my *spoiler* review of MATILDA (2022) | Matilda the musical movie sony and netflix

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OHMYGOD HEY!
After much anticipation, here it finally is - my spoiler review of the 2022 film adaptation of MATILDA the Musical!
Check out today's brand new review video for all of my detailed thoughts about this film, changes from the original material, different performances, musical numbers and more!
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#theatre #matilda #musical #matildamovie

[@moammonster_Jess_]

I actually liked the subtly of the choke. We know Bruce goes there and then from that point onwards, his whole character changes. When the children are spelling wrong he sits silently looking so scared. The implied horror of it hit more for me rather than seeing a child in there

[@francescasmilgin-box3734]

Yeah I agree, this was one of the takeaways for me from the film, you really get to see Bruce's journey at the end, which makes it so much more satisfying that he's the ringleader for Revolting Children. If that bit is present in the stage musical, then I missed it all 4 of the times I've seen it...

[@misfittoys5873]

Oh god that young actor just broke my heart

[@Chumber3403]

@@francescasmilgin-box3734he does also not join in with the wrongly spelling words in the stage version.

[@moammonster_Jess_]

Honestly it's one of the best musical films in a while. I have a film degree and it was genuinely really competent for a movie musical. there were some odd choices but they were all structural really. However, cutting songs is always heartbreaking and changing the story rarely adds and instead, takes away from the piece. I just want pro shots of everything it's so much more worthwhile

[@magnoliaskogen]

Yeah my main feeling at the end of the movie was "I would still prefer a pro shot"

[@jwindsor6274]

The only problem had was that i wished they developed Matilda and miss honeys relationship more. Even so, i CRIED SO HARD when Matilda ran into her arms at the end 😭 this was a wonderful musical movie and it made me hope for a catcf musical movie as well. The kids were insanely talented i watched revolting children 200 times now. And school song was simply a masterpiece. I wished loud was still in it, but i understand why Telly wasn’t even though i love that song. I was also so happy when Matilda did the Matilda stance in naughty

[@Benni777]

When me and my little sister first saw this movie musical, my sister had NO IDEA that the story that Matilda was telling and Ms. Honey’s life story matched up, the pure JOY AND AWE that radiated from my sister made me cry so much!!! She asked me, “Did you know that would happen??” And I was reluctant to say “yes” but I said “no” in order to keep her joy and awe up (even tho I knew it would happen). It was honestly like she saw Santa Clause in real life, she was that thrilled! She isn’t that young, but still, but that just made it even better, especially bc she didn’t like the movie at first, so that reaction just made my week! 😍😍

[@dragonkiri]

Oh good lord, I was weeping in the cinema when the flashback scene happens in My House and Matilda is replaced with little Miss Honey. It just broke me. :') I definitely agree that they did so much to make this movie distinct from the 90s movie and it worked so well being its very own thing. That is probably why it bothers me so much when people, even after having watched it, insist that this film is a reboot of that? Like I know that not all people actually know that it was an adaptation of a book, but c'mon people. Thanks for sharing your thoughts! I was really looking forward to this video and I really enjoyed it.

[@mgin384]

I watched this with my 3rd graders last week after finishing the book, and we absolutely loved it! It was so fun to watch them get excited when they knew their favorite scenes were coming up. 🥰

[@PeraudisEquilibrium]

I love how you present the way this film keeps Matilda's super natural intellect while making her sense of morality less developed, to give her an ark throughout the film. It's a thought I've had but struggled to express. I also agree that holding back on Miss Honey's songs was a very interesting way of communicating her repressed emotions efficiently. Thanks for digging deeper into this.

[@rixx46]

LOVED the movie so much. I saw the London stage version - both are wonderful in their own way. It's one of the BEST transitions from a stage musical to a film I have ever seen. In part, I think it's because the style of the movie embraces the cinematic suspension of disbelief necessary to accept the world of the movie. In the theatre, the audience is already committed to a theatrical experience. Cinema needs to create a world that makes the theatrical elements of a musical make sense in the world of the film - and MATILDA nails this in its tone, style and production that never misses. The drama works as well as the comedy and the tone holds it together. The movie OPENS UP the world of the stage version into a truly cinematic experience.

[@solcarlosofficial]

The only song I didn’t love how they interpreted it es when I grow up. I wish there was some of the swings from the show. Something about it felt missing. But the rest were show stoppers and totally capture the pov of a child’s imagination

[@antonbradbury]

i always hated the 1996 chokey.. it felt so obvious. but the mysterious, unseen way they’ve done it in the musical and this film i love, because it’s just so much more ominous and allows one’s imagination to run wild, which, as a dramatic technique, is so much more effective.

