Wicker Movie Review

“Wicker” is a charming tale, told in a old-fashioned way, of an older woman lacking in male companionship. She decides to forge own path. She employees a local craftsman to create her a husband, made of Wicker…

Living a fair distance from the village, the Fisherwoman (played by Olivia Colman) is often mocked and put down. She smells of fish, and is far from the ‘fair maiden’ stage of life. None of that seems to bother her, until one day she sees the latest marriage ceremony at the chapel.

Fisherwoman does not care at all for the local customs in the ceremony. Especially how the woman must put on a ‘marriage collar’ as if they were a dog. Or the part in the ceremony where the woman must promise an endless faithful duty to her husband. Fisherwoman might be past her prime – but still she would love to feel loved.

She gets a crazy idea, and then follows her primal urges. She goes to visit the Basket Weaver (played by Peter Dinklage). She does not want a new basket for fish. No instead she orders up a husband. The Weaver has never gotten any request similar to this. “But who am I to judge”, he tells himself.

In the local village, there are quite a few nosy busybodies. The village Tailor (played by Nabhaan Rizwan) mostly goes about his business. But the Tailor’s Wife (played by Elizabeth Debicki) is the Iron-Fisted-Ruler of the local womenfolk. She make sure that all of the women are chaste and obedient, lest any trouble arise in the village.

The Tailor’s Wife’s sister (played by Marli Siu) will be next to be married. She is looking forward to a pleasant life of obedience and servitude. That would make her just like her sister (the Tailor’s Wife). She will be married to the Bottlewasher (played by Gustav Lindh). He works at the Inn.

The Innkeeper (played by Kiell Smith-Bynoe) keeps up with much of the local news. He hears that the Fisherwoman has gone to visit the Basket Weaver. But he does not know what it is all about. His friend, the Baker (played by Ben Ashenden), does not know anything more. Neither does the Baker’s wife (played by Ella Bruccoleri).

Then a month after her visit, the Fisherwoman does as she is told. She goes to the chapel to get hitched. She meets her new beloved – the Wicker Husband (played by Alexander Skarsgård). He is, of course, made of Wicker. He was fashioned and created by the Basket Weaver.

Soon the Fisherwoman is much happier and more satisfied. Especially when she and the Wicker Husband make mad, crazy love. She soon finds that his affections are true and his devotion to her is real. He mends and fixes many things around the house and they become equal partners.

The people of the village, mostly the married women, are upset at what has happened. It is against nature’s laws to take up and have relations with a… what would that be? The Wicker Husband is not a human, but they are all pretty unsatisfied with the husbands they have. Maybe one made of Wicker would be a bit exciting in the Bedroom Department?

Tailor’s Wife is extremely upset. She has heard that the Wicker Husband has become a ideal mate. She just cannot have that in her village! One day the Bottlewasher tries to do things just like the Wicker Husband. Since the Bottlewasher has no skills to fix anything, he becomes critically injured.

The Village gets the Doctor (played by Richard E. Grant) to fix up the Bottlewasher. But since he also has no skills to fix anything, the Bottlewasher dies. His wife is no longer the Bottlewasher’s wife. Once again she becomes the Tailor’s Wife’s sister.

The village is filled with gossip, again. The Fisherwoman starts to think that maybe her beloved Wicker Husband has been making the rounds amongst the village wives. She does not know if this is the truth, or just more sick garbage from the Tailor’s Wife’s.

The Tailor’s Wife’s sister (the former Bottlewasher’s wife) makes a secret journey to visit with the Basket Weaver. There are more rumors and more accusations. Terrible things are said in anger. The Fisherwoman loses her temper and there is an accident with the Wicker Husband. That is the most devastating thing that has happened to her.

The presence of the Wicker Husband has brought confusion and chaos to the small village.  The Basket Weaver is able to mend the Wicker Husband, and the relationship between the Husband and the Fisherwoman.

The Weaver, being a clever and sneaky man, decides to play a trick on all the do-gooders and busybodies and nosy neighbors in the village. So they thought things were shaken up with the introduction of the Wicker Husband.

The Basket Weaver tells them all: Now get ready for the ‘Wicker Woman’!  You ain’t seen nothin’ yet…

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“Wicker” is a lovingly crafted tale of devotion and love, along with a heady mix of gossip and rumor-mongering. The fictional fairy tale village is a unique place, filled with many quirky characters. The artful design and filming of this non-existent place brings a gasp of awe.

The lack of people’s names makes sure you know them based on what they do, or to whom they are married. Even without a more personal touch of having a name, each character is pretty much fully defined. The costumes and clothing choices also nail down each character’s personal journey.

Olivia Colman makes quite an impression as the cast-off Fisherwoman, who is no longer welcome in the village. She plays the role with a sense of determination and pride. Peter Dinklage portrays the Basket Weaver as humble, yet noble, craftsman. He is someone who feels that no client request should be ignored, no matter how strange.

Elizabeth Debicki is the Tailor’s wife, who is so caught up in her own petty hatred that she does not realize the beauty of true love. In this small village, if imagined as a High School — she would be the Regina George character.

But the most interesting character would be Alexander Skarsgård, as the Wiker Husband. With the unique costume design of a ‘wicker’ body, he plays the created creature as a shining example of love and devotion. Every movement creaks and groans with the wicker rubbing against wicker. And you had best stand aside when this wicker wonder gets frisky with his True Love.

“Wicker” is a hand-crafted creation that gets some very high marks. This is an expertly delivered ode to True Love, and the obstacles that must be overcome to find it.