Matilda

Rating: 4.5/5

Matilda is an absolute 90's classic. I don't know any kid growing up in that time period that didn't want a Miss Honey in their life.

Matilda Wormwood (Mara Wilson) is wise beyond her years. She was born into a family that doesn't accept her love for learning or seem to even want her in their lives. In order to be happy, Matilda spends her time reading as many books as she possibly can.

When her father, Harry Wormwood (Danny DeVito), agrees to let her go to school at last, Matilda is overjoyed. When she arrives at school, she discovers that her principal despises all children, but thankfully her teacher is loving and kind. Thinking that her life is finally improving, Matilda begins to feel she can distance herself from her family, but she gets too comfortable too quick. Soon, she must rely on more than her intelligence to rid her life of the terrible people around her. She must use something hidden within herself that she doesn't even know she has; something magical.

When it comes to the films that I watched the most in my childhood, Matilda is number one on the list. I remember being completely enchanted by the story and the love for books that the film portrayed. I can honestly say that this film is one of the main reasons that I grew up with wanting to learn and read, because I wanted to be just like Matilda.

Matilda is a lovely film based on an equally wonderful book by Roald Dahl. Dahl famously wrote books about children who knew more than the adults that supposedly controlled their lives. He would make his characters be heroes to the children who read the books, and as an added bonus, he would be sure to add a little magic into the mix. You may think watching the movie, that given the whimsical and quirky nature of the film, that the creators must have taken some liberties in the movie, but they didn't. I have read the book, and I can happily say that the film stays incredibly true to its' literary source.

In children's movies, of course the young actors are going to be the main focus, because they are going to be the characters that the target audience will be identifying with. That being said, the adult cast members in Matilda deserve just as much of the credit for the film's success. The actors who play Matilda's tormenters, her parents and principal, are unapologetically horrific. Their characters revel in making Matilda's life as miserable as possible, and the actors who play them hold nothing back. It is partially the performances by the villains of the film, that make Matilda's savior, Miss Honey (Embeth Davidtz), appear all the more wonderful and warm. Other than the title character, Miss Honey is the role that I remember the most from this film, and it is most certainly Davidtz's performance that created that long lasting impression.

When I watch this movie as an adult, I am still captivated by the story and characters. There's something special about any film that can transport you back to your childhood, and that is one of the many reasons why I love Matilda.