[@felisa957]

The way I got goosebumps when you were recounting Matilda’s storytelling and the parallels they later drew to Miss Honey’s upbringing, it was heartbreaking and so beautifully done.

[@allisonbergh4429]

School Song has always been my favourite in the show, and I loved how they did it here. Once they’d established the “trick” the second time through, they eased back on the emphasis on the letters, which I thought was a fantastic touch. There also seemed to be nods to choreography from a bunch of other places (like the Cell Block Tango and Todrick Hall’s Black and White, for example), but that might just be my imagination 😅 I felt like Emma Thompson gave a bit of a tribute to Bertie Carvel with her performance. She appeared to be LOVING it as well 🤣 The beret bugged me a bit too. It would have been a nice touch if Hortencia had to hide it whenever Trunchbull was around or something.

[@rixx46]

Re THE CHOKEY: They didn't show it, BUT when Bruce returns from the Chokey, he's clearly broken - his character is given a full arc of development - rebellious enough to MAKE A PACT WITH SATIN! to steal a piece of Trunchbull's cake! Because he's so damaged from the experience when he kicks off REVOLTING CHILDREN, "Never again will she get the best of me Never again will she take away my freedom..." ...the lyrics have real personal meaning to him as he recovers his broken spirit. In the stage version, it feels like Bruce is just the first to sing rather than it being a personal statement. And the detail of Trunchbull losing her microphone - which Bruce finds and uses to rally the rebellion is another great detail of what makes this work as a movie.

[@arisefairsun]

The one thing I was desperate to see that didn’t happen in this film was just a hint of a reference to the swings that are used in the stage version for ‘When I Grow Up’ because I love that choreography. Even if it was a brief shot of a swing gently swinging like a child has just got off it, that would’ve made me happy. So that kind of ruined the film sequence for me a little because I was just waiting for a swing to appear 😂

[@JanaShakespeare]

I've seen it twice in the cinema now after taking my 14 and 12 years old daughters, who then asked to go again with their 9 and 5 year old sisters. I felt it was one of the best stage to film adaptations I've seen, and several parts had me in tears. My children have been obsessed with the show since, and we've listened to the soundtrack on repeat. Even my littlest one is madly trying to memorise the quick lyrics. When I grow up hasn't been there take away song though; they've hardly noticed that one. They have been obsessively memorising School Song and Rebellious Children though. As a social worker and psychotherapist I've been intrigued by this production. Done of my extended family hated it because it was too sad for them and touched on challenges they were facing. I felt this was just what made this version more believable. Penis versions of Matilda were cute but magically escaped how her situation would have felt in real life. I actually thought Mrs. Phelps did a good job of helping accentuate the concern that something wasn't right in this child's situation, which made it heartbreaking when Matilda played down the real neglect and abuse she was experiencing. It felt so true to life and how children respond. I was genuinely moved by the portrayal of the shared trauma Matilda and a Miss Honey experience.

[@kazza6078]

I totally agree that matilda is learning her sense of morality along the film, I loved her seeing parallels between her parents and trunchbell, particularly when she was calling them cheats. Loved it

[@kazza6078]

I wish it were standard practice to film all of the musical numbers and just include them as deleted scenes so fans can still see the songs but the movie can stay tight. I'd love to see Telly, Loud, and I started singing "open the door jenny" even if the movie didn't lol. But I still think those needed to be cut so let's compromise lol

[@Emma-jd8zt]

Honestly loved this film. Went on Christmas Eve, and it made me cry when they were all singing 'When I Grow Up'. love. love. LOVE. Also, Sindhu Vee is a fabulous human being. What a queen!!! You know what, they're all fabulous ♡

[@sarahharkin3938]

One thing I noticed and like was how they had Miss Honey say run to Trunchbull before We are Revolting. I feel it showed Miss Honey’s growth and becoming more courageous.

[@IshScout]

After watching it quite a few times now I have one huge disappointment & one thing I love they added. During "When I Grow Up" I REALLLLLLLLY missed the swings. I get why they went in the direction they did BUT even if just with Miss Honey at the end if that would have been similar to the staging of the show would have been amazing because she really is reflecting in that moment of still feeling very childish at times so having her on the swing would have been a great visual. The one thing I loved though is the specialty dancers doing parkour & break dancing during "Revolting Children" because it was nice seeing a few older maggots in the mix who could do these more complex things. When you don't have the adult ensemble playing the older students you miss out on a few of the more "danger moments" of choreography like in "School Song" so it was nice we got a bit of extra flashy moments during revolting.

