A lot has been said about the upcoming Black Bear comedy, Wicker, but what IKEA and BookTok didn’t seem to know, is that the film is surprisingly thoughtful and heartwarming, in addition to being witty and fun.
Wicker originally premiered at Sundance, and since then has made waves online with brands promoting their wicker products, and the romance girlies going feral for sentient object romances. Audio erotica brand Quinn even launched a competition, inspired by the short story “The Wicker Husband” by Ursula Wills-Jones, from which this movie is adapted. While the plot may seem simple, the messaging behind this “audacious comedic fable” is actually quite profound.
“Wicker tells the wholly original love story of an ostracized fisherwoman (Olivia Colman) who commissions a husband to be made by the local basketmaker (Peter Dinklage). When her wicker husband (Alexander Skarsgård) proves more spectacular than she ever imagined, his soulful spirit and unique prowess awaken something inside her, setting off a wave of jealousy, fascination, and upheaval that threatens the very fabric of village life.”
As it’s a comedy, the script by married writer-directors Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson, was expectedly hilarious, with quips and winks throughout, but there were heartfelt moments that even brought tears to my eyes. The artistry of the movie was absolutely stunning, from textured sets to gorgeous costumes, and even the wicker husband himself who was made with help from the Weta Workshop, the New Zealand special effects studio and creature design shop behind Lord of the Rings. Yet, out of all that, the story cleverly shines a light on the absurdity of social expectations and outdated patriarchal traditions, with an emphasis on what is love and what is a family.
While Wicker may be enjoyed as the silly fun that it seems, there’s a deeper theme at its heart that I encourage viewers to reflect on. And if nothing else, be entertained by Dinklage uttering the phrase “fuckable furniture.”
Check out the trailer for Wicker here, and catch Wicker in theaters on October 23rd.
— Yael Tygiel