Skip to main content

Movie Review: The Dressmaker (2015) *Spoiler free*

At first glance at the poster you might think The Dressmaker is a bona-fide chick flick, however it's not often you'll watch a chick flick with a body count. I'm not going to say who gets it or how I'm just sayin' - I didn't expect the death rate to climb quite so high by the end of the film.

Kate Winslet plays Myrtle 'Tilly' Dunnage, a fairly well traveled, high fashion dressmaker who returns to her rural home town in outback Australia to try and unravel a curse that has plagued her since childhood.



When she arrives she has to contend with her mother (Judy Davis), who initially doesn't appear to know she even had a daughter, and then the rest of the town folk who all know the story of why Tilly was sent away as a child, branded as a murderer.

Aside from Liam Hemsworth (obviously the 'love interest') and Judy Davis the supporting cast is like a whose who of A-list Aussie actors, some very well known internationally and others who would be very familiar to most Australians. Quite a few are initially unrecognizable but you'll get that feeling you've seen them before in something on Aussie TV.

All the cast give great, if some what over the top (at times), performances that really suits the humor that runs through out the whole movie. It plays a bit like a cartoon but the dark undertones of Tilly's purpose keep everything grounded from being too light and slapstick.

The movie has a real edge to it and I'm in two minds as to whether to call it a black comedy or not. It certainly gets that way towards the end but the earlier parts of the film contains humor that anyone would find appealing.

I will say that, had Tilly not become a Dressmaker, she could have taken up pro golf, as could her mother - you'll see why if you see the film.

Ultimately the film will leave you with few questions (maybe read the book by Rosalie Ham to see if that has more detail) but overall it's a fun story, with dark moments and humor, and definitely not your typical chick flick.

If you like smart Aussie humor, stunning evening wear that has no place being in outback Australia during the day and Hugo Weaving getting to camp it up once again in a fun role, then this is the film for you.

TET Life Topics:

Comments

  1. Mum60November 19, 2015 7:39 PM

    Would I like this film do you think? I'm not sure if it's still on at Carousel now, as I don't get the Hoyts Newsletter now. I must have dropped of their mailing list, but I haven't visited the web site for a while to look.

    I think it was reviewed in the Sunday Times mag, and I don't think it gave it a very favourable review, so I got put off it. It doesn't sound bad though, and has actors that I like. I think she'd find that sewing machine heavy to carry about though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TET (David Arandle)November 19, 2015 8:07 PM

      It's only just come out so should still be showing at most cinemas. I do think you'd enjoy it. The humor gets a bit dark at times but nothing that's likely to be off putting.

      The Sunday Times critic wouldn't know a good movie if they saw one based on the reviews I read in that mag when I was there. The Dressmaker is a lot of fun in a farce kind of way. It's not intended to be realistic drama.

      Fortunately she doesn't have to carry that sewing machine around for long once she sets up shop in the town.

      Delete
  2. Mum60November 20, 2015 9:32 PM

    Oh, thanks, must check the web site out for Hoyts and tell them to send me the Newsletter again. I've got a Gold card to present to earn points everytime I go to a movie. Not sure if it's only to get things from the candy bar though. I've got my usual two free movie tickets from Carl that he gets from work on his birthday. I've got 'til next year to use them though, til end of Feb I think. They've got the cheap Tuesdays back again for $13 for everyone, but that's all I pay on other week-days now.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mum60November 21, 2015 6:50 PM

    It is showing at the web site. I think it's the first week. Times are 10am or 1-30pm which is the best time for me, apart from later in the evening. I only just went to Carousel last week, so don't really want to be going this next week. Wonder if the times will change though. They might do away with the 1-30pm one. Don't know how long it will be on for.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mum60December 19, 2015 8:08 PM

    I missed out on this film this time. I think it was on for two weeks, but I didn't really have time to go what with looking for a bit of shopping, as I got my first lot online. They were giving it good reviews on the radio at 6pr. Listeners thought it was good too. I saw the book in Dymocks with this same cover for around $22 something. Have to wait for the DVD.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Comments are moderated by an actual human (me, TET) and may not publish right away. I do read all comments and only reject those not directly related to the post or are spam/scams (I'm looking at you Illuminati recruiters... I mean scammers. Stop commenting on my Illuminati post!).

Buy Gifts and Apparel featuring art by TET.

Popular posts from this blog

Bruce, South Australia - A Forgotten Aussie Town with Spectacular Landscape Views and Potential

The Bruce Railway Station. Now a private residence. V isiting the almost forgotten town of Bruce reminds me of visiting Silverton back in 2007, except Silverton has been revived into a kind of arts town with a very famous pub. Bruce, on the other hand seems a little too spread out, and a bit too out of the way to make a similar 'arts' kind of revival. Bruce's Pub appears to be an art studio with signs of restoration work in progress. The main part of town appears to be the Bruce railway station (now a private residence) and a pub, also privately owned and possibly was, or still is, and artist studio. Other buildings and homesteads are set fairly wide apart, and are mostly privately owned homes. You don't get much sense of being in a town as such. I'm told there are approximately 14 local residents/families? Once earmarked to be a commercial centre, Bruce fell by the wayside after successive floods and drought in its early years. Obviously the railway line is no lo...
3 comments
Continue Reading »

Kids today are smarter than their parents?

