The Dressmaker.
Rated M (mature themes, violence, coarse language and sexual references). 119
minutes. Directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse. Screenplay by Jocelyn Moorhouse and P J
Hogan. Based on the novel by Rosalie Ham.
Having been
accused of murdering a schoolboy at their school and forcibly removed from her
home as a ten year-old, Myrtle ‘Tilly’ Dunnage (Kate Winslet) returns home to Dungatar
to visit her ageing mother, Molly (Judy Davis).
In the years she
was away, Tilly studied the art of dressmaking in Europe. Using her ability to
create fabulous gowns, she ingratiates herself back into the lives of the
suspicious and still hate-filled locals to discover the truth of what really
happened that fateful day in the schoolyard.
It has been 24
years since Jocelyn Moorhouse’s debut with Proof (1991), and what a sensational
and long-overdue return to our screens The Dressmaker is. Just like Ham’s
heroine, Moorhouse delivers a rule-shattering and visually arresting film that
captivates from the first frame.
In spite of its
grand playing and visual style, The Dressmaker is not an easy film to
experience. The many elements of the story are infused with punishing sadness
and nagging pessimism. The stellar supporting cast, including Liam Hemsworth, Hugo
Weaving, Sarah Snook, Barry Otto, Julia Blake, Kerry Fox and Alison Whyte,
respond brilliantly to Moorhouse’s highly-styled demands. Shane Bourne, in
particular, leaves his more well-known comedic persona at home for his turn as
the grotesque Councillor Evan Pettyman.
Marion Boyce and Margot
Wilson’s costumes are simply superb, while veteran cinematographer Donald
McAlpine captures the vast and constantly fluctuating moods of the story
flawlessly. While Kate Winslet is never less than in complete command, it is
Judy Davis’ cantankerous, sly, flirtatious Molly who could only be delivered by
an actress at the very peak of her powers – and Davis’ unforgettable
performance has to be experienced to be believed.
This review was commissioned by the West Australian Newspaper Group.
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