Thanks To Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, Wicked Will Change You For Good
Every theater kid has a Wicked story. It was one of those rare shows where I knew all the music before even seeing it on stage. It turned Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth into household names and gave us a different look at the infamous Wicked Witch of the West.
Now 21 years after the Broadway musical debuted, the much-anticipated movie adaptation is merely days away. Wicked: Part One explores the story of the misunderstood Elphaba who is ostracized because of her green skin. While at Shiz University, she forms a life changing friendship with the popular Glinda — and learns the lesson that its not always great to meet your heroes.
I don’t use these words lightly, but Wicked is a masterpiece. The way Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo transform in these roles gave me chills. They make such strong and distinct acting and singing choices that truly make these characters their own. I was absolutely blown away! Despite trying to come across like she doesn’t care what others think, Erivo brings so much vulnerability to her role as Elphaba. There is a moment where Glinda calls her beautiful and her reaction is heartbreaking. This is a woman who has had to put up a tough front but never truly felt beautiful or confident before and finds that in herself thanks to a powerful friendship.
Meanwhile, Grande’s portrayal of Glinda is so layered. She’s ambitious and self-centered and funny and dramatic in the best ways. Grande delivers an impressive performance and manages to shed her pop star persona to truly embody Glinda. I love seeing the parallels between their characters, the political commentary, and the way the meanings of wicked and good are flipped on their head through them.
Jonathan Bailey is absolutely swoony as the flirty Fiyero. While Wicked: Part One is just the beginning of his story, you can already see how Elphaba’s impact is starting to influence him to think more of others versus being shallow and self-consumed. This is the same for Ethan Slater as Boq and Marissa Bode as Nessarose who’s twisted story is only just starting to peek through here. Michelle Yeoh has an impactful presence as Madame Morrible despite not having the strongest singing voice, while Keala Settle’s new role as Miss Coddle feels unnecessary. Then there’s Jeff Goldblum as the infamous Wizard of Oz. He is pitch perfect as he walks the fine line between likeability and con artist so well.
When it comes to the musical numbers, the team really let the cast make them their own. There are such specific choices made for riffs, extended endings, even the way they speak some of the sung lines, that truly work so beautifully. Some of the highlights for me included “The Wizard and I,” which features a beautiful ending; “What Is This Feeling?,” that truly brings us into the rivalry between Glinda and Elphaba; “Popular,” offering up a showstopping number by Grande; and “Defying Gravity,” that will bring audiences to tears. With the level of talent in this project, I can’t even fathom how incredible the songs in Wicked: Part Two are going to be, including my favorites like “As Long As Your Mine” and “No Good Deed.”
The weakest link in Wicked for me has always been the animal rights storyline, but I think they managed to get through it decently well to give Elphaba her moral motivation in the film. While there has been criticism about splitting the musical into two films, I think it works. Jon M. Chu was able to spend more time in the world, establishing the connections between our characters, highlighting overt and subtle Easter eggs, and even fleshing out plot points on a deeper level. Part Two promises to take us further into this world and finally make those more distinct connections back to The Wizard of Oz that, I for one, can’t wait to see come to life.
All in all, Wicked: Part One is a spectacular and moving adaptation of the Broadway musical. Between the showstopping musical numbers and emotional depth, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo disappear as they truly transform into our Glinda and Elphie. Chu does a beautiful job directing his film, proving once again that he is a master at bringing the art of movie musicals to life.
Wicked: Part One is playing in theaters this Friday.
