Wicker Movie Decoded: Why a "Sentient Basket" is Stealing Hearts and Wives

I went to see Olivia Coleman "re-enact the Kama Sutra with a sentient basket" in "Wicker". I loved every minute of it.

Wicker is set in 17th century England in a small town with ridiculously narrow conceptions of marriage and gender roles. Fisherwoman is an outcast. Single and shunned literally to the outskirts of the community, her only contact with the townsfolk is when she takes her catch to market. She has no interest in marriage; and because she isn't young, docile and naive, marriage has no interest in her either (well, aside from the town drunkard). 

After she inadvertently catches the bouquet at a wedding, she requests a wicker husband from the "Humble Master-Basket Weaver" (Peter Dinklage) - mostly as an "up yours" to the village mean girls. A month later, she meets her Wicker Husband match at the aisle; Alexander Skarsgård in this season's custom wicker.

In a social setting where wives are simply known by their husband's profession, Wicker Husband's job is, simply, husband. He is made for Fisherwoman; "you are the reason I live and breathe". He is good at fixing things – like the bed he keeps breaking. He is kindhearted, empathetic, thoughtful, and ahem, durable. The pair find an unlikely domestic bliss: she catches fish and earns money, while he takes care of the home: "He has his days, I have mine, and we both have our nights". And speaking of nights, expect serious raunchiness. My favorite scene includes "dirty talk" but it's just him saying he'll fix the roof and her knowing that he's actually going to do it!

I liked seeing the tenderness that Fisherwoman bestowed on her fishing tackles, and her husband, too - and it was heartwarming to see that care reciprocated by her Wicker Husband. I liked the idea that love is a physical act (yes, in that way, too) - it exists in how we tend to one another in relationships, and the love that you give out can be reflected back to you tenfold.

However the same is true of jealousy. Wicker Husband can't help but hold a mirror up to the imperfect institution of marriage, and his arrival sows chaos in village life. Wives covet the wicker man; husbands see this and envy him. It is difficult for that nastiness not to poison their domestic bliss. And yes, while there is sweetness, this fairy tale is dark, too. Death and Love keep close company in Wicker land - whether the townswomen scared they won't survive another pregnancy, or various marriage-related accidents that befall the menfolk. The rot of jealousy and love-gone-wrong is as deadly as love is life-affirming, and this movie strikes a good balance between these two sides.

So yes, I loved the storytelling, but can we have a little commotion for the casting? Olivia Coleman is fantastic as Fisherwoman (anyone who's seen The Favorite will be unsurprised) and Reigning King of Freak Cinema Alexander Skarsgård is perfect as Wicker Husband. It was heartening and refreshing to see a Botox-free woman in her 50s being unequivocally desired by a male lead played by an actor who is ALSO in his 50s. Why does age appropriate casting stand out as groundbreaking in a film where one of the main characters is literally a basket?! Hollywood needs to do better.

Coleman and Skarsgård played alongside a wonderful supporting cast. I particularly loved the townswomen; they were a brilliant triple act! It was great to get my Ella Bruccoleri fix, and Elizabeth Debecki was fabulously steely as 17th Century Regina George (a.k.a Tailor's Wife, a.k.a. Doctor's Daughter). Her character is a beautiful and ruthless diva embittered because she's trapped in a town too small for her intelligence and ambition. She is patriarchy's chief enforcer and her thinly veiled barbs at Fisherwoman triggered my flight=or-flight.

However, it was Peter Dinklage who really stole the show for me. Get that man a mic because he needs to narrate ALL my romance audio books from now on! He was giving his absolute all in his basket-making soliloquies. While we're on the subject, this script IS quaint – "cockwomble English" if you are Robbie Collin. But why would we expect a different vernacular from an insular, narrow-minded townsfolk? Besides, repetitious incantations and weird words are part of the fairy tale experience. 

So yes the storytelling and the casting and the acting is fabulous - but I'd be remiss to not talk about the sheer arts and crafts of the whole operation. The CGI in wicker is very minimal. A team of skilled craftspeople at Wētā Workshop spearheaded by IRL master basket-maker Jasmin van Lith, spent 18 months designing and crafting a flexible suit and 9 different face prostheses with enough flexibility built in so Skarsgård could move and emote. Consider my mind blown. A big day too for sound designers and foley artists - the many many crispy, subtle and hysterical wicker noises they served up were an absolute treat.

The film is also a massive success story for indie writing. The original story was written by Ursula Wills in 2006, after being inspired by a wicker fisherman sculpture while on a camping trip to Cornwall in 2006. The 14-page short story sat on an obscure website pr over a decade before filmmakers came knocking.

In short, the Wicker movie is a triumph for freaky, sexy, raunchy cinema and for basket-makers and basket-cases everywhere. Catch this raunchy romp before it's gone - maybe in 4DX if you are feeling particularly brave. And bring your husbands!

Love,

Eve x

P.S. If you love the idea of a big, burly man coming into your life, breaking the bed, and fixing everything else, you might love a bit of Rig, the main character in my latest book, Liquids.

He's a man of few words and rough edges. Carly met him at a dive bar and thought he'd just be a fling. But, like the Wicker Husband, Rig loves with practical strength and gentleness. 

The following is taken from Chapter 7 - in which Rig makes tea and tidies Carly's flat:

“You got mats and shit for your table?” 

When did I last eat anywhere but in front of my TV? “Somewhere.” 

I pull out the top drawer that holds the cutlery and it slides out easily. I don’t think it’s ever done that. “Did you fix the runners?” 

I stopped asking my landlord to fix things years ago because he said yes and then never did anything. 

“Yeah, and by the way, babe, that landlord of yours is coming out tomorrow to fix the shower drain and the window, and I’m having words with him about the state of the outside of this building because it’s not bein’ properly looked after.” 

Bending down, I open and shut every drawer. Holy shit. My throat tightens. It feels like a normal apartment, a normal life. Someone looking after me.  

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