Buckle up, this one’s gonna get wordy!
Okay, so like many a weird theatre kid who was 16 in 2003, I went through a Wicked phase in high school. I remember being bowled over when I first heard the demo of Idina Menzel singing “The Wizard and I.” RENT and You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown were two of the first musicals I ever really obsessed over, so the casting was tailor-made for me. There was a period when I wrote down lyrics from “Defying Gravity” on basically everything. But in that space between “The Wizard and I” and the show coming out, I read the book, and that actually became my primary Wicked focus at the time. I liked the cast recording, and I loved the cast and certain songs from it, but I thought the story felt watered-down compared to the book.
Fast-forward to the various announcements in the run-up to the movie. I loved Jon M. Chu’s work in Crazy Rich Asians and thought he directed the hell out of the musical numbers in In the Heights. The casting choices ranged from “I’m so here for this” to “ooh, interesting!” to “not sure, but I’m prepared to be convinced.” Hearing that the vocals were being recorded live gave me bad Les Misérables flashbacks, and when word came that it was being split into two movies, my prevailing thought was, “Why?”
But the movie’s here now, and I am so in this. I’m so in this! My excitement ramped up as the first critics’ comments and fan reactions were coming out, and (impatiently) waiting for a non-crowded showing I could attend just increased the anticipation. I’ve seen it twice now and might see it at least once more before it leaves the theaters, and I’ve been listening to the soundtrack on repeat. I’ve revisited, then surpassed my teenage appreciation for this musical. Wicked: Part 1 has seized my brain and won’t go.
All right now, backing up a bit:
What’s It About?
When Elphaba is born entirely green, her inexplicable color creates a wall between her and nearly everyone she encounters. At Shiz University, she clashes with perfect, particular Galinda, an eager would-be sorceress. Elphaba has grown up with the need to reject other people’s poor opinions of her, while Galinda cares about nothing more than what people think. But as Elphaba is thrust headlong into a confounding social setting, she’s also awakened to troubling goings-on with the Animal population in Oz, and she’s determined to help somehow.
Who’s in It?
As I said, Jon M. Chu is steering the ship as the director, and the cast is packed with talent. I still remember the first time I heard Cynthia Erivo sing “I’m Still Here” from The Color Purple, and she’s breathtaking as Elphaba: prickly, vulnerable, guardedly loving. Her “Defying Gravity” is every bit the phenomenon it should be. I should’ve never doubted Ariana Grande for a second. As Galinda, she matches Erivo pound for pound. She’s delightfully funny and knocks the singing out of the park, and her performance really captures the complexity behind Galinda’s need for popularity and being seen as a good person. The two of them together truly are “unlimited.” I’ve liked Jonathan Bailey since I saw him play a cool oneshot character on Twelve-era Doctor Who, and he’s incredible here. His performance makes me get the musical’s version of Fiyero in a way I never have before, and his “Dancing Through Life” instantly catapulted Bailey into platonic-crush territory for me.
So much to say here that I’m busting out a second paragraph! Michelle Yeoh is just such an interesting choice for Madame Morrible, and although she’s probably the weakest singer in the film, she gets through her brief bit of singing just fine and delivers some fantastic acting in a really unique take on the character. In her interactions with Galinda, her Madame Morrible brings some definite Eleanor Young energy, but in fabulous fantasy gowns and wigs! Jeff Goldblum does a nice job as the Wizard, nailing the flashy-showman aspect and drawing you in with his kookiness and warmth. Then we’ve got CGI Peter Dinklage as the literal Goat, Dr. Dillamond. He voices the character with such honesty, and I thought his singing sounded pretty darn good on “Something Bad.” I’m not familiar with Ethan Slater or Marissa Bode, but they both do well with Boq and Nessarose.
What Do I Love About It?
Oh my god, all the things! I’ve already gushed about the singing, acting, and character work. I have so much more to say about this movie in future posts, so I won’t list a bunch of things now. I’ll just say this:
I would categorize this as a perfect movie, the same way I do School of Rock. Not to say that either is the greatest movie ever made, or that either is flawless, because that isn’t true. But both are perfect because they are exactly what they set out to be. Wicked: Part 1 is 100% itself and absolutely nails it. It’s magical and funny and heartbreaking. It has soaring vocals and fantastic choreography. The costumes, the sets, the orchestrations—it all works together so well to make Wicked: Part 1 what it is.
Warnings
Mild violence, scary scenes for kids, mild sensuality, drinking, and thematic elements.
No comments:
Post a Comment