[@ath7587]

In the house there are hints that the mom is a ballroom dancer (the statues, gifts on her bed, pictures on the wall) which I really liked

[@antonbradbury]

that’s probably because it was literally meant to be a plot point before it was cut out

[@definatalieee]

i actually really liked the calmer energy of mrs phelps in contrast to how boisterous and obnoxious matilda’s parents are xx

[@charlottecraddock4194]

gonna miss not having any more Matilda videos to look forward to! Does watching the film make you want to see the musical on stage again because every time I watch the film I love it so much that I'm like I want to see the musical on stage again!

[@soltandvinegar]

The most annoying part of this movie is all the people who don't realise that it's not a remake. Like so many people don't realise that there's a musical, and I've even seen some people who didn't know there was a book 😭😭😭

[@Chumber3403]

The mafia in the stage version are now Bulgarians. I’m guessing that as it has an international release it was best not to label their nationality (and therefore having limited reference) in the film. Another former Honey - Miria Parvin - is also in the opening section. And former Mrs Wormwood Marianne Benedict. There are in fact over 20 adults in the Miracle Ensemble Cast who have been in the Matilda stage casts (and several from the London Groundhog Day cast (including 2 who were in both)) The extended seagull fits in with the strangely large number of birds in the film (books, photos and drawings in Matilda’s room, Miss Honey’s house and the library, some sort of caged bird in the Wormwoods’ house & 2 swan decorations outside. Crows on the CH gates, Zeek, flock of birds (starlings according to subtitles) on the end screen, the birds which fly up where Amanda lands… I assume there’s some sort of creative reason behind it rather than just someone liking birds (though the giraffes thing is because Matthew likes them!).

[@davekennedy6315]

Me and the kids absolutely LOVED Matilda The Musical film! My youngest has since watched it at least 4 times and is always watching the clips of the songs on KZbin n Tiktok. I've gotta admit that I'd never heard of the musical but we were all huge fans of the original, incredibly charming original 90s US movie. So it was with trepidation that we all sat together and watched the new film on TV before Christmas, I genuinely feared the worst but I need not have worried. I also genuinely enjoyed the film and even though I've had to watch it at least 4 times I still think it was superb. The kids in Matilda are amazingly talented, especially the young lady playing Matilda (Alisha Weir) who is actually Irish. Rewatching with the knowledge that in reality Alisha actually has a lovely, soft Irish accent there is only a few times that you can very faintly hear that accent a tiny bit. Amazing considering how young she is and the fact that it's acting AND singing while putting on a very well spoken English accent. She's certainly going to be a future star, well she kinda is now haha! But I couldn't recommend Matilda The Musical film any higher, it is SO GOOD! The songs are all incredibly catchy and fun, some real ear worms here. I was again very pleasantly surprised to learn that Tim Minchin wrote them all as I've always been a big fan of his comedy (Only A Ginger, Can Call Another Ginger Ginger being hilarious!) Man, I'm gushing about all this but it is a really great film for all the family (especially when I was already into musicals like Rocky Horror, Little Shop Of Horrors, Anna And The Apocalypse etc)

[@spellmedia2445]

I think this is one of the best musical adaptations in a while… it’s up there with Chicago

[@shakeandblake92]

The community post about this was a perfect reminder to become a member! FYI it is stupidly difficult to do on mobile. I’m so glad to be here! This is much more convenient than this content being on Patreon.

[@Showtunediva]

American movie and musical theatre fan here: 11:57 I absolutely loved the cinematography in this film as well. 13:16 I absolutely almost cried during this song too! 15:48 I hope that Emma Thompson is nominated for an Oscar. She was outstanding! same thing for Lashawna Lynch.

[@Kayla-ur3kj]

Am I the only one who was concerned when he went through almost the whole introduction/explanation saying “theatrical”? I was so relieved when he said “stage-y” again near the end! 😂

[@victoriaramos1972]

Oh My God, beret!

[@fia2458]

I loveee this!! btw wld u consider doing your thoughts on heathers new extension/ its long term stay at the other palace? xx

[@beabravo6759]

As a Gary Barlow person the fact that you mentioned him made my day. SO OFF TOPIC but would you say that opening Finding Neverland on Broadway first literally across the street from Hamilton was as suicidal as I think it was?

