Olivia Colman and Alexander Skarsgard sit together in a scene that feels like a secret handshake between two old friends—only the handshake is made of wicker and the stakes are a woman’s heart. Their chemistry isn’t a tidy, textbook romance; it’s a tangled, laugh‑out‑loud kind of love that makes you wonder if the universe has a sense of humor.
But it’s not just their banter that keeps the audience hooked. The story itself is a mash‑up of a 1960s British short story by Ursula Wills and a modern social satire, pushing the idea that marriage can be as ridiculous as a paper‑clip. The fisherwoman, played by Colman, walks around with a limp that’s both a physical and symbolic reminder of how society’s expectations can weigh down a person.
Peter Dinklage’s cameo as the Basket‑Maker adds a dash of absurdity—he’s the only one willing to weave a husband out of reeds and hope. In a scene that could have been a flop, the wicker husband’s gentle, almost saintly demeanor flips the village’s patriarchal script into a satirical sketch. Skarsgard’s performance is a perfect foil to Colman’s, balancing the absurd with a genuine tenderness that keeps the audience rooting for them.
The film’s humor is sharp, but it never feels cheap. Director duo Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson split the screen in a way that mirrors the film’s theme: every frame is a conversation between the absurd and the real. The pacing is uneven on purpose, mimicking the way reality jumps from one ridiculous moment to the next. It’s a film that asks you to laugh, then pause, then smile at the absurdity of life.
Wicker is already generating buzz on the festival circuit, and its quirky premise is a breath of fresh air for anyone tired of the same tired love‑story formula. If you’re looking for a film that mixes fairy‑tale charm with a biting commentary on marriage, keep an eye on the release date—this is one that will keep you talking long after the credits roll.