Olivia Colman portrays a despondent, middle-aged fisherwoman in a medieval English setting who faces constant harassment. Her fortunes change when a basket weaver, played by Peter Dinklage, presents her with an unusual solution: a life-sized wicker figure resembling Alexander Skarsgård.
The eerie ambiance of Shirley Jackson’s storytelling is revived in this offbeat folk-horror romance, based on Ursula Wills’ 2006 short story "The Wicker Husband." The film walks a fine line between dark humor and genuine unease, never fully committing to either, yet creating a peculiar blend of macabre and sentimental tones. Fans of unsettling British pastoral tales will notice the familiar motif of a wicker figure.
Set in a fairy-tale medieval village reminiscent of Central Europe or England, the story features strange patriarchal customs, such as metal collars placed on brides. A lonely fisherwoman (played by Olivia Colman with raw intensity) lives in a secluded hut and regularly sells her unappealing tench and gudgeon at the market, where she faces scorn from the narrow-minded townsfolk. Among them are Richard E Grant as a lazy, inept doctor and Elizabeth Debicki as the sharp-featured, spiteful tailor’s wife, who leads the mockery.