A source of a lot of curiosity for me comes when I ponder about whether an artist, when first committing pen to paper or brush to canvas, realizes how their work with take on an entirely different life, remaining resonant and compelling half a century after it is first introduced to the public. In most cases, longevity is a sign of an exceptional work of art, since keeping anything cherished for that long takes a lot of effort and signals a true wealth of talent that can never be underestimated. This is the precise reason why Roald Dahl remains one of our greatest writers in the history of the English language, whether it be his brilliantly sardonic adult fare, or the works that he wrote for children, for which he is perhaps best known and revered. His magnum opus is subject to debate, with a small handful of stories being cited as his greatest work – but it always inevitably comes down to one of two novels, either Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or Matilda, the latter being recognized as perhaps his most beloved novel, if not his best outright. There is something about the story of someone triumphing over adversity that resonates with many of us, especially those who grew up experienced those unmistakable feelings of inadequacy, whether it be from our family or peers – its the reason Dahl’s stories are always so endearing, since they focus on simple protagonists whose journeys are deeply meaningful – and Matilda is the best distillation of these concepts. It was adapted by Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin in a musical nearly a decade ago, which not only reminded us of why we adore this story, but breathed new life into something that so many absolutely adore. It’s not a revolutionary musical, but its one that has brought a lot of joy to many people, making the task doubly more intimidating – and now this wonderful musical has been brought to the screen, remaining as charming and captivating today as it did years ago, proving that it is still very possible to put together a compelling screen musical without aiming to reinvent the genre, an important distinction that everyone involved in this adaptation seemed all too keenly aware of, as evident in the frequent efforts to highlight its more unique aspects that could only be done on film.

We all love an underdog story, and they rarely are more compelling than the peculiar case of Matilda Wormwood, a sensitive young girl who sees the world in vivid colours, while those around her can’t help but see it in the most drab shades of black and white, which is the start of the story and the reason why Matilda the Musical feels like such a success. This is a full-bodied production in the way that very few modern iterations of popular genres seem to be focused on mounting – in recent years, its been about pushing boundaries through technology, the effort needed to make a lavish, big-budget musical where the vast majority of visual components are practical rather than generated by technology. It was important that everyone involved in this film was aware of not only the scope of the material, but the reasons behind the success of the stage show, which was just as important. The decision to bring Matthew Warchus, who had previously directed the stage musical in both London and New York City, to helm this production was a smart decision, since few seem to be more capable of understanding the material than someone who guided the original production – and considering he was not a greenhorn to cinema (Pride remains one of the very best works of queer cinema in recent years), he was the right kind of director the film needed to take command of the production, which is especially important considering this was now moving to a medium where the director has a much more involved role, not only being responsible for cobbling together the various segments into a coherent whole, but also making sure it was all cohesive and made sense as a singular work, which is often something that gets overlooked in theatre, which is very much built on smaller details that are simply not found on stage. For this reason alone, Matilda the Musical immediately piques our curiosity, and soon earns our attention – and there are few better criticisms that can be given to such an immensely intimidating production than to say that it keeps us invested, which is becoming increasingly difficult in an era driven by high-concept storytelling, making us question whether there is space for more simple and evocative films along these lines, which is proven to be entirely relevant, despite bizarre patterns.