[@Shivelpuff23]

My daughter (9) has been in love with this musical for a few years (she did it with her stage school) and I took her to see it in the WE for her 7th birthday. She really hated when I grow up in the film - whenever we go to the park she sits on the swings and sings it, but yeah definitely not a hit for her at all. I missed the mafia 😅

[@kazza6078]

One kid has already gone viral singing along to the soundtrack, and he's been gifted airline tickets for his family to see a show in New york because of it 💕

[@chrissiegaming4173]

This was my first introduction to the musical and I really enjoyed the movie. It was beautifully done. I'm pretty sure I've never seen Emma Thompson quite so terrifying before lol

[@musicnmovies92]

"Oh my gosh, barrette" is quite possibly my favorite opening.

[@kazza6078]

American audiences are very loyal to the 90s matilda, I genuinely think that's more of a barrier to people living it than it being a musical. But I think it's good enough to stand on its own!

[@victoriaramos1972]

My favorite part of this movie was Matilda being born in the hospital in the beginning and the Bruce scene with the flashing lights.

[@Andrew-yb1uv]

Im a 55 year old contruction manager and I loved this film. Highly recommend, watch it!

[@accountforwastingtime]

I LOVED the film! I agree, totally got why the beginning was changed and thought that was done very well. I've never really understood chokey. I know it's all exaggerated bullying but....still. Def says something if they didn't even feel like they could put a child in there LOL I agree- it should have felt more of a threat. Like a room in detention and solitary confinement but not in such an unrelatable way. I feel like kids not familiar with the musical who haven't seen the other film might not have even gotten what the deal was. Plus there is def a potential correlation there with Matilda locked in a room by her parents and a headmistress locking her in the room for being too naughty/clever. And speaking of yessss I love love love how we see Matilda realize to be clever and brave and even rebellious isn't "bad" and how afraid people will be of her being smart & how to use that to protect others.

[@angelm795]

This movie was released on Christmas day in the US, we watched it over and over on Christmas. My son just loves it.

[@solcarlosofficial]

I think the second trunchball song could have been cut I felt it slowed down the pace and didn’t add much to the story

[@juliannagoodwin2875]

Because I only saw a local production of Matilda I didnt know that Holding my Hand was an original song. The moment I heard it I swore I heard it from the production. It just sounded like it fit. Total Mandela affect.

[@awc49]

Listening to your comments, I saw that I was a but hasty in writing off the screen version of Matilda. A lot if your comments make sense. I just wish that the background scores had been a little louder especially in My House. It’s such a beautiful song. Will watch it again with different eyes.

[@cianryan4430]

Love!! Just wandering if your still planning on visiting/reviewing Leeds Playhouse's Charlie and The Chocolate Factory? Or are you waiting for its tour?

[@dayvaughnmonroe9540]

Lashanna Lynch was soooo great and “My House” was so heartbreaking, something that was there on stage but i felt it deeply on screen, she was wonderful

[@Izzylovesdinos]

I honestly loved the movie and I’m always begging my mum to take me to the cinema to see it again 😂

[@Debbie76]

I must admit, that I don't love a few of the songs either on stage or film, but I think that Revolting Children in particular translated really well to the screen and was so much better filmed on the huge scale that it was. The stage version just gets me hyped up, but the film version gets me really emotional too. I'm not sure if it's the voice from this Bruce or the cuts to Matilda's face throughout the song but I did shed a few tears along with being hyped up along with the children and huge song and dance number ❤️

[@yuke1256]

I loved how they did the scenes for the acrobat and escapologist. I thought it was so great with the over the top visuals but it fit so well with the ridiculous nature of the story.

[@cedgson91]

Yeah My house made me cry too Related so much to it The casting was so great in this film I watched the film not knowing the stage show Really enjoyed the film ❤

[@mariem24601]

“Where is the revenge section?” My favorite line in the movie.

[@kazza6078]

It was so good!! I hope the people responsible for this movie get their hands on more musical movies! It's such a hard balance to get right

[@renees4577]

Great Review. Surprised though by no mention of Bruce at all; especially in light of how a few reviewers mentioned his size called into question his ability to eat the whole cake. I thought he was great-esp the change to the beginning of Revolting Children made it more moving and allowed the song to grow in a great way.

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

I liked his energy, a great Bruce, I feel like I've always seen a great Bruce when I've seen the show. I personally would rather not invest any time discussing a child's size, I just think it doesn't bear discussion.

