Matilda

I don't know when I first saw this movie but because of the original story by Roald Dahl, "Matilda" lingers in my memory. The casting was well handled and that is a selling point for the film adaptation. Personally though, I wouldn't let children under eight see this film. Dahl's stories always seem to be fit for older children.

When I first saw the film, I felt quite sad with the opening sequence but that is typical of a Roald Dahl story. Look at "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "James and the Giant Peach". As a kid, I was impressed that Danny DeVito was the director of this film. This is the only directorial film of his that I have seen so I can't recognize any unique characteristics. DeVito and the rest of the filmmakers did a good job in Americanizing the story. There is a fanciful yet realistic feeling with the movie. The modernization also works. Matilda's pranks on others are justified but all the same, the film tries to discourage real kids from imitating. I don't think however that little children would get the message very clearly. "Matilda" and similar films such as "Home Alone" should be watched as a family for the first time instead of children watching it alone. I enjoy the contrast between Trunchbull and Miss Honey. The similarities between Matilda and Miss Honey are also well portrayed on screen. Children immediately see the connection between Matilda and Miss Honey because of its sincerity. I get a big kick out of Cookie and her line "See ya at lunch". The hardest part of this children's story for me is that the Trunchbull is not only abusive but a murderer as well. That I think is something a little too intense for very young children. An interesting story moment is when Matilda buys some time for her father by interfering with the unlawful FBI search of the family garage. She is not without pity. Those cops seem like the perfect men to stake out the Wormwoods because they act like idiots themselves. As a final story note, Bruce gets revenge during the climax for the cake incident and that is cool.

As I mentioned, the casting of "Matilda" is noteworthy. Mara Wilson was tailor-made for this role and she did so well that I can't imagine any other child in her place. Her previous roles in "Mrs. Doubtfire" and "Miracle on 34th Street" made her out to be a lot like Matilda. DeVito did well as the narrator and father but I feel that each role affected the other because of DeVito's unique voice. I knew that DeVito was married to Rhea Perlman but I forgot she was in this film until I wrote this. Pam Ferris owns her role as well, making Trunchbull a memorable children's villain. She comes across as scary, evil and she is also a little funny. Ferris would later bring another mean literary character to life in "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban" by the way. It was great to see Paul Reubens as one of the FBI agents.

Despite very positive critical reviews, the film failed financially in the US. The great family films appeal to audiences of all ages and not just in the 8-12 age range. Each cast member did a wonderful job and Dahl's original story does a lot of the entertaining as well. This was my last Mara Wilson movie.

3 Stars