Joey Magidson
I love when a film surprises me. Sometimes, it’s a matter of quality. Other times, it’s a movie that completely wasn’t on my radar. With Wicker, it’s a little of column A and a little of column B. I’d completely forgotten that the flick played a the Sundance Film Festival, especially as it mostly was a social media darling when its trailer came out. Now having seen the final product, I’m delighted to report that this is more than just a bizarre high concept. It’s a devilishly fun and subversive love story, one that’s as hilarious and horny as it is romantic.
Wicker manages to be a savage satire while also being funny and genuinely swoon-worthy at the same time. Seeing how a man, albeit one made of, you know…wicker, treating a woman with kindness and respect absolutely destabilizes and entire town, is both damning and funny. The trick is, it’s often both at the same time. The film works because you believe in the love story, you’re laughing at the jokes, and you’re recognizing how sharp the satire is. This is sneakily one of the more enjoyable movies of the year, and it has something to say, too.
The film takes place in a medieval farming town, one that has, unsurprisingly, a patriarchal culture, as well as a rigid social hierarchy. The small town is all but united in shunning a local fisherwoman (Olivia Colman), as she has a rather unpleasant smell, as well as having rejected the institution of marriage. Particularly harsh in her criticisms of the fisherwoman is the Tailor’s wife (Elizabeth Debicki), who is the Queen Bee amongst the town’s women. Eventually, she grows frustrated with the sniping and, in a moment of sarcasm, commissions the Basket Weaver (Peter Dinklage) to make her a husband out of wicker. To her surprise, he obliges.
A month later, the Wicker Husband (Alexander Skarsgård) has been brought to life, dedicated to her. Not only does he cut a striking figure, he’s handy around the house, not to mention in bed. Moreover, he actually treats her with love and respect. That fact, above all, causes chaos and panic amongst the villagers. Their close-minded nature, combined with this unusual choice by the fisherwoman, just destabilizes both the men and women, with hilarity and tragedy emerging.
Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård, despite the makeup and visual effects needs to create the Wicker Husband, share a wonderful chemistry. Colman is unsurprisingly great, giving as good as she gets in the early scenes, with a foul mouth that’s a consistent riot. When the romance enters into things, she’s more than equipped to ace the drama, as you might imagine. Skarsgård has a tricky role, given that he’s essentially playing a Pinocchio type, but he makes the role his own. Part of it is the sexual nature, but also the matter of fact nature with which he sees gender relations, further scandalizing the town. Elizabeth Debicki makes cruelty and petty jealousy an art form, leading to some of the darker moments in the film, but also some of the funniest. It’s one of her best performances yet. Peter Dinklage makes the most of his small role, completely knowing the assignment, even if he’s not on the screen quite as much as you might hope for. Supporting players here include Ben Ashenden, Ella Bruccoleri, Richard E. Grant, Nabhaan Rizwan, Marli Siu, and more.
Filmmakers Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson, much like their cast, are having a blast here. Their adaptation of the Ursula Wills short story is rife with dirty humor and satire, recalling the recent work by Tony McNamara, for example. Visually, the medieval village is small but well-realized, while the Wicker Husband is quite the achievement. There are some visual gags that really work well, though once things get serious, the pair don’t shortchange that element at all. It winds up being very funny stuff, for sure, but the romance and satire shines through.
Wicker delighted me, partly due to the surprise of what it contained, but also because of how well realized it was. I had a great time with this one, much like audiences at Sundance did back in January. Now, as this film gets set to begin its theatrical release this weekend, I’m certain all of you will dig it too.
SCORE: ★★★1/2
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