[@Hello_hi146]

'My house' made my cry :)

[@Luca-br3lu]

I loved it, and I’m going to watch it for the third time right now ☺️

[@mr.narrator6781]

I'm not going to lie I feel the opposite when it comes to Matilda's character in this movie versus the 1990s version. I feel like in this version. She is already super powerful and knows that she's powerful and she is self aware of the fact that she is not in a very good situation right off the bat, and that she has a protect other people from her experiences. In the 1990s version she is also self-aware by age, she grows in the movie from a more demure and scared little girl, who is still thou very self sufficient. To someone who embraces the fact that she is powerful, that she is smart and she is in charge of her own destiny. This Matilda already has that from the beginning and there's not much growth to her character. I still loved to movie regardless, but yeah that was my flaw with it.

[@enforsstrom]

I can't stop watching to this film. 🥰

[@paulschacht9777]

Couldn’t wait to watch it on Netflix! So well done across the board - my highlighted choices | scenes: • Library becoming Bookmobile to add to the outdoor scenes • Cutting back on Wormwoods - definitely needed in keeping with the focus of the movie, although it would have been fun if Mr & Mrs hummed their cut songs or maybe if “Telly” was transformed into an advert playing in the background on the telly • Magnus Chain phantom | Extra Chokeys scene and how each side kept 1-upping the other • Russian to Muscle-head mafia (probably should be changed in all Stage versions as well for the safety of the casts & creative teams) Just a few nit-picks: • The Wormwoods forget to enroll Matilda in school? Really? It seems like they would be counting the days till she’d be out the house 6-8 hr a day vs not caring enough to know that had to register her (and the newly created initial scene betwixt MsHoney & Matilda promised way more than it delivered). In fact, why include Mrs Wormwood at all? Just do an In The Heights and not include her at all - have her die at childbirth to allow showing the extreme differences in dealing with the loss | not having a mom - and then the ending dialogue with Mr calling Matilda “daughter” could have allowed Mr to show the pain of realizing how horrible he was all those years as well as the realization that the best way forward for Matilda is for him to disappear from her life • And, of course - everybody’ favorite gripe, why not even a tiny glimpse of any swings in “When I Grow Up” - not even a slightly out of focus long shot down a block - not even someone watching the opening of Harry Potter Order of the Phoenix - nuttin’!

[@morley364]

I will say, the 'forgetting to put her in school' bit is in the original book, if I remember right.

[@paulschacht9777]

@@morley364 lol - I guess the book isn’t always better than the movie (or best source to replicate in the movie)

[@morley364]

@@paulschacht9777 True- I think it makes more sense in the book because Matilda is going into kindergarten, so she only misses like a month of school ever (in the first year she might be expected to attend) rather than years or something. Technically she's also a kindergartner in the movie, but since she and her classmates are played by older kids/preteens, when you hear she hasn't been to school it makes it seem like she got all the way through middle school with no education or people checking lol.

[@moviemelody2210]

Staging I disliked the staging of the hospital in the song “miracle”, as well as the Wormwood’s house, because it felt very setesque rather than real places that people visit/live. I also didn’t like that, while we heard and saw Chokey, we never got to see a child go in Chockey. Like you MikeyJo I also felt that the chokey to be an empty threat, especially with the lyrics in the song “Chockey Chant” (“And it’s made of Spikes and Wood” “There are nails on the bottom so you’d wish you stood”) which makes it sound impossible for a child to be locked in without sever physical injury. Characters I completely agree that this Matilda is the most revengeful portrayal of the character I’ve ever seen…I loved it when she asked Mrs Phelps where the revenge section was🤣. I also really liked that they cut Michel from the film because it makes more sense as to why Mrs Wormwood doesn’t realize she’s pregnant. On the flipside, I did not like the cuts they made to Matilda’s parents because it made the abuse that Matilda received (which is still very wrong) feel very subdued, as opposed to the 1996 American movie adaptation, and not warrant the severe backlash that Matilda unleashed upon them. I was also pretty disappointed in the relationship between Miss Honey and Matilda as that’s supposed to be one of the most profound relationships within the whole show but it just came across as a teacher who is intrigued by her student’s mind rather then a maternal figure for a neglected child. I felt that the parent relationship was between Mrs. Phelps and Matilda. On that note, I did not like Lashana Lynch’s portrayal of Miss Honey at all! I know that in this video you spoke about Miss Honey’s lingering childhood trauma but the whole meekness gets really annoying as it is present throughout the entire movie even when she’s alone with Matilda. That being said, Lashana’s vocals were fantastic in all the right places and I also cried during “My House.” My favorite Scene The segment where the escapologist is running down the stairs to his daughter (both when it’s Matilda and a young Miss Honey). It made me CRY! My Favorite Song Naughty because it’s funny and has a strong message that you have control over your live despite being little.

