Energy and enthusiasm to stick with Wicked every step of the way demands true musical fans
From vividly immersive world-building to an instantly investing tale, what Wicked does well, it does very impressively indeed – but it helps if you love movie musicals of all shapes and sizes, writes Leigh Paatsch.
From a razzly, dazzly screen adaptation of a mega-musical to a provocative and challenging drama, there’s plenty to see on the big screen this week.
WICKED (PG)
Director: Jon Chu (Crazy Rich Asians)
Starring: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh
Rating:★★★
Putting the ‘long’ in singalong
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Since it first appeared on stages around the world two decades ago, Wicked has been standing head, shoulders and a crooked black hat above the rest as the one true mega-musical of the 21st century.
There was always going to be a razzly, dazzly screen adaptation at some point, and now, finally, that time as come.
If you carry the gene that allows you to love movie musicals of any and all shapes and sizes, then this truly epic rendition of Wicked will just about be your movie of the year.
However, if you are not predisposed to witnessing copious combos of lyrics and melodies doing all the heavy lifting, then the 160-minutes-plus taken up by Wicked will not persuade you otherwise.
Particularly when it becomes clear this is only the first instalment of a two-part adaptation that will reach its conclusion a year from now.
However, it cannot be denied that what Wicked does well, it does very impressively indeed.
The opening half-hour is a feat of vividly immersive world-building, right up there with the early Harry Potter productions.
Not only does the movie effortlessly transport us to the same wondrous places made famous by the all-time cinema classic The Wizard of Oz, Wicked also has us instantly invested in a tale which will reveal the Wicked Witch of the West wasn’t quite as bad as she was originally made out to be.
This, then, is the story of Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), a green-skinned loner who has been sent by her family to keep a watchful eye on her younger sister at a famously magical place of learning known as Shiz University.
Elphaba’s secret spell-casting prowess is swiftly detected by Headmistress Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), who cannily makes her the roommate of the perky and perpetually pink-clad Glinda (Ariana Grande).
Though these two young women take an eternity to bond – particularly once both take an interest in a strapping, self-centred fellow student named Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey) – they will eventually join forces on a fateful journey to an Emerald City dominated by the one and only Wizard himself (a well-cast Jeff Goldblum).
While both the song sequences and overall music score of Wicked are strong, vibrant and catchy throughout, the energy and enthusiasm required to stick with Elphaba and Glinda every step of the way is a demanding ask.
Perhaps all will be forgiven once Elphaba gets to belt out that truly spine-tingling anthem Defying Gravity at the close of proceedings here.
Wicked is now showing in general release
MEMORY (M)
Rating:★★★★
Selected cinemas
This provocative and challenging drama takes the form of a cinematic jigsaw puzzle. Sliding each piece into place with great precision and unfailing commitment are the movie’s lead actors, Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard. Anyone out there who appreciates the art of performance at the highest level is urged to put Memory on their must-see list immediately.
Chastain plays Sylvia, a recovering alcoholic who has finally found some stability in life by becoming a specialist in adult care. A chance encounter at a high school reunion brings Sylvia into contact with Saul (Peter Sarsgaard), a former classmate now suffering from early-onset Alzheimer’s. A member of Saul’s family thinks Sylvia might be the right fit to help him navigate a world where his powers of recall are fading fast.
However, from the outset of the movie, clues are appearing that suggest these two share a past that should prohibit any kind of relationship. A shrewdly selective release of crucial information throughout the script (a restrained approach which further enhances the superb work of Chastain and Sarsgaard) makes Memory a genuinely unforgettable experience.
GOODRICH (M)
Rating:★★★
Selected cinemas
Your typical coming-of-age movie invariably features a protagonist yet to reach the age of 20. Goodrich is not your typical coming-of-age movie. The protagonist here is well into his 60s and still has a lot of growing up to do.
After leading a shallow life for the best part of seven decades, Andy Goodrich (played by Michael Keaton) is suddenly thrown in the deep end when his second wife goes AWOL. Naomi (Laura Bentani) is going to be stuck in rehab for at least three months, in an attempt to banish a pills addiction Andy never quite noticed. Now he must tend to the couple’s nine-year-old twins at the very time his art gallery trading business is heading into choppy waters. And just to further complicate matters, Andy’s grown-up daughter from his first marriage, Grace (Mila Kunis), is about to have a child of her own.
This is a gentle, well-observed light comedy with some smart things to say about the different shapes that modern families can take these days. Even if the breezy structure of the movie can sometimes make its story feel a little lightweight, the assured presence of Keaton – who has been in career-best form for almost a decade – ensures the viewer remains connected and entertained to the end.
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Originally published as Energy and enthusiasm to stick with Wicked every step of the way demands true musical fans
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