The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is the perfect combination of Roald Dahl and Wes Anderson. It’s visually pleasing, funny, and very entertaining.
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is the first of several promised collaborations between Roald Dahl and Wes Anderson that will be released on Netflix. It is the perfect mixture of the two. Whimsy, fun, and of course, visually unique and entertaining.
Wes Anderson has a certain color palette that can be found throughout all of his films, and just because this one is a short is no different. The cinematic choices are very Wes Anderson as well — such as character after character looking directly into the camera. That works especially well with this short film as it is a story within a story within a story.
Note: This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar would not exist without the labor of the writers and actors in both unions.
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar tells quite an interesting tale of a man who has learned to see without using his eyes. It starts with Roald Dahl telling the story of when Henry Sugar discovers the writings about a man. As this happens, we are transported to the story within the story. That story, tells the story of another man. A story within a story within a story… within a story.
This might sound complicated, and it could be if not done well, but Wes Anderson hits the nail on the head and delivers it in a way that makes it very easy to distinguish between them all.
Of course, they are all visually pleasing, something that Anderson is well known for, but the short doesn’t work without the proper actors. Each and every one are incredible, but Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Henry Sugar, is the easy standout.
Fans know that he is great at what he does, but the way his eyes pierce through the screen as if to tell you the story himself and bring you on this journey alongside him, is what makes The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar so perfect.
Ralph Fiennes plays Roald Dahl himself. Although these are some big shoes to fill, he does it with ease. You simply cannot help but smile when you first see him on screen. Dev Patel is also incredible, as is Ben Kingsley. Really, there is no bad performance in the bunch.
The choice to make this a short film, clocking in at under forty minutes, is also a large part of why it is so good. Sure, it could have been dragged out to feature film length, but that wouldn’t have been the right medium for it. Likely it would have felt dull at times where now it is thoroughly entertaining from start to finish.
The story has a positive message about the good that one person can do, but it has quite a few comedic moments woven throughout as well. Like, laugh until your cheeks hurt kind of humor.
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is visually pleasing, entertaining, silly, and honestly, a whole lot of fun. Making it a short rather than a feature was the right call because it helps with pacing and allows it to be interesting the whole way through. We cannot wait to see what Roald Dahl adaptation Wes Anderson does next.
Rating: 5 out of 5
NEXT: Asteroid City Is The Most Wes Anderson Wes Anderson Movie Ever Made
About The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
Henry Sugar, a wealthy man, decides to take on an extraordinary challenge – he wants to master an extraordinary skill in order to cheat at gambling games.
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar starts streaming on Netflix September 27th.
