Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Uplifting story-based fantasy has some smoking, death.
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The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 2 parent reviews
What's the Story?
THE WONDERFUL STORY OF HENREY SUGAR is several stories within one narrated by their authors. A writer (Ralph Fiennes) tells the tale of Henry Sugar (Benedict Cumberbatch), a man whose life is changed by a story he reads in an old journal by a Dr. Chaterjee (Dev Patel) of Calcutta. Chaterjee recounts his encounter with a man (Ben Kinglsey) who learned to see without using his eyes. It's a skill Sugar realizes he can use to his own benefit, and he sets out to master the technique. He doesn't realize all that he will learn and gain in the process.
Is It Any Good?
This short film tells a deceptively joyful tale and will delight fans of the master stylist Wes Anderson. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar features Cumberbatch, Kingsley, Fiennes, and Patel in multiple roles offering a rapid-fire telling of the several stories-within-stories included in the classic Roald Dahl short tale. It's Anderson's second Dahl adaptation after Fantastic Mr. Fox. Henry Sugar is indeed wonderful, despite the ultra-serious delivery of the actors and the whiff of exoticism inherent in the mid-twentieth-century tale involving a wise yogi levitating in the Indian jungle (and mention of circus acts like snake-charmers and sword-swallowers).
Grown men learning to forego their egocentric desires is not the stuff of many Netflix releases. Anderson handles the themes gently. He places characters in his inimitable style within moving set pieces designed in a faded coral and blue color palette. They speak to camera, reciting written scripts including stage directions. If Dahl's original work offered a peek into the writing process, Anderson's retelling does the same for the staging process. Characters wander in and out of frame, sometimes changing costumes in between, sometimes aided by crewmen. The actors are splendid one and all, and it's lovely to see the talented Patel share a "stage" with these other powerhouse veterans.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the main messages of The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. What did you take away from the story? What lessons were applicable to your own life?
Director Wes Anderson has a very particular style. What aspects did you notice about the way this movie looked and was filmed that are different from other films? If you have seen other Anderson movies, which did this most remind you of? Do you like his style? Why or why not?
Some people find the rapid-fire reels of TikTok or Instagram to be a good length for watching videos, and other people prefer 2- to 3-hour movies. This film is 40 minutes long. What is your preferred length for watching visual stories? Why?
Have you read the story this film is based on? What can a movie do that a book or short story cannot, and vice versa?
How do various characters in the film learn and demonstrate self-control? What benefits do they derive from this?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: September 27, 2023
- Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch , Ben Kingsley , Ralph Fiennes
- Director: Wes Anderson
- Inclusion Information: Indian/South Asian actors
- Studio: Netflix
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy , Book Characters
- Character Strengths: Self-control
- Run time: 40 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: smoking
- Award: Academy Award
- Last updated: March 11, 2024
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