Wes Anderson‘s style isn’t just a tired old rerun. It’s like a symphony that keeps evolving with each film. He’s all about those fragile family dynamics, but he adds fresh layers – like fascism in The Grand Budapest Hotel or environmental crises in Isle of Dogs. His style serves his tales, and The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is no exception.
More than ten years after he dazzled us with his stop-motion brilliance in Fantastic Mr. Fox, the meticulous maestro is back in the world of Roald Dahl. This time, it’s a short and sweet gem, just one of the four Dahl adaptations he made. Now, Dahl’s tales for grown-ups are notorious for their wicked twists, but Henry Sugar is like a refreshing breeze with a sprinkle of magic. And when you blend Dahl’s whimsy with Anderson’s dry humor, his unmistakable visual flair, and a dash of wistfulness, you get a delightful story that’s practically a love letter to the art of storytelling.
The 37-minute movie is a storytelling Russian nesting doll, where one tale fits neatly inside another. It all kicks off with Dahl himself played by The Menu star Ralph Fiennes, who sets the stage for what’s to come. Then, we zoom across time and space to meet the enigmatic Sugar (Benedict Cumberbatch), a writer by day and a playboy by night. But that’s just the beginning!
We then dive into the mesmerizing world of an Indian doctor (Dev Patel), who pens a report about a most peculiar patient (Ben Kingsley): a man who, believe it or not, has trained himself to see without using his eyes.
It’s got that unmistakable Brechtian vibe, but it doesn’t push you away, it pulls you in closer. It’s all part of Anderson’s master plan, and it’s a stroke of genius. The dialogue tags, you know, the “I said” and “he cried” bits? They’re not just there for laughs. They’re like a siren song, reminding us that this story has been passed down through different voices, and it’s inviting us.
Watching Henry Sugar is like sitting by a campfire, listening to a legendary tale that just keeps getting better with each telling. It’s an exhilarating experience, and it’s all thanks to Anderson’s knack for weaving together narratives that feel like they’re part of your own personal folklore.
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is like a whimsical carnival ride through the world of human imagination, all handcrafted and conjured up by the creative minds of us mere mortals. Anderson throws everything but the kitchen sink into this one. We’re talking animation, claymation, miniatures, painted backdrops, and even a bit of back-projection wizardry. And his actors? Well, they’re not just actors; they’re a full-blown theatre troupe, juggling multiple roles like it’s nobody’s business.
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is streaming on Netflix.
