WICKER
(The Middleburg Film Festival ran October 15-18 in Middleburg, VA. Check out Chris Reed’s Wicker movie review from the fest! Seen it? Join the conversation with HtN on our Letterboxd Page.)
What if you met your dream lover and he wasn’t even human? Come to think of it, given how the male members of our species often behave, perhaps it’s much more likely a woman would find love with some other kind of creature. There are dogs and cats—mostly reliable (especially dogs)—but also, occasionally, the unexpected. In Wicker, the new film from directors Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson (Save Yourselves!), our protagonist gets it on with a magical being made of, you guessed it, wicker. Our plucky heroine is no basket case, however, and her pleasures are real.
An adaptation of Ursula Wills’ short story “The Wicker Husband,” the movie is set in the kind of pre-industrial European village that populates most fairy tales. Olivia Colman (Elsinore) stars as the local Fisherwoman, middle-aged and loveless, who one day, tired of the teasing of her neighbors—led by the Tailor’s Wife (Elizabeth Debicki, MaXXXine), a sort of queen bee—decides to ask the Basketmaker (Peter Dinklage, The Toxic Avenger) to make her a partner. Which he obligingly does. Little does she understand how much this will change her life.
For this husband (Alexander Skarsgård, Infinity Pool) is instantly devoted to his mate. He understands that his sole purpose is to make her happy, something he initially does through sex, and lots of it, breaking the bed repeatedly along the way. But he also does chores around the house (including fixing that bed) and proves a good listener. Soon, everyone around them takes notice, the women with envy and the men with jealousy fueled by their own obvious inadequacy.
For in this world—made evident early on by an opening marriage ceremony where the bride dons a physical collar—wives can expect very few devotions from their husbands. Lovemaking is quick and joyless, and ends with the man’s orgasm. The hope and promise of early years fades quickly into rote behavior. But the Fisherwoman and her Wicker Husband offer an alternative model.
This lively meditation on romance and relationships is superbly served by the cast and the crew. Cinematographer Lol Crowley (The Brutalist) and production designer Renátó Cseh (Poor Things) deliver evocative period visuals and composer Anna Meredith (Eighth Grade) and the sound team create an audioscape of equal power. The folks at Wētā Workshop equip Skarsgård with impressive prosthetics, made even more effective through the creaks and squeaks layered under his movements. Once upon a time, there was a love story—and a sex story—of grand ambition. Who knew it would involve mobile furniture? Grab a seat and enjoy.\
– Christopher Llewellyn Reed (@ChrisReedFilm)
