Harold Gray’s popular newspaper comic strip, Little Orphan Annie, became a joyous stage musical back in 1977, with a subsequently enjoyable transition to the big screen in 1982: fueled both by engaging performances and a bevy of delightful musical numbers, including the never-to-be-forgotten power anthem, “Tomorrow.”
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| While her school mates cower in silent terror, Matilda (Alisa Weir, right) defiantly stands up to imperious headmistress Miss Trunchbull (Emma Thompson). |
Despite Alisha Weir’s terrific performance in the lead role, David Hindle and Christian Huband’s wildly imaginative production design, and choreographer Ellen Kane’s effervescent work with a bevy of talented young singers and dancers, this film version of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 2010 musical adaptation is an occasionally awkward beast. You’ll find very few hummable tunes here, most of which fall into the narrative “patter song” category; several are shoved rather clumsily into the storyline.
Even so, Dennis Kelly’s screenplay is rigorously faithful to the book, and its many fans will delight in all of the essential plot elements. (Kelly and Tim Minchin wrote the 2010 stage version.)
Matilda Wormwood (Weir) is born to parents who never, ever wanted a daughter. Her mother (Andrea Riseborough) and father (Stephen Graham) are outrageously self-centered burlesques, who banish the little girl to an attic bedroom, and miss no opportunity for emotional abuse.
Graham and Riseborough are hilariously grotesque in these way-over-the-top roles: vulgar, uncouth and forever garbed in costume designer Rob Howell’s opulently awful outfits. Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood believe themselves superior to the rest of the world, when in fact they’re the worst sort of ignorant buffoons.
Ah, but Matilda is amazingly, preternaturally smart, devouring books such as Great Expectations and Jane Eyre from a very young age, and displaying a facility for STEM topics that would make university teachers swoon. None of this means a thing to her parents, who refuse to acknowledge their daughter’s talents.
Matilda’s kinder, gentler nature notwithstanding, she’s not above exacting revenge: her blustering father the most frequent target. Weir’s impishly crafty expression, at such moments, is delicious.
Relief comes during Matilda’s frequent visits with mobile library lady Mrs. Phelps (Sindhu Vee), whom the girl entrances with the slowly developing fantasy saga of two circus performers, swooningly in love, and forced to perform The World’s Most Dangerous Act. This enchanting bit of kid-level imagination — Matilda’s colorful re-invention of her own life — becomes an ongoing story within the story, with Mrs. Phelps hanging onto each dire setback.
Matilda initially is pleased by the prospect of attending school, believing it’ll be a great relief to be away from her parents each day. Ah, but the poor girl reckons not with the horrors of Crunchem Hall, and its cruel and ruthless headmistress, Miss Trunchbull (Emma Thompson), who towers above the students.
Thompson is almost unrecognizable: sharp jaw line, thick unibrow, tight bun and Gestapo-like garb, complete with massive, clomping boots last seen worn by Frankenstein’s monster. Thompson’s nonetheless regal line delivery makes Trunchbull simultaneously horrifying and absurd.
But not everything is awful at Crunchem Hall. Matilda quickly comes to the attention of inspirational teacher Miss Honey (Lashana Lynch), who marvels at her new pupil’s intelligence and perception. Alas, Trunchbull isn’t about to tolerate such talents, preferring to squelch student individuality with threats of being banished to “The Chokey.”
Which makes it Game On, as far as Matilda is concerned. Having honed her sense of righteousness while dealing with her parents, and filled with an overwhelming sense of justice for her fellow students, she dares the unimaginable. The odds seem insurmountable — Trunchbull is too large, mean and powerful — and, of course, that’s what makes what follows so much fun.
As her name suggests, Miss Honey is kindness personified; Lynch, radiating warmth, makes her sweet but not overly saccharine. She also shares a lovely, mid-tempo duet with Weir, “Still Holding My Hand,” which is as close as this film gets to a memorable song. (Since that tune is original to this film, it’ll qualify for Oscar consideration.)
A few of Matilda’s peers have key roles. Charlie Hodson-Prior is adorable as foolish Bruce Bogtrotter, who hits Trunchbull’s radar for the worst of reasons; Winter Jarrett-Glasspool is endearing as sweet little Amanda Thripp, who makes the mistake of coming to school one day with pigtails.
Meesha Garbett is a veritable force of nature as Hortensia, whose school uniform is topped by a distinctive scarlet beret, and who leads most of Kane’s high-spirited ensemble numbers.
Director Matthew Warchus and editor Tat Radcliffe maintain a lively pace; this film has plenty of energy, and the cast gives its all. Even so, the result lacks the je ne sais quoi that characterizes the best musicals.
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