Starring: Alisha Weir, Emma Thompson, Lashana Lynch, Stephen Graham, Andrea Riseborough, Sindhu Vee, Carl Spencer, Lauren Alexandra
Distributor: Netflix
Runtime: 117 mins. Reviewed in Dec 2022
Reviewer: Fr Peter Malone msc
| 
| 
The musical version of Roald Dahl’s popular story of the precocious little girl, Matilda, her atrocious parents, monstrous Miss Trunchbull, sweet Miss Honey, and Matilda’s adventures along the way.
Matilda, the young precocious genius heroine of Roald Dahl’s story has been popular since its publication in 1988, furthered by Danny DeVito’s film version in 1996, and the theatrical musical version from 2009. Now there’s a film version of the musical.
Dahl’s stories have been well-loved over the decades – books, film versions, including Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. And Dahl has a way of creating some ugly and menacing adults (including parents). There is an added Australian interest in this musical because the many songs were written by Tim Minchin.
Of course, if you are a fan of Matilda, there is no question but that you will want to see the musical. If you are not a fan of musicals, then you may hesitate over whether you can accept the blend of realism, fantasy, and songs.
Irish born actor, Weir, is firmly in control of the film, making Matilda a strong and determined character. She’s intelligent (actually beyond intelligent at times), a reader with a way with words, an ability to make friends and to leader. But, as the lyrics of one of the songs indicate, she has to be a little bit (understatement) naughty.
And she has terrible parents (understatement as well), portrayed ultra-satirically by Graham and Riseborough, introduced with a song about babies (with the mother, all made up and would-be glamour, is amazed that she is pregnant and giving birth). They are over-the-top caricatures all the way through, contrasting with the sensible control of Matilda.
And then there is the dominating former hammer-throwing Olympic champion, Miss Trunchbull, and her forbidding school. What will intrigue most audiences, even those who are not drawn to the film as a musical, is Emma Thompson as Miss Trunchbull, all bulked up with ample bosom, fierce face, ascetic hairstyle, military-like uniform, with the looks and voice to match (and more than a touch of Mussolini). One would presume that Thompson really enjoyed embodying this monstrous headmistress, singing her ferocious songs, but, of course, we are waiting for her comeuppance!
By contrast, with a touch of sweet realism, there is a nice teacher in the school, Miss Honey (Lynch), who is a reader and is kind, encouraging and fosters the children’s growth.
So, while there is an underlying realism in Matilda and the action, there is also a great deal of fantasy, especially in the story that Matilda creates about the escapologist and the acrobat. Matilda continually adds sad and some gruesome details as she recounts her story to the sympathetic librarian, Mrs Phelps.
With a focus principally on female characters (plus some of the genial little boys at school), Matilda has appealed over the years to an audience of girls, young women, older women. (Which may mean that as the family watches this musical, Dad and the boys are probably safer watching Willy Wonka again.)
12 Random Films…
