Carl Roberts 
“Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson’s Wicker is a delightful, funny, emotional, and brilliant movie, boosted by excellent performances from Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgård, and Peter Dinklage.”
Over the year, there have been a few great films, many good films, loads of average films, and some pretty dire ones. Still, you can always count on some gems that are a complete delight to watch, experience, and enjoy throughout. One of these films is Wicker. Based on the short story “The Wicker Husband” by Ursula Wills, the film brings the story to the screen with Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson. Featuring a cast that includes Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgård, Elizabeth Debicki, Marli Siu, Nabhaan Rizwan, Richard E. Grant, and Peter Dinklage, the film is a rare gem, something that fills us with joy throughout.
THE PREMISE
In a small medieval farming town with rigid social hierarchy and patriarchal culture, a reclusive fisherwoman is ostracized due to her persistent fish smell and rejection of institutionalized marriage. As the japes at her spinster status intensify, she sarcastically commissions a husband made of wicker. The master weaver brings the Wicker Husband to life, and his usefulness and devotion to his wife create a romance so pure it causes absolute chaos among the villagers of the closed-minded town.
THOUGHTS
From start to finish, the film is a winner. It is one of those films that you see, love, and want to experience all over again. It’s a delightful mix of comedy, sex, emotion, and pure joy. In addition, it cleverly avoids being outlandish. It is a fairy tale for adults, cute enough for kids, but nowhere near suitable for them. Trust me, this is for adult eyes only, with its strong language, sexual scenes, and some horror scenes. These will affect the audience as it moves towards the climax. By the end credits, the audience may need some tissues to dry their tears.
However, it ends on a satisfying note that lets the audience leave with a smile on their faces. Thanks to an amazing script and adaptation by both Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson, who also direct the film with amazing vision and an eye for detail, the film has us in the palm of its hand from the off. Believe me, the film is worth every minute spent with it.
THE CAST
The cast all perform at the top of their game throughout. None of these characters are ever named throughout the film. They are called by their respective terms, i.e the Fisherwoman, the Wicker Husband, the Basket Weaver, the Tailor’s Wife, etc. But it hardly matters in the long run. Every one of them delivers an acting performance that resonates and has us enthralled. While Richard E. Grant, as the eccentric and incompetent village doctor, gets only a cameo, his character is vital to the film. It leads to one of the laugh-out-loud moments after his appearance. And trust me, it’s a slight joke. However, it lands like a jackhammer with the audience, making them howl with laughter.
Much of the humor is delivered in such a way that the audience can’t help but laugh out in genuine humor at what is said. And there is at least one foul-mouthed comment that will go down in history as one of the most brilliantly ingenious.
PETER DINKLAGE AND ELIZABETH DEBICKI
Of course, it is Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgård, and Peter Dinklage who shine the most. Dinklage, again, is only really an extended cameo, proves what a diamond of an actor he is. Once more adopting the clipped English accent he used to such great effect in Game Of Thrones, the actor has us truly believing he is an English Basket Weaver. And his knack for comedy, and the delivery of a funny line, is on full display here.
Elizabeth Debicki as the Tailor’s Wife gives a performance that has us booing and hissing for the most part. Her nasty, upper-class, condescending, treacherous character has us all hoping she gets her just deserts by the time the film ends: to be taken down many rungs on her social ladder and shown to be nothing more than a spoilt, snooty, conniving wench. One who will see the villagers turn their backs on her.
THE FISHERWOMAN
The pairing of Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgård proves to be an unusual but completely winning combination. The film stands or falls on their believability in their respective roles, but we never doubt what we see on screen between them. Ok, so the thought of a lonely woman asking a basket weaver to create a wicker husband for her, who then comes to life, is stretching credibility a bit. But this is a fairy tale for adults, so we allow ourselves to suspend our disbelief all the way through. Olivia Colman gives an emotional, deeply moving, and often hilarious performance, one that is a standout.
From being the figure of ridicule at the start, to becoming an odd curiosity through the first two-thirds of the film, to becoming an almost tragic figure near the climax, the actress delivers in spades. A talented and trained comedienne, the Oscar-winner once again shows us her range of acting, climaxing in a devastatingly real and heartfelt performance.
THE WICKER HUSBAND
Alexander Skarsgård is, again, a complete revelation in his role. Buried beneath his wicker suit, the actor’s pure presence, ability, and overall likability shine through. Everyone will fall in love with the wicker husband. He comes across as almost childlike when he first appears, which, to be honest, he is. He is a newly created wicker person brought to life by some unknown magic by the basket weaver. As the film progresses, we see his learning, his understanding, and his childlike nature carry him through, despite the villagers’ suspicions and general distrust of him. He is a curiosity, something that they can’t believe or come to terms with.
However, he soon becomes someone whom several men in the village try to coax into sleeping with their wives, to awaken their sexual senses and respond better to their husbands. But his eyes are set firmly and faithfully on his Fisherwoman bride alone. Even when the Tailor’s wife accuses him of betrayal, he can’t understand why she’s doing this, what her motivation is, or why she can’t simply leave them alone. The answer, as you discover, is slightly creepy and sinister. Throughout, Skarsgård is simply wonderful. A true master of his craft and a genuinely lovable actor, he never allows his performance to dip. If there’s any justice in the movie world, he will be at the very least nominated for a Best Actor award or two for his performance here.
VERDICT
Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson’s Wicker is a delightful, funny, emotional, and brilliant movie, boosted by excellent performances from Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgård, and Peter Dinklage. It is, without a doubt, one of the best films of the year. And that is saying something, with Project Hail Mary, La Bola Negra, Wildwood, Behemoth, Elsinore, The Beloved, Godzilla Minus Zero, and Wild Horse Nine thrown into the mix. These are the big films you can expect to dominate nominations at the various awards ceremonies starting soon. But Wicker deserves to be among them; it certainly earns that right. Whether it does is irrelevant. People go to the movies for a good time, to be wowed and entertained. Wicker certainly accomplishes that.
At the very least, it is in contention for the Best Makeup Oscar. With a beautiful, fitting score by Anna Meredith delivering another wonderful gut punch to the audience, the 105-minute runtime feels like it ends too quickly. We watch and want more, to spend more time with the fisherwoman and the wicker husband. But what we do take with us is something we can’t deny is special. It proves that true love can come in any shape or form. It haunts us, charms us, amuses us, and touches us when we least expect it. Just like the film itself. Wicker material itself may rot: trust me when i say, the film most certainly never will. A genuine, heartwarming, charming piece of movie art.
Wicker will be in cinemas from October 30th, courtesy of Black Bear.
Introducing Carl! As the News Editor at Future of the Force, Carl has been an invaluable member of our team since early 2016. His expertise and dedication have made him an integral part of our editorial staff. Beyond his professional role, Carl is a fervent supporter of Liverpool F.C. and an avid follower of pop culture. He has a deep passion for Halloween, Friday the 13th, and the iconic movie franchises Star Wars and Star Trek.
He can be found either at his neighborhood cinema, enjoying the latest releases on the big screen, or at home streaming the newest blockbuster movies.
