Roald Dahl Retrospective Episode 11: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

In this episode of the Roald Dahl Retrospective, Patricia and Arun discuss about the 2005 film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory based on the 1964 book of the same name starring Freddie Highmore, Johnny Depp, Missy Pyle, Helena Botham Carter, Deep Roy, David Kelly, Christopher Lee, Philip Wiegratz, Julia Winter, AnnaSophia Robb, and Jordan Fry.  The movie is about a young boy named Charlie Bucket wanting to find a golden ticket inside a chocolate bar by the famous candy maker Willy Wonka, but has a huge disadvantage due to being poor and not being able to afford it as well as the entire world is searching for it. Luckily, he and four other children won the chance to take a tour on Wonka's chocolate factory for a chance to win a special prize. Meanwhile Willy Wonka is struggling to interact with the contest winner and their families as well as overcoming a tragic childhood past.    When the film premiered, it was a critical and financial success making $475 million dollars. It's currently the highest grossing Roald Dahl adaptation of all time with most of the movies making nowhere close the amount. It was also given praise from the critics for its presentation, dark humor, and soundtrack. However, it was criticized due to Johnny Depp's performance as Willy Wonka comparing him to Michael Jackson. Over the years, the movie has garnered massive hate saying it was inferior to the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory despite being more accurate to the book. What do Patricia and Arun think? Does the movie hold up after 15 years later? Listen and find out.