REVIEW | The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)
Putting the silly “Wes Anderson TikTok” trend in its rightful place — the bin.
SYNOPSIS
Step into Wes Anderson’s second film adaptation from Roald Dahl about Henry Sugar — a wealthy aristocrat whose life grows increasingly bizarre after he discovers mystical abilities that’s connected to a yogi elder, a circus performer, and an young physician.
*Minor spoilers for The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar ahead*
A STAR AMONG ASTEROIDS
Imagine yourself stepping into a large, figurative library:
You walk through halls that are filled with shelves, shelves that are filled with books, and books that are filled with stories covering the depths and dimensions of what life has to offer.
That library is Netflix — and its ever-expanding, all-encompassing, thoroughly-intimidating collection of content that you’ll never be able to go through in one lifetime.
And although all of that doesn’t seem like the proper place for an uber-artsy, non-commercial short film by the one-in-a-million artisan director, Wes Anderson. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar feels perfectly at home as a low-commitment, highly accessible, pocket-sized story that’s as enriching to the platform as it is enchanting to behold.
SHORT STORIES YOU WISH WERE LONGER
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Why should I care since novel-to-film adaptations are nothing new?”
Well, you’ll be happy to learn that Wes Anderson & Co. has magically materialised yet another Roald Dahl classic (the first of which being 2009’s Fantastic Mr. Fox) into a truly unique and exceptional retelling that’s unlike anything you’ve seen.
From the preservation of the patented Roald Dahl whimsy that’s inherent to the source material, to the playful yet surgical execution of the screenplay — The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is evidence that Wes Anderson is ready to graduate from the common auteur director to a pioneering visionary filmmaker.
And all this from a 41min short film.
It’s almost as though the director is holding your hand throughout the process of bringing the story to life, transforming it into a sensory experience, and ultimately inviting you to dive into the world that’s been created from it.
FANTASTIC Mr. ANDERSON
With the exponential traction that Wes Anderson films appear to be gaining — like the expansive production value and mega-ensemble cast of his most recent effort, Asteroid City (2023) — this micro matinée is a welcome reminder that brilliance doesn’t require scale to shine.
In fact — I could argue that The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is one of Wes Anderson’s most visually-engaging, subtly-spectacular, and beautifully-realised films despite its modest runtime.
It’s the exact example of what I’ve expressed about Wes Anderson’s films, and how they’re like children’s storybooks for cinema.
You have the aesthetic and composition that’s picturesque like an illustration, the dialogue immensely detailed and descriptive, the characters vast and vibrant as they are cartoony — and the list goes on.
“FUN-CAST-IC” CHARACTERS
Speaking of characters — while I don’t usually dwell on a movie’s cast in my reviews — I simply can’t resist mentioning the seemingly hand-picked talents who surprise us with their range and ability at every turn.
This film epitomises the phrase “Less is more” with a class of newcomers that includes the magnetic Benedict Cumberbatch, the magnificent Ben Kingsley, the marvellous Dev Patel, the masterful Ralph Fiennes, and the meek (but mighty) Richard Ayoade.
All of whom, leave their well-worn hats and familiar disguises at the door as they fill the shoes of Wes Anderson’s uncanny characters.
There’s also something to be said about how Wes Anderson writes his scripts in a way that paints a sharp and spectacular picture with just the use of words. With the dialogue in this film so vividly crafted to the point where by the third act, you subconsciously (yet eagerly) await every following word and sentence from the script to spur the plot forward.
SUMMARY
If you had to describe The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar in a singular word — no adjective would be better suited than “Quaint”.
You could very much liken it to an e-book that’s blossomed to life, or an extended Wes Anderson H&M commercial, or even a prologue into an upcoming feature-length release.
But no matter how you skin it, rest assured that you can expect a wonderous story that’s paired with cinematic mastery and theatre craft — all to bring the classic novel (and the film genre) to new heights.
