Wicker (2026)
SHOULD I SEE IT?
YES
The best romantic couple on screen so far this year may very well be Olivia Colman and an all-wicker Alexander Skarsgård, who generate wonderful chemistry and many laughs on screen.
Bawdy and occasionally raunchy humor accompanies a thoughtful examination of desire, agency, and social expectations.
Wicker’s Intricate costumes, makeup, production design, and subtle visual effects work complement its lead performances and help bring this unusual romantic fable to life.
NO
I should note that the film’s raunchy humor and eccentric concept may not appeal to everyone.
A late conflict feels forced, briefly weakening the effective rhythm and cadence writer/directors Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson manage throughout the film.
A strong ensemble still is sometimes painted as caricature. And while intentional, the film could support a little deeper dive into the characters surrounding the Fisherwoman and her new husband.
OUR REVIEW
When we first meet the Fisherwoman, played by Oscar winner Olivia Colman, she works, feeds herself, and sits in front of the fireplace with only her thoughts and longing for a different life. Her fellow villagers and townsfolk have plenty to say about her appearance, her odor, and her temperament. She is sarcastic and caustic, defensive and verbally combative with anyone who treats her poorly.
The wedding of the Bottlewasher (Gustav Lindh) and his wife, the Tailor’s Wife’s Sister (Marli Siu), prompts her to seek companionship of her own. To remedy her sadness, she turns to the Basket Weaver (Peter Dinklage), who lives on the outskirts of town, and asks him to make her a husband. That he agrees is part of the “just go-for-it” vibe that Wicker embraces, making it one of the year’s most enjoyable discoveries.
The skilled craftsman honors her request and soon, Alexander Skarsgård arrives, woven from head to toe and ready to become her devoted husband.
A wonderfully strange and raunchy film, Wicker brings heart and intelligence to its storytelling, making it much deeper and richer than the premise might suggest. Before her unconventional husband arrives, the Fisherwoman’s desire for companionship is understandable, perhaps relatable, and handled with proper care.
Written and directed by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson, adapted from a short story called “The Wicker Husband” by Ursula Wills, Wicker feels like a grown-up fairy tale, existing in a fantastical world that seems to operate with all the small-town drama of modern times. Everyone gossips, spouses are unhappy, and judgment runs amok. The men presume authority while frequently demonstrating how little they deserve it, and the women find themselves navigating marriages that leave much to be desired. As the Fisherwoman finds joy, partnership, and pleasure, her husband’s adoration causes jealousy and envy among the village women. Nobody seems prepared to handle her happiness in a calm or reasonable way.
Fischer and Wilson have considerable fun with the consummation and continued intimate encounters of the newlyweds. Soon, other women are looking to their husbands and wondering why the Fisherwoman is having such a seemingly great marriage. Comically, no other husband can measure up, leading to some ridiculous and frequently funny scenes in the film.
Skarsgård is perfect in this role. He is sincere, kind, and endearing in how he is trying to understand the world he finds himself in. The costuming and makeup are impressively designed, complemented by clever, subtle visual effects. In one particularly striking shot, sunlight passes through the woven strands of his arm, making the illusion all the more convincing.
Colman is a gem once again, sharing a tender chemistry with Skarsgård and softening the Fisherwoman’s temperament just enough to balance newfound joy with her lingering cynicism. As she grows more comfortable accepting affection and enjoying her marriage, the film explores femininity, agency within a relationship and community, and the exhaustion of seeing yourself through other people’s eyes.
The attention to detail evident in the costumes, designed by Tóth András Dániel and Godena-Juhász Attila, along with the brilliant makeup design and practical effects by WETA Workshop, extends throughout the production. The cottages and village look authentic and Lol Crawley’s cinematography makes this feel like a fully imagined fable, eventually taken over by petty grievances which are often pervasive in close-knit communities.
Elizabeth Debicki shines, if not somewhat underused, as the Tailor’s Wife, portraying an alpha dissatisfied in her marriage to the Tailor (Nabhaan Rizwan) and overwhelmed by the couple’s four children. The Fisherwoman’s happiness causes her to stoke up jealousy and envy among the wives in the village. While jealousy is a natural avenue for Fischer and Wilson to explore, a late conflict feels forced, briefly weakening the otherwise confident examination of gender roles, social status, and the uncertain nature of relationships.
Even when it stumbles, Wicker remains fun, smart, and entertaining. Beneath the jokes about a remarkably capable husband, the film understands how easily people confuse love with ownership and social status with personal fulfillment. Fischer and Wilson’s willingness to examine men’s and women’s insecurities offers substance to the outlandish humor, while Colman brings sweetness to a woman discovering affection, pleasure, and possibilities she thought had passed her by.
Beautifully crafted and frequently hilarious, Wicker is one of the year’s most welcome surprises.
CAST & CREW
Starring: Olivia Colman, Alexander Skarsgård, Peter Dinklage, Elizabeth Debicki, Marli Siu, Gustav Lindh, Nabhaan Rizwan, Richard E. Grant, Ella Bruccoleri, Ben Ashenden, Kiell Smith-Bynoe
Director: Alex Huston Fischer, Eleanor Wilson
Written by: Alex Huston Fischer, Eleanor Wilson
Based on the short story, “The Wicker Husband” by Ursula Wills
Release Date: October 23, 2026
Black Bear