[@dayvaughnmonroe9540]

Lol

[@vickylee456]

Sindhu vee- I am a huge fan of her comedy and her in general so I will be a bit biased. I’m happy they didn’t go in the same direction as the stage show with mrs phelps. Shindhu has such a great harsh but fair caring mother energy and since they cast a non black actor for the part, I’m glad they did something completely different. I liked that she was a bit more subdued, it felt like a calm and safe break from the madness of school and home and the fantastical world was crazy enough without mrs phelps being too over the top. Seagull - there’s a bird / flying metaphor in this film. There’s the butterfly in the hot air balloon. And the film closes with a flock of flying birds. I think it represents freedom for Matilda. More flying metaphors in the story is obviously the acrobat, the hammer throw, throwing ms trunchbukk out of the ceiling, and obviously in the stage show Matilda is lifted above the ground in quiet.

[@victoriaramos1972]

Five star for me!!!!

[@zzhughesd]

Good critique of SinduV

[@tinyprints5423]

I see your point on Jenny, but I feel like we lost something with "This Little Girl" cut, as well as moving her home visit to the beginning as a government mandated visit to an absent child vs. her doing it on her own initiative. The heart of Matilda is the relationship between her and Jenny, and showing them fighting for each other. I don't think with the changes we see Jenny really fight for Matilda, and it becomes a child saving the adult vs. them finding and saving each other.

[@ananya_maz]

Video idea! If… you take those :) I think it would be a really interesting video for you to maybe meet up or collab with a movie critic KZbinr and pick out a new or relevant or particularly interesting movie musical. And then compare and contrast your thoughts on a movie musical as a theatre critic and as a movie critic. Thoughts?

[@victoriaramos1972]

Juan Pablo Di Pace should've been Rudolpho in my opinion.

[@kazza6078]

I miss Loud and Telly but only for entertainment purposes, I get why they cut them both

[@Nothing0_010]

Matilda the musical wasn’t my favourite on stage but the film was so charming and dazzling

[@kmetzful]

Hit list or Bombshell? I rewatch Smash every year, I love the ridiculous drama... Hit list all the way!

[@Twananas]

I just don't understand why they took the whole dance competition out. It was such a major argument for Mrs Wormwood to hate Matilda. Now we didn't get much reasoning for her/them to hate her.

[@sevensongs]

I didn't love it, but it was better than I expected and my daughter just ADORED it and watched it twice in as many days. At 9, she is definitely the target audience, and it hit the spot for her perfectly.

[@videoeditorbloke]

I saw something the other day that said that whereas the chokey is shown to such an extent in the 1996 film, there's never a scene of it in the book, only references to it. And it's been stated that the teams that made the musical and this new film didn't watch the American version, but decided only to take their source from the book. So that'll be why it's not more prominent.

[@kl-1447]

I think it sort of plays out the idea that any idea you're going to come up with is going to be scarier than the description. Also as a kid, you're going to be a lot more scared of just the way its making you be alone in the dark. It works because it's a children's story and told (mostly) from the perspective of a child. Also just from a story perspective, the chokey is mostly just a scary threat that is there, it doesn't actually get a lot of plot importance besides just making Trunchbull more cruel (if I remember correctly, its been a while since I've read the book but I love the musical and the I've seen the first film a couple of times)

[@zzhughesd]

My House - This is my house. Was my favourite , what was everyone’s ?????

[@emmermayonegg]

Overall I did enjoy it, I didn’t like how basic the alphabet song was though, like about 20 letters were just the doors which is boring? Curious if the girl who drops the toy in When I Grow Up is someone on the production’s daughter, as she feels like she gets some long shots to just be a random kid. I went with my Rainbows group (4-7 year olds) and at the end one of them was like “[miss trunchball] is running away because she doesn’t like plaits!” which is a great read on the situation

[@emmermayonegg]

I didn’t mind the parents songs being cut tbh although I do like the mum’s dancing storyline, but after seeing it during the BFI release, I saw a tweet saying her dad stole the show and it’s like um certainly not?

[@kazza6078]

[Insert obligatory more proshots always please comment here]

[@ClairePickering]

I wanted to watch the new Matilda

[@heartlknj]

I liked the musical and the movie was my first time seeing it, so my criticsm may have already had its moment when the musical was first adapted from the book. I don't like that that the Wormwoods' villany had to be exagerrated in wanting sons instead of daughters or not wanting children at all. The neglect and abuse should be enough to make them villains, and in my opinion the stage and movie musical makes the classism in the original worse than it already was.

