By Islam El-Sakka
A new comedy film titled "Wicker" presents a gender-swapped Pygmalion tale in which a lonely fisherwoman, played by Olivia Colman, commissions a basket weaver to craft her a husband. The resulting creation, brought to life through practical prosthetics, emerges as a sentient wicker man portrayed by Alexander Skarsgård. Directed by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson, the film blends bawdy humor with a touching critique of patriarchal expectations, opening in cinemas on 30 October.
Gender-Swapped Pygmalion Tale
Set in a vague Ye Olde England, the story follows the Fisherwoman (Colman), who is tired of villagers' snide remarks about her unmarried status. She enlists the Basket Weaver (Peter Dinklage) to build a husband from wicker. The creation, dubbed Wicker Husband, is kindly in soul and "mighty in downstairs package," delivering lines such as "you are the reason I live and breathe" — literally true, as the film explores his autonomy. The directors employ an unfussy yet sexy visual style for romance scenes, avoiding candles or swelling violins in favor of natural sounds like a cow mooing and a creaking bed.
Practical Effects Bring Wicker Husband to Life
Astounding practical prosthetics transform Skarsgård into the wicker figure, a choice the review highlights as a major strength. Skarsgård's performance balances sincere emotion with ironic detachment, guiding the film through unexpected tonal shifts. The practical effects extend to the marital bed, which breaks on the wedding night and is repaired the next day, underscoring the film's blend of physical comedy and genuine tenderness.
Village Dynamics and Patriarchy Satire
Beyond the central romance, "Wicker" expands to the repressed villagers, where men are known only by job titles and women by their relation to men. Marriage rituals involve a collar and a goat gnawing a carrot phallus. The arrival of the Wicker Husband exposes the inadequacy of the village men, who progress from jealousy to anger to sadness over their inability to express genuine love. Elizabeth Debicki stands out as the Tailor's Wife, a beautiful, subservient figure whose worldview is upended by the Fisherwoman's unconventional happiness.
Cast Performances and Production Details
Debicki provides a precise counterpoint to Colman's bold vulnerability, while Richard E. Grant appears as a mad doctor. The film's strange, amusing world is realized through costumes by Tóth András Dániel and Godena-Juhász Attila, sets by Renátó Cseh, cinematography by Lol Crowley, and a jaunty score by Anna Meredith. "Wicker" runs 105 minutes with a 15 rating and stars Colman, Skarsgård, Debicki, Marli Siu, Nabhaan Rizwan, Grant, Dinklage, and Ben Ashenden.
