Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical
The inspirational musical tale of an extraordinary girl who discovers her superpower and summons the remarkable courage, against all odds, to help others change their stories, whilst also taking charge of her own destiny. Standing up for what's right, she's met with miraculous results.
- Released:
- Runtime: 120 minutes
- Genre: Comedy, Family, Fantasy
- Stars: Emma Thompson, Alisha Weir, Lashana Lynch, Stephen Graham, Andrea Riseborough, Sindhu Vee, Charlie Hodson-Prior, Meesha Garbett, Rei Yamauchi Fulker, Winter Jarrett Glasspool, Andrei Shen, Ashton Robertson, Ray Strachan, Ray Strachan, Ray Strachan
- Director: Matthew Warchus
Comments
- gee-15 - 1 July 2024
Sweet, enjoyable but lacking something
There's nothing wrong with the performances in this musical version of Matilda. Alisha Weir is absolutely perfect as the child prodigy born into a family that doesn't appreciate her. Emma Thompson is suitably imposing as the sadistic school headmistress and Lashana Lynch, appropriately sweet and kind as Miss Honey. Additional characters (Matilda's mother, father, friends, friendly librarian) are all good. With the exception of a few songs ( e.g. When I Grow Up) the music is not terribly memorable (though the ABC song is very clever).
But there is something that doesn't quite come together for me. First, it's obvious that the source material is the movie version of Matilda from 1996 (it took significant liberties with the original book as does this movie...not a criticism...just an observation). As a result, it begs comparison. While the 1996 version is, itself, flawed in many ways, there was something it had that this movie lacked: a sense of the absurd. I think "Matilda the Musical" takes itself just a little too seriously. Many of the songs are wistful or even sad. As a result, when Bruce is forced to eat cake or children are sent to the "Choky", it feels uncomfortable not absurd. In the 1996 version, these things happened but we see it through the eyes of young brilliant Matilda who, aside from a couple of brief moments of sadness, views most of these events with exasperation and impatience (Mara Wilson's deadpan delivery helps a lot). It makes what would be neglect and abuse in real life more palatable. That said, it's an enjoyable and fun film and worth watching. Just don't take it too seriously. - rebinismael - 23 October 2023
great
This is one of the most unique films I have ever seen. This movie took me back to my childhood. The hard life I lived at home and school. The film beautifully shows how a hard life affects children. The story that Mettleda told was very unique. Two stories and one script at a time! In the end, the two stories came together well. The movie ended well and showed the audience that oppression doesn't last forever. Of course the acting was exceptional, I am amazed at the acting of those kids. His songs were generally good but not as good as they should have been. There wasn't a special song to listen to after the movie.