What is important to remember is that Matilda the Musical is an interpretation of the novel, rather than an outright adaptation – after all, it’s a cinematic version of a musical that already took many liberties with the material, keeping the same general plot structure, but still making several changes for the sake of making it work on stage. It is inevitable that most viewers are going to look on this film through the lens of nostalgia, either for the original novel or the well-received film adaptation that remains as compelling today as it was a quarter of a century ago – and while it is dangerous to peddle in nostalgia, since it rarely has positive outcomes when it is the hinge for a production, it can be very effective when it is done well. Matilda the Musical is a superbly well-directed film, and Warchus shows that he can effectively move between stage and screen with incredible aptitude, adapting the style of the play into a format that is profoundly cinematic – it is often difficult to view musical adaptations as inventive works, since too many of them do the bare minimum of expanding on some bold ideas without actually ever following through on them, creatively and narratively – it’s not enough to set the action in an expanded environment, and a director instead needs to find ways to effectively and concisely adapt the work to fit an entirely different medium altogether, which is often the biggest challenge they tend to face. Matilda the Musical is a vibrant film that is bursting with creativity – the use of colour and set decoration gives the film a visual panache that catches our eye from the first moments, and the musical sequences are astonishing (the climactic “Revolting Children” is destined to become one of those cultural touchstones of musical cinema, a sequence that is going to be referenced and upheld as an example of pitch-perfect staging), with the combination of Tim Minchin’s superb songs and the stunning choreography giving the film so much vivacity and nuance. Matilda the Musical manages to be surprising for even those who are beyond well-versed in the genre, since there are some intriguing components in its execution that will delight any viewer, which is perhaps the film’s most valuable currency, since we never know what to expect.

Matilda the Musical is a show that required actors who could commit fully to the characters, since they were truly definitive of the story in a way that was often quite important to the overall experience. The technique of casting multiple actors to play the titular character on different nights (in an effort to reduce the physical strain of being in a stage show from the young actors) was replaced here in the form of Alisha Weir, who makes her leading film acting debut as Matilda, charming her way through the film in a way that feels like she is making a good case for herself as one of the brightest young talents we’ve encountered this year. It’s a performance that needs someone who can play both the broader and quieter moments of the character while still remaining authentic, which is a challenge for any actor, especially one who is so young – yet, Weir brings out such a stunning and lovely performance, it’s bewildering to imagine that she had never been the lead in a film prior to this one. The rest of the cast is brilliant, each in their own way – Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough are hilarious as Matilda’s parents, but are surprisingly not as present here as they are in previous versions of the story (the musical focuses more on the school-based scenes, rather than the domestic life of the main character), but are still very good. Lashana Lynch, who continues to prove herself as one of the most exceptionally versatile performers we have working today, is wonderful as the empathetic Miss Honey, who proves to be the heart of the film, contrasted sharply by the hilarious performance given by Dame Emma Thompson, who I would imagine was a major reason for many viewers to take a chance on this film. It’s not the first time Thompson has played a villainous character, but she’s always fantastic, and her performance as the unhinged, deeply sinister Miss Trunchbull (a role usually played on stage by male actors) is yet another remarkable effort from one of our finest actors – she chews every inch of scenery, but still manages to find nuances in the character, which is true of nearly everyone we encounter in this film, the cast being a major reason behind the success of both the stage show and this film adaptation.

Attaining perfection is nearly impossible for any film, especially when it is one based on as cherished a work as Matilda, which has been the source of a lot of comfort and admiration by readers for several decades. Their love for this material meant that everyone involved in any adaptation needed to tread very carefully to ensure they were paying sufficient tribute, while still doing something compelling. Matilda the Musical is not a film immune to a few questionable decisions – some aspects tend to feel like they lose their impact in the transition from page to stage to screen, a three-step process that was bound to result in a few challenges. However, the merits far outweigh the flaws, almost to the point where the entire experience becomes defined by a sense of rebellion that is both charming and enticing – it’s the central theme of the entire film, which is important for even the most pedestrian of productions, which are very much a case of trying to find some hook onto which the audience can grasp. There was very little chance that Matilda the Musical would be able to pay sufficient tribute to every aspect of the source material, so much like the stage production, it doesn’t strive to do so – it takes the skeleton of the narrative and a few key ideas, and blends them together in a wildly entertaining, incredibly well-made musical comedy that has as much humour as it does heart, both of which exist in an abundance. Terrific performances, fantastic production design and a general tone of perfect chaos makes for a film that is beyond enjoyable, a tremendously satisfying film that proves that the musical may not be a genre that is as popular today as it was in the past, but even with these constraints (and a few risks that come with such a big endeavour), it can result in absolutely dynamic, thrilling filmmaking when done well, which is precisely the reason behind the resounding and undeniable success of Matilda the Musical, a really captivating and entertaining gem of a film that reminds us of the timeless cultural contributions that Dahl brought to our world.