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Going in to see A Wrinkle in Time you need to keep an open mind. It’s a fun romp through delightfully creative worlds. Try not to ask yourself a lot of questions and just go with the flow. If you like seeing a giant sparkly Oprah you’ll enjoy yourself.
The movie, based on the children’s book by Madeleine L’Engle, follows Meg, Charles Wallace and Calvin as they search the universe for Meg and Charles Wallace’s father. They are guided by three fairy godmother type characters Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who and Mrs. Which, who use a method called tesseracting to travel through the Universe by bending space and time. The movie’s main protagonist Meg needs to learn to believe in herself to save her father and herself, but she’s been so hurt by life she doesn’t feel she has the strength. It is a moving film and a lot of the moviegoers in the theater had tears in their eyes.
Meg, played by Storm Reid, is delightful. You feel her hurt and pain and you empathize with her throughout the movie. Charles Wallace, played by Deric McCabe, is adorable precocious. He’s a genius, you know this because you are told this you never actually get to see his intelligence, and that’s about all we know of him. Calvin, played by Levi Miller, doesn’t do much but support Meg. The fun fairy godmother-esque characters are performed by Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, and Oprah Winfrey. The characters are bright and sparkly and the costumes and makeup are amazing. Reese Witherspoon is charming and playful, a joy to watch and her character is fun and whimsical. Mindy Kaling and Oprah Winfrey both look amazing but they didn’t have much to work with. Winfrey plays a maternal, wise creature who is always talking about the universe. Kaling is always talking in quotes and you don’t really get to know either character. Chris Pine, plays the lost father, and he makes some questionable choices that I never really understood.
The different worlds the movie visits are truly beautiful and fun. They are so full of color and playfulness they make you want to run around in them. This is a movie to watch and just enjoy the scenery. Some of the CGI is a bit weird, at one point the children fly around on what looks like a giant piece of sentient lettuce. There are some genuinely frightening visuals that you might want to consider if you have sensitive children.
The plot itself is a little thin, and sometimes you find yourself asking why the characters are doing something, but the movie moves along at a good clip and is never boring. The characters are fun and the story is something very different than what you would normally see in a children’s movie.
Overall this is a fun family-friendly movie that everyone can enjoy. And who doesn’t love a giant, sparkly Oprah? As I was leaving I was behind a mother and two daughters. The mother asked her children if they liked the film? “Oh yes!” answered one, “I cried three times!” Her younger sister excitedly added, “I cried five times!”
You can see A Wrinkle In Time in theatres now!