[@rachaelkilpatrick9774]

I love Smash

[@alfiedodman5231]

Members saw it first

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

Facts! 😂

[@thewiz2003]

@@MickeyJoTheatre I am thinking about becoming a member soon. I recently saw the Netflix film Tick Tick Boom! If you have seen it what are your thoughts. Thank you for reading and “have a stagey day.”

[@kyletristanrobert8207]

Off topic from the movie musical Matilda, but last September I played the part of Roudolpho in a stage production of this show. To start off I had several times I was told "This is the perfect character for you" "He is so gay and over the top" "PERFECT character for you". Nowhere in the character description does it say Roudolpho is "gay" only that he is Mrs Wormwoods over the top dance instructor "part Italian". As a gay man myself I was confused why someone would basically say you're "gay" you'd be great for "this". As if being "gay" is a character 😐. Already knowing Roudolpho is played for laughs. For fearing it would be worse having possibly a straight man play the part for "laughs" I took the part, made him funny but also focused more on "we don't know his sexuality" we just know the man loves to dance and he may or may not have something going on with Mrs Wormwood behind the closed door. Any thoughts 💬 on this topic?

[@antonbradbury]

i agree it’s kinda dodgy people saying that. i guess it’s just an attempted comment on him being flamboyant and sultry as a character

[@moth.03]

I do think that's weird. I've never seen the musical but I was in a production of it (as orchestra) and I honestly got the sense in how our actors played it that Mrs Wormwood was having an affair with him

[@thomassutton8054]

I loved this film however Matilda tells her story of the escapologist and the acrobat to Mrs Phelps however I think she should've told this to miss honey as it makes no sense for miss honey to adopt Matilda as she already had a motherly relationship with Mrs Phelps. She hadn't had many moments with miss honey other than 'my house' and in the classroom.

[@Phelie315]

Im probably the only person here but the Matilda musical just is not for me. The stage show did nothing for me and the movie didn't improve that impression at all. I'm just not connecting with it, somehow. I did love the revolting children scene though and I'm glad y'all liked the film :)

[@mmmmc12]

honestly as much as i liked it, i feel the plot of matilda and some of the clear messages dahl wanted to present were lost. esp with the lack of tele because it is such a thing in the book and is never left alone and it feels odd that it has just been lost. the fact she didnt have a brother took away the more femenist view you can interpret from the book at the dissapointment without another sun. it felt like a movie with some songs (instead of a musical as songs were cut down or cut all together) and a good story but not the matilda we all know and love.

[@zzhughesd]

Aha. Confused. New to channel. Please accept apology. But….. I thought you reviewed this before Xmas. I watched this 22 Dec and again 24 Dec. I’m not into musicals and loved this.

[@antonbradbury]

he did a spoiler-free review after the press screening, but this one is more detailed and contains spoilers

[@jenelphaba7558]

I disagree about Sandu Vhee. More would have been caricatural or overacting.

[@filmgeek520]

I might be in the minority here, but while I loved almost everything about this movie (including Alisha Weir, who we should be running a Best Actress campaign for now), I really really did not enjoy Emma Thompson as the Trunchbull. I have grown quite tired of conventionally attractive actors being put in fatsuits to convey ugliness, when real fat people such as myself a) cannot just take off a prosthesis at the end of a work day and b) have already had a lifetime of people telling us we're ugly and worthless. There are plenty of talented fat actresses (or drag queens for that matter!) that could have also given a great performance. OR Emma Thompson (whom I otherwise love!) could have been menacing without the prosthesis - as far as I'm aware Pam Ferris did not wear one in the 1996 film. The effect of the suit and fake chin made the Trunchbull ironically made her less menacing to me and more silly. I'm sure part of this also comes down to Dahl's description in the book, BUT between this and The Whale, I'm so tired of Hollywood treating fatpeople like we're subhuman.

[@mollymcdade4031]

I really enjoyed the film, although I was slightly disappointed at the lack of visuals in the School Song and When I Grow Up. Both of those numbers are so well choreographed on stage, but for those numbers the alphabet on the classroom doors and the kid riding a bike felt really basic and underwhelming

[@solitarychele]

Wait. The young people don’t know SMASH?? They should pause this video, go watch the (sadly, only) two seasons and then come back much wiser and possibly happier!

