Jeri Jacquin

Coming to theatres this Friday from director Jon M. Chu and Universal Pictures comes the much-anticipated film WICKED.

Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo) is a young woman who has been living with a difference, she happens to be green. While taking her sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode), a paraplegic, to her first day at Shiz University, she is noticed by Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), the Headmistress. Believing she has found something special; she makes sure that Elphaba is taken into Shiz as well. Looking for a room to place her, Galinda Upland (Ariana Grande) is unwittingly chosen.

Galinda is a very popular girl who has a dreamy pink-like quality that Elphaba doesn’t warm up to at first meeting. Setting boundaries makes Galinda unsure of how it is possible that someone doesn’t like her. No matter, Galinda has found something new to keep her in the clouds and that is the arrival of Fiyero Tigelaar (Jonathan Bailey), a Winkie very good-looking prince. He sees Galinda as well and the two strike up a flirtation. But another, Boq (Ethan Slater) also has eyes for the floating beauty.

In history class, Doctor Dillamond (Peter Dinklage), a goat, is giving the students their first lessons but it is Galinda making it about her until Elphaba interjects. Once again Galinda is confused. When it is announced that a group is going out together, Boq tries to make his move but Galinda redirects him to Nessarose which makes the young girl so thrilled and Elphaba wonder if perhaps she might be too harsh on Galinda. At the dance is when everything beings to change for the two young women.

Elphaba now finds a way to include Galinda in her studies with Madame Morrible and Galinda finds ways to show others that Elphaba is one of them. Madame Morrible has decided, after seeing Elphaba’s powers, to write to the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum) to see if a private audience can happen. Again, Elphaba includes Galinda in the exciting adventure but once there, both of them see what the Wizard is really about and what part Madame Morrible is playing.

The two young women must each make a decision on what path down the yellow brick road they are going to take. Elphaba now understands the strength of her powers and is about to unleash the Wicked Witch of the West!

Grande as Galinda and Erivo as Elphaba play off one another very well. They seem to be having fun play their respective roles and that is important to the audience watching. I just love Michelle Yeoh and when she gets the opportunity to play bad, she just plays it bad to the bone and as Madame Morrible it is as underhanded as it gets and I’m here for it.

Bailey as Fiyero is handsome, dashing and quite the dancer around books. He is the Ken to Galdina’s Barbie (outfits and all) but there will come a kitty-cat moment where he begins to question feelings he seems to have never had before. Slater as Boq is a love-struck young man and the problem is that the heart wants what the heart wants. We will see how this plays out.

Goldblum as the Wizard is exactly what I expected and actually waited to see out of the whole film. He is quirky, theatrical, and when the tables turn, he keeps up the wide-eyed innocent act with style. Dinklage as the voice of Doctor Dillamomd is just so damn cool…period. He may be the voice of a goat but I cheered hearing him none-the-less.

Other cast include Karis Musongole as young Elphaba, Bowen Yang as Pfannee, Bronwyn James as ShenShen, Keala Settle as Miss Coddle, Aaron Teoh as Avaric, Grecia de la Paz as Gilligan, Colin Carmichael as Professor Nikidik, Courtney-Mae Briggs as Melena Thropp, Andy Nyman as Frexspar Thropp, and Sharon D. Clarke as Dulcibear.

Cameos includeIdina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Stephen Schwartz, Kerry Ellis, Luke Bayer, Georgina Onuorah and Dianne Pilkington.

WICKED has already won a few accolades from the Manaki Brothers Film Festival with the SUMOLIGHT Creative Synergy Award, the Heartland Film Festival for Truly Moving Picture AwardCameriage for Production Designer Award for Nathan Crowley, Celebration of Black Cinema and Television with Actress Award – film for Cynthia Erivo, and Santa Barbara International Film Festival Virtuoso Award for Ariana Grande.

This is where I suspect that my review will part ways with readers. I think the film is very colorful with a 2023 Willy Wonka and Harry Potter school type deal with spells, witches, wands and outlandish characters. That said, I can’t unsee Galinda being an Elle Woods LEGALLY BLONDE (“Whoever said orange is the new pink is seriously disturbed) mixed with BARBIE (“Don’t worry – everyone likes me and thinks I’m cool and pretty”) washed in Pepto Bismal so much than her brain is basically mush but enough left for her to be sweetly dastardly. Sorry folks but MY Galinda via 1939 is lovely, caring and wise and I completely get the “you’re of an era” quips, but to sit for two hours listening to a high pitched, bleached-blonde, narcissistic pink-lady just didn’t do it for me.

Elphaba, I can’t even so I just won’t other than to say although a nod to her basket bike riding skills. By the way, when did the Wizard get a side-kick? Not sure what a prince has to do with the story but I guess I’ll maybe find out in Part 2? Oh yes folks, as if three hours isn’t enough, there is actually a part deux. Look, I get it that this is created from a screenplay by Winie Holzman and Dana Fox but if the stage musical by Stephen Schwartz and Holzman could do it in under three hours without a second part, why can’t the film? Let’s give credit that it all came about and is “loosely” based on the 1995 by Gregory Maguire. Now I have to go read the book because I’m not waiting a year to see how this plays out.  

Okay, now that I’ve said my partial-piece (did you think that’s all I thought?), let me just say this. Upon exiting the theatre, I saw happy people, I saw thrilled people and my granddaughter was one of them and that’s all that matters right? People being happy to be in a theatre together basking in the glow of a shared experience? I’m here for that absolutely and see that WICKED is going to hit a target audience who are going to be just as thrilled this Friday as everyone at the screening was (well, almost all).

To be fair, it was a fun time to be with my granddaughter and see her elation. The color, the songs, the dancing, the few giggles is exactly what the audience will be expecting. I didn’t not like the film, I would say it is more indifference after seeing it, and so it is known, I was interested in the film from jump. I’d probably have enjoyed it more from my comfy chair at home and, if it helps, I will most likely actually do that when it comes to a streaming service. In the meantime, hey WICKED, run with it by all means. Get the kudos, get the awards and make the fans happy because I’m all for that absolutely.

So, all this yadda-yadda being said, look, grab up every musical lover in your home, grab up every WICKED fan who is excited, for the kids and the kid at heart, head to theatre this Friday and dressing in costume is optional but always fun, grab some eats (no belly buster drinks!), make sure you get a comfy theatre seat and prepare to look towards the western sky!

In the end – everyone deserves the chance to fly!

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