The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023) Short Movie Review

 

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar | 2023 | 40m
Genre: Quirky Comedy / Adventure / Comedy / Drama / Short | Country: US
Director: Wes Anderson | Writers: Roald Dahl, Wes Anderson
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel
IMDB: 7.4
My Rate: 9/10

Henry Sugar finds a book that tells the story of a man who can see without using his eyes, and it makes him interested in learning it. With this ability, Henry can easily win at the gambling table and become extremely rich.

Warning:

There are scenes with strong language.

 

Synopsis

Henry Sugar is a wealthy man due to an inheritance from his family. One day, he accidentally finds an interesting book. The book is a documentation about a man who can see without using his eyes. Henry reads the book to the end.

The book was written by Imdad Khan, a doctor. One day, a man who worked at a circus came to him and asked Imdad to tape his eyes shut for his performance. The man claimed that he could see even without using his eyes.

After seeing the miracle for himself, Imdad decided to write a book and conduct an interview with the man to find the secret behind this miracle. It turns out that he learned it from The Great Yogi over many years. Before the interview was completed, the man passed away.

Henry became interested and wanted to try to learn it. He then focused on studying it for years based on the information in the book. Eventually, Henry managed to master it, being able to see the value of cards just from the back.

Henry, who enjoys gambling, finally tested his ability by going to the casino he often visited. Henry easily won several times. However, he did not feel happy about it—there was an emptiness within him.

Will Henry be able to use his power wisely?

 

Review

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is based on the short story of the same name from 1977 by Roald Dahl. This short film is the first in a series of short film anthologies, including The Swan, The Rat Catcher, and Poison. The story idea presented is actually quite simple but delivered in a unique way.

Different from other films that are presented in the form of scene-by-scene storytelling, this film makes us feel like we are watching a drama on a grand stage. Even though the main story still focuses on Henry, there are also other stories within it. The story is presented in a narrative form, performed by each main character in their respective stories. This allows the audience to get many POVs depending on which character is narrating.

The background settings are also designed in such a way as to replicate several locations, making it feel as if we are really watching a play on a big stage. If you have ever watched a stage drama, you will definitely understand. Surely, this makes the production process not easy and requires a considerable amount of effort.

Although the story seems layered, it is still presented systematically. The other stories that appear do not overshadow Henry’s story but instead form one perfect harmony. This makes it easy for the audience to understand the plot.

A drawback found is that the story and narration move quite quickly. The transition from one scene to another is also fast. Maybe for viewers whose native language is not English, it could be difficult to follow and understand—because they will definitely be busy reading subtitles and understanding the story. Like me! Haha.

The foundation of the story is built very well. Each character and their background is introduced in a unique and detailed way. Every character has a very strong presence in their respective stories.

The conflict begins to emerge when Henry, after winning at gambling, does not feel happy about it. We can see the inner conflict he experiences. Because by becoming successful in the Yogi’s practice, there is a part of himself that becomes empty from worldly matters.

Henry’s character development and how he finds a solution to his problem becomes a striking resolution. When the story also returns to the main narrator, it makes the story close very well—as if to explain the overall meaning of the story being presented.

The acting of the cast is very engaging. They can portray their characters well despite the emotional limitations they can display. Even so, the acting does not become stiff and remains interesting to watch. Some even play multiple roles, and we can still see the differences in each character.

Transitions and cinematography truly deserve praise. The choice of music and sound effects also fits well in each scene. Combined with the unique color composition, the scenes never become boring.

Overall, this film is definitely a must-watch because it’s different from other films.

 

Memorable Scene

Henry finishes reading the book and believes that the knowledge he just read can change his future. He then takes the book and studies it further. In this scene, we can see that we often get ideas or knowledge from the most unexpected places.

 

Memorable Dialogue

"His work was complete"

 

Ending

Happy Ending

 
Recommendation

Must watch

(Aluna)