A provocative short film directed by Wes Anderson and released on Sept. 27, “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar” pays homage to the late Roald Dahl’s novel. Unlike your regular movie, “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar” involves unique, theater-like sets and transitions between them to give the audience a sense that, for lack of a better saying, they were truly watching a book unfold before them. The film was a combination of a book, theater, and movie all in one which made it such an interesting piece to watch while also retaining a fun vibe. I really enjoyed this film and its shorter run time of 41 minutes makes it fitting for those looking for a nice, relaxing film to watch.

Benedict Cumberbatch and his co-stars perfectly match the strangeness of the film with their excellent narration skills and quick tone changes that give the film its sense of exoticness. This is only accentuated by director Wes Anderson’s marvelous screenwriting to fit the dynamic of Dahl’s book and the impressive sets that make the movie have a theater-like aura. The continuous shots and the efficient set stages with background actors further keep the perception of a continuous plot being laid out before the audience which makes the film such an interesting watch. Additionally, the plot laid out by Dahl masterfully captures the audience with its moral story quickly displayed in two-thirds of an hour. The film could be most related to an enhanced audiobook: visualized emotions and settings make the story much more entertaining.

Overall, “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar” is a very fun film to watch and makes the audience really appreciate a fresh sense of a different style perfectly matching its intended purpose. The nostalgia from reading Roald Dahl’s books and the magical feelings we got as kids envisioning the stories are reignited in this short film that will brighten up any day or night in just 41 minutes. The morality of the story also provokes the reader to do good, as intended by Roald Dahl, and makes the film just overall a marvelous piece. “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar” encapsulates the greatness that comes from the combination of amazing acting, great directing, and wonderful writing which makes the film a must-watch any time, any day of the week, and I highly recommend it to all ages.