Matilda (1996)
A film review by Ben Hoffman
Copyright 1996 Ben Hoffman
In probably the funniest summer film this season, Mr Wormwood and wife, (Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman) aided by Matilda (Mara Wilson) make a most hilariously enjoyable movie for both children and adults alike. By all means, this is not to be missed.
Matilda is a very, very bright child whom the parents are too stupid to notice. At her very first birthday, with a nice chocolate cake in front of her, she spells out her name on the chocolate: M A T I L D A. The idiot parents berate her for ruining the cake, never noticing that the one-year-old is spelling.
By the time she is 8-years-old she has devoured almost every book in the library . . . and we do not mean those that have pictures. Her father wants her to stop reading and watch TV. "What can you learn from a book that you can't learn better from TV?" he demands. "And, by the way, what book are you reading now; she shows him it's MOBY DICK." In a frenzy he tears out the pages and berates her for reading porno books.
At school, she is sent to an institution that is more like a jail, with the headmistress, Trunchbull, (Pam Ferris) , more of a mean old witch than a school principal. Fortunately, there is Miss Honey, (Embeth Davidtz) Matilda's teacher, who helps and understands the child's genius.
Again, forget the summer trash and see a movie worth its weight in gold. See the darling MATILDA.
Directed by Danny DeVito.
3.5 Bytes
4 Bytes = Superb 3 Bytes = Too good to miss 2 Bytes = Average 1 Byte = Save your money
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