet-magical-2790735) - **Variety**, Owen Gleiberman (75/100, inferred): Wonka is a fun, rousing and impeccably staged old-fashioned musical prequel with Chalamet delivering a magnetically delightful performance as the beaming soul of effervescent goodness. The critic praises the infectious energy and lavish look but notes it is one of the squarest big-scale Hollywood musicals in decades and never fully levitates. [Read](https://variety.com/2023/film/reviews/wonka-review-timothee-chalamet-1235810828/) - **Vulture**, Alison Willmore (70/100, inferred): Finds the film mostly satisfying thanks to the director's recreation of melancholy sweetness from his Paddington films and strong supporting performances, particularly Olivia Colman. Chalamet is seen as the weakest element but the overall whimsy and weird touches land well. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/review-wonka-is-pretty-good.html) - **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (65/100, inferred): The film is a bright, light and nice musical origin story with talented performers having a pleasant time. The critic praises Chalamet's enthusiastic performance as the wide-eyed innocent Wonka but complains that it is overly busy and overstays its welcome at two hours. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/14/movies/wonka-review-timothee-chalamet.html) - **Sight and Sound** (40/100, inferred): The film is overly sweet and lacks depth or the original's mix of light and dark, despite strong visuals and Chalamet's impish performance; Hugh Grant's Oompa Loompa provides welcome weirdness. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/wonka-sickly-sweet) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the film cloying and hopelessly twee, criticizing its strained whimsy and aggressive charm that wears the viewer down. Some inventive production elements and supporting performances are noted but ultimately outweighed by the sugary excess. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/wonka-review-timothee-chalamet-paul-king-1235708988/) - **Screen Daily**: A whimsical, frequently funny musical origin story guided by Chalamet's peculiar yet endearing performance; it brings comic sweetness like the Paddington films but risks cloying whimsy. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/wonka-review/5188255.article) - **The Guardian**, Wendy Ide: The critic calls the film an effervescent pleasure and intricately charming treasure trove, praising Paul King's formula of sweet-natured storytelling and Timothée Chalamet's fresh-faced, perky performance as the young Wonka. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/dec/10/wonka-review-paul-king-paddington-director-timothee-chalamet-charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory-prequel-roald-dahl-olivia-colman-hugh-grant) - **The Telegraph**: The critic describes the film as one of the best times you'll have in the cinema this year, highlighting its velvety sweetness, inventive caper plot and Paul King's focus on texture and flavour. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/wonka-review-timothee-chalamet-hugh-grant/) - **The Times**, Tom Shone (★★★☆☆): The critic finds the film a cuddly, franchise-friendly version of Dahl that lacks the author's spiky wit, though it provides an enjoyable if undemanding two hours as a Christmas treat. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/article/this-willy-wonka-is-as-cuddly-as-paddington-bear-2xrq8rstd) - **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (85/100, inferred): The critic finds this origin story of Willy Wonka a charming and original musical that feels fresh while capturing the spirit of Roald Dahl. Timothée Chalamet’s performance as the inventive candy maker is singled out as a highlight that makes the film a spirit-lifting delight for all ages. [Read](https://deadline.com/2023/12/wonka-review-timothee-chalamet-brings-charm-musical-talent-origin-story-roald-dahls-classic-1235650170/) - **Den of Geek**, David Crow (4/5): The critic praises the film's joyful, musical nature and Chalamet's charming performance as a singing and dancing Wonka, comparing it favorably to Paddington films for its warmth and humor. They note some plot weaknesses but overall find it a sweet, festive treat. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/wonka-review-timothee-chalamet-sweet-song/) - **NME**, Nick Levine (4/5): The review highlights the film's charm, heart, and visuals as a sweet origin story with strong songs and Chalamet's impish charisma; praises Hugh Grant's comic turn but notes it's not perfect due to some narrative bumps and a fat suit gag. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/wonka-review-timothee-chalamet-3553138) - **Collider**, Ross Bonaime (7/10): The critic praises the film's spirit, optimism, and Chalamet's buoyant performance as young Wonka, along with Paul King's direction bringing warmth and wonder. They single out the overly busy plot with too many storylines and characters as the main weakness. [Read](https://collider.com/wonka-movie-review/) - **/Film**, Ethan Anderton (7/10): The critic praises the whimsical story, production design, supporting cast, and themes but complains that Timothée Chalamet's performance as Wonka feels inauthentic and dilutes the magic. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/1461478/wonka-review/) - **Polygon**, Joshua Rivera (60/100, inferred): The review finds the film pleasant and enjoyable with strong production design but ultimately frivolous and too sanded-down compared to the 1971 original, lacking mystery and peril. It singles out the shift to making Wonka a straightforward protagonist and the emphasis on dreams as the key shortcomings. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/reviews/23998867/wonka-movie-review-timothee-chalamet/) - **The Ringer** (40/100, inferred): The piece argues that the prequel's premise undermines Wonka's appeal by revealing too much about a mysterious character, despite good intentions and affection for the source material. It singles out the tired cliché of filling in the backstory as a fundamental flaw. [Read](https://www.theringer.com/2023/12/20/movies/willy-wonka-movie-prequel-timothee-chalamet-review-analysis) - **Film Stories**, Simon Brew: The critic finds the film hugely likeable family entertainment that is sparkling and better than expected for an origin story. They single out the production design, musical sequences, and ensemble cast for praise, while noting some quibbles with the final act and reliance on the 1971 film. [Read](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/wonka-review-the-origins-of-willy-wonka-stand-up/) ## Details - **Director:** Paul King - **Director:** Paul King - **Screenplay:** Simon Farnaby, Paul King - **Story:** Paul King - **Cinematography:** Chung Chung-hoon - **Editor:** Mark Everson - **Music:** Joby Talbot - **Production design:** Nathan Crowley - **Costume design:** Lindy Hemming - **Producer:** Luke Kelly, Alexandra Derbyshire, David Heyman - **Cast:** Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka; Calah Lane as Noodle; Keegan-Michael Key as Chief of Police; Hugh Grant as Oompa Loompa; Paterson Joseph as Arthur Slugworth; Olivia Colman as Mrs. Scrubbit; Tom Davis as Bleacher; Jim Carter as Abacus Crunch - **Runtime:** 1h 57m - **Certificate (IFRB):** All - **Release (Israel):** 13 December 2023 - **Genres:** Comedy, Family, Fantasy - **Budget:** $125 million - **Box office:** $635 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCcGYxy6PNA ## Where to watch in Israel - HBO Max: streaming, uhd *Checked 2026-09-10.* Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, IE, IL, IN, IT, JP, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, SE, TR, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie 2024: Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Movie (nominated) ## If you liked this - *Paddington 2* (2017), Fi1m 91: King’s kindest film, and the one where the kindness has something to push against — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/paddington-2.md) - *Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory* (1971), Fi1m 82: Gene Wilder’s Wonka, who might hug you or drown you, and the songs you can hum — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/willy-wonka-and-the-chocolate-factory.md) - *Fantastic Mr. Fox* (2009), Fi1m 84: Dahl with his teeth still in, and Wes Anderson’s fur and corduroy — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/fantastic-mr-fox.md) - *The Umbrellas of Cherbourg* (1964), Fi1m 88: A sung-through French musical in sweetshop colours that dares to break your heart — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-umbrellas-of-cherbourg.md) - *Kiki's Delivery Service* (1989), Fi1m 86: Another young dreamer arriving in a European city with one skill and no money — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/kikis-delivery-service.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/wonka