Mother's Bed Art Board Print by TET. Available from RedBubble . How often have you heard it said that kids today are smarter than their parents? I’ve heard it quite frequently in the media – even Dr Phil has said it. I say speak for yourself. It’s not true and don’t let the media fool you. Today’s kids may have access to more information that may give them more choices but in my experience, they only take in what they want to hear and still make stupid, uninformed decisions. Just like we used to at their age. Like any cross section of people there will be exceptions. There are kids that are genuinely smarter, more mature and responsible for their age. However the vast majority know everything they need to know by the time they turn fourteen. They’re ‘adult’ enough to be responsible for all their own decision making so parents should just let them do what they please…right? Just like we thought at fourteen. Don’t be fooled. Just because your son knows how to download MP3’s onto an i...
15 comments
Continue Reading »

Is AI Art 'Art'? The Say NO to AI Art Movement, and Why Human Artists Will Adapt

AI Art No T-Shirt by TET Also available on other items . Right now there is a big debate over not just whether AI art is 'art' but whether AI's are actually ripping off the work of actual human artists, without their consent, to create their images - particularly images 'in the style of' specific artists. From my own observations this debate started to get more traction when artist's signatures began appearing in the output of AI Art  image generators. Is It Art? Cool Froyd the Cat Sketch by TET. My style is very much influenced by classic Disney and WB character styles. To get some clarity on how real human artists work (of which I am one)... we, that is all of us... take influences from the art that has come before. i.e. whatever artists we like, have studied, seen etc. we are influenced by. It shows up in our work, intentionally or not. If you really study my own cartoony art style you'll see I'm heavily influenced by early Disney and Warner Bros cart...
Post a Comment
Continue Reading »

Boom Crash Opera Born Classic But Not Again

Boom Crash Opera are an Australian Band that reached the peak of their popularity in the mid to late nineteen eighties. They are a band that I knew about at that time but was never really excited by until they released their ill fated double album Born and Born Again in 1995 (Album cover pictured). At the time of its release I was very much into emerging Australian musical acts and was also looking out for new sounds that were different and had kind of a futuristic/electronic sound. Artists that I was buying at the time included; Swoop , Nine Inch Nails and Pop Will Eat Its Self . As well as a really interesting release by David Bowie, the concept album, Outside . Born was a fairly radical departure for Boom Crash Opera (BCO). The first single, Gimme , was often compared to the sounds of Gary Glitter, particularly his single, Rock n Roll part 2 , because of the pounding drum loops. Watch the video below. My favorite single from the album is dissemble which probably went now...
16 comments
Continue Reading »

Embarrassing Yourself with Doof Doof Music

Ever since Spinal Tap popularized the notion of turning an amp up to eleven audio systems have been rising to the challenge of louder, more awesome sound. In particular, car audio systems have embraced the notion of the bigger the noise the better the sound must surely be. What I'd like to know is, if these sound systems are so good, why do they make all music sound the same... Doof, Doof, Doof? You've all heard them. Pimped up cars, with audio systems seemingly worth more than gold, volume blasting way past eleven. Sound waves booming long before you make a positive visual on the car... Doof, Doof, Doof. It has to be the audio system right? Surely all these people can't be playing the same tune? Doof, Doof, Doof. Could it be that the more money spent on a car sound system the less musical range it will actually play? Maybe these people can't afford to buy music after purchasing the audio system so they all play the same demo track? Doof, doof, doof. In my own car I hav...
14 comments
Continue Reading »

James Gunn's Social Media Monkeys Joke Was a Highlight of His Superman Movie For Me

B efore James Gunn's Superman Movie was released there was a whole rumor going around that the movie would feature monkeys on computers trolling Superman's social media, sparking much outrage. #supersh*t. I didn't know this was even a thing until just prior to writing this article. I did a search to see if anyone had posted a clip of the monkeys scene from the movie and got pages of discourse featuring videos and articles prior to the film. Most of it from Gunn detractors (let's say) seeing it as some kind of childish swipe at them... well not them specifically but, you know, those other people who have every right to hate on anything sight unseen. Anyway, I'm not going to give even one such example a link or air because it's kind of sad watching someone devote so much commentary to a throw away gag that is absolutely a nod to James Gunn's Superman trolls.  The whole reason this post exists, is to say I loved the joke, because fourteen years ago, and I...
Post a Comment
Continue Reading »

How to Transfer Any Line Art to Your Griptape - Easy Skateboard Griptape Art Tutorial

Dog Star Griptape Art by TET Griptape art is once again gaining popularity amongst modern skateboarders. For those of us who have tried to create our own griptape art, using paint pens, you'll know reproducing your design onto the grip, without making any mistakes is incredibly challenging. Mostly because you just have to go for it and draw the design freehand, with paint pens, directly onto the griptape. You can make the odd mistake here or there but if you get the proportions of the design completely wrong, it can be very difficult to fix. Often you just have to live with the mistake. To address the problem I've come up with an easy way anyone can transfer a line art design to their griptape, removing almost all the anxiety of getting the proportions wrong. In fact, you could do this with any line art design, even if you have no drawing skill at all. Watch the video below to see my technique in action and/or skip past the video where I highlight the basic steps to get your de...
Post a Comment
Continue Reading »