[@zzhughesd]

My son found the girl thrown by her hair. Possibly to her death. As a 6 year old. Scary. I’d say that scene could be removed. I know she survived …. But

[@antonbradbury]

it’s cartoonish, dahlian violence, and is a staple in every version of the story; there would be outrage had it been removed

[@zzhughesd]

@@antonbradbury Thank you !!!!! haven't watched the original in 20 years, get it now !!! Cheers

[@luxy8703]

It has a parental guidance rating I believe, it’s there to say , that children over 8 generally are ok with the film but parents should consider that if they have a more sensitive child some scenes might be upsetting to them so do your research on the film you are taking them to see. That’s the advice from the film classification board anyway. We haven’t had a chance to see it yet as it hasn’t come out on Netflix here yet. ! I hope that is helpful advice for the future when seeing films at the cinema though!

[@zzhughesd]

@@luxy8703 aha. 6.25 just a tad too young. Etched in my sons brain few hours. Prob thought his teacher may do same to him. !!!!

[@zzhughesd]

@@luxy8703 yes helped loads. Since I’ve been 15 I haven’t looked back. Now I have a boyish young boy I’ll better review the films ahead for guidance , many thanks.

[@lanamitchell6592]

I liked the fact that we nearly all refer to the girl as the red beret girl😂(I do and my friends do)I never knew her name I've been singing the school song for days now.😂 Have a good day:)

[@apatouros7572]

this movie was a big miss for me 🤷

[@worrywart1311]

Just a quick comment about MickeyJo's review (which if you want to get on with it really starts at the 3:30 mark). I found it incredibly distracting wondering how many seconds it would be before he yanked his T-shirt down yet again. I don't know if that's the norm as I haven't seen him before. Perhaps he has one that fits him better and obviates that need?

[@antonbradbury2]

no one cares

[@Lighting_Desk]

All in all not bad at all. Emma Thompson didn't quite have the edge for me. It was very emma playing the character and without a lot of theatricality. Telly and loud would have helped the parents context a fair bit. There were a couple of instances of children rusjing through lines a little but that wasn't that bad. For the most part a great adaption with a few weird choices that suck you back out a little. Definitely seen worse but some bits didn't quite land.

[@victoriaramos1972]

I loved Chelsea Boyce's portrayal as Matilda, due to her being American in real life, she had to put on a British accent for this movie. Her big brother, Cameron Boyce, would've been proud of his littlest sister if he were alive today 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@antonbradbury]

what?

[@rubymduncan]

Chelsea Boyce didn’t play matilda. And Chelsea Boyce isn’t a real person?

[@magnoliaskogen]

My least favorite part of the film is that they put 2 actors in fat suits, including a child, thus treating fatness like a costume and taking jobs away from fat actors. I felt the lyrics in the new song were not as clever as many of the original songs. Also, there's something else that bothered me about the lyrics that I can't really figure out how to explain. Basically I don't like how it positions Matilda and Miss Honey as having equally saved each other. Adults should be the ones saving children and not the other way around. This is a very common trope in media that kids save adults (Harry Potter is another example). I'm sure a lot of people reading this comment will think I'm ridiculous and "it's not that deep." And, in my opinion, these kinds of stories do contribute to a culturally fcked up understanding of power dynamics in caregiver-child relationships, which makes it hard for a lot of people to see abuse dynamics in families. It's adults' job to care for children, not the other way around. Caregivers and their children are not peers and it's not kids' jobs to take care of their parents. Also the awful green screen in Quiet was so upsetting; it took away from the power of that amazing song.

[@antonbradbury]

1. Miss Trunchbull isn’t in a ‘fat’ suit; her character isn’t even meant to be fat! they’ve bulked her up to meet the monstrous strength which is so specifically described in the book. 2. matilda’s power is the point of the story, and to have a girl - whom one would assume would be nothing but vulnerable and weak - to fight all odds just to stand for what is right, is extremely powerful, and having miss honey do the same for her is ultimately what unites the two characters, and justifies the very fact that she adopts her in the end. it was a strong staple in the musical, it only makes sense that it’s continued here. 3. the green screen is great in this section, and a lot worse in other parts of the film, so i don’t understand your issue.

[@mollymcdade4031]

I will agree Bruce’s fat suit was really badly done. His thin legs were so out of proportion with the rest of his body I thought he might be disabled until I saw photos of the actor out of costume.

[@JanaShakespeare]

@@mollymcdade4031 that's interesting because I found myself wondering if he was a little person because the proportions of his legs were so different from his body, and I assumed there was some kind of genetic concern. I hadn't considered that it was a poorly done fat suit.

[@waynedevonald9335]

One of the worst films I have ever seen!x