A couple of evenings ago my wife and I took in Wicked: For Good at the boutique cinema we have in Davenport, IA. The Last Picture House is the only place I want to see a film. It is an “Art” theatre dedicated to film. They have Dolby Atmos surround sound, and seating so close to the screen that you can feel like you are in the film. Going to the LPH is an event for us. It is where we experience films as it should be; to be enveloped in the grandeur. Even before the film begins I have a visceral reaction when the Dolby Atmos advertisement plays. The hair on my arms and neck rises as the sound caresses my ears and body. I literally react this way every time I see a film there. Sound gets me every time. This setting is the only place I wanted to see the finale of this story.

This is not a critique or a review really. Just a description of my experience. I have seen the actual musical on five different occasions all in Chicago. Joel Grey (the original Wizard) on Broadway did a special appearance for Chicago audiences during one of those shows. There were at least three different women who played Elphaba and Glinda over that timespan. Each time I saw the production I caught a different nuance musically. During this period I also read the novel by Gregory MaGuire. My observations from this time. The second act is not as strong musically as the first, as the dialogue of the story must take center stage. The music also shifts emotion as this is so much darker in nature. For Good is the strongest of the songs in the second act. The beauty of For Good’s music overcomes the clumsiness in the lyrics. Schwartz does an excellent job of composing songs that provide emotional resonance despite having a stage play requiring little music. The political and sexual metaphors are not lost, but they are muted.

I knew what I was in for walking into the cinema late last week, but I was not prepared for how it would make me feel. The new music No Place Like Home and The Girl in the Bubble add depth to the characters that was missing from the film. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo seize the opportunity here musically to really develop their characters. Glinda is far more here than in the musical. I like the development here to make her more likable and empathetic. Erivo’s performance pulled me apart emotionally. I already love the character of Elphaba. MaGuire’s retelling of the Wicked Witch of the West creates an anti-heroine out of Baum’s villain. Erivo portrays her in the most beautiful and tragic way. Despite knowing the story and character arc Erivo makes me feel the struggle and the desire for a perfect ending where she leads Oz with Glinda. Cynthia Erivo makes the second act of this movie musical as relevant as the first.

Multiple times throughout the film I felt myself being pulled emotionally. The tragedy of this story just pulls one towards sadness. For every positive note there are two more that pull you backwards to the sad ones. Despite knowing the story seeing a cast pull on those emotions in real ways is art. Feeling Fiyero struggle with his feelings, seeing Morrible manipulate everyone around her like a sociopathic puppet master, and then watching the micro expressions on Elphaba’s face play with one’s perceptions. I felt tears for most of the film. When For Good was being sung those tears became real. The song is beautiful. The performance by the quartet on the NBC special was divine. The performance on the movie was the key to all of that emotional pressure. A flowing release of tears created by an aesthetic experience from two incredibly skilled performers. It was one of the most powerful emotional experiences I have ever had while watching a film. I couldn’t believe my reaction… really…

I consider myself pretty rational and even on the emotion spectrum. I can score laughs with sarcastic wit in a semi-serious room. I can pull others empathetically with a musical gesture, but I have not felt this from actors on a film. My wife and I stayed well into the end credits to dry tears and absorb the conclusion of the past couple of hours. I was emotionally spent for the better part of a day by this performance. Jon Chu pulled the perfect performance from this cast. Schwartz’s music achieved new levels of greatness with the symphonic treatment. The artistic staff that created the sets, wardrobe, makeup, and all of the beautiful details in this film have accomplished the most beautiful Oz to date. Then there is Erivo and Grande…

Ariana Grande has never really pierced my musical sphere as the music she is known for doesn’t interest me much. Bang Bang is about the only piece of music she has sang that I listened to more than once. I knew she had some great skills, but hearing her perform during the first act changed my perception of her skills entirely. She has a breadth of power, gentility, and skill along the lines of some great vocalists from the past. She brought Glinda to a new and special place through her performance. She made the character feel three dimensional. She wowed me! I look forward to seeing where she goes from here…

Then there is Cynthia Erivo. She is a goddess. Her dedication to Elphaba’s character is the most beautiful recreation that I have ever seen. The depth of soul she brought from herself to the performance made the feelings real. Her vocal skill matches her acting skills. It is very difficult to be a master of both sides of the performance fence (acting and singing.) She accomplishes this with believable grace and elegance. I do not want to see this be her career defining moment. I want to see the world embrace all of her work from here on out. I used to see Elphaba a certain way. She was part Margaret Hamilton, part illustration from the original books, and part Idina Menzel. Now when I picture Elphaba I only see Cynthia’s likeness. She did more than wow me. She knocked me out with the force of a hurricane… My adjectives do not do her performance justice!

Did I like or love the film Wicked: For Good? I loved it. I loved both movies. The second film is not as strong musically as the first, but the character development and acting is incredibly strong and it makes up for this perceived weakness. The performances are not wooden or posed. They feel honest and real. It transcends the source material, by giving this material a new life through artistic perception. This is worth experiencing more than once. Is it for everyone? Maybe not. For musicians? Absolutely!!! I feel this is the finest movie musical ever made, and I have seen quite a few. My previous favorite? Chicago. Honorable Mentions: Singin’ in the Rain, West Side Story, and Cabaret.

Thanks for stopping by. Take some time this Thanksgiving and escape to Oz with Wicked: For Good. Let Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande sweep you away from reality for a couple of hours. …so it goes…