A twisted tale of love, revenge and puppetry.
In the anarchic town of Seaside, nowhere near the sea, puppeteers Judy and Punch are trying to resurrect their marionette show. The show is a hit due to Judy's superior puppeteering but Punch's driving ambition and penchant for whisky lead to an inevitable tragedy that Judy must avenge.
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Overwhelming, bleak, meticulous and prestige.
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“Is Mia Wasikowska the best thing in Judy & Punch?”
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Reviews on TMDB
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- Louisa Moore - Screen Zealotson TMDB · Aug 20207/10
The dark, absurd period fairy tale “Judy & Punch” makes an accurate observation (and a bold statement) about sex and violence in pop culture, and the mob mentality that can rapidly turn fear into savagery. This strange tale of puppetry, spousal abuse, murder, witchcraft, and revenge is based on the traditional 16th century Punch and Judy puppet show. It’s well told with a funny, sad, and modern feminist spin on the tale from writer / director Mirrah Foulkes. Things are rough in Seaside, where villagers fill their evenings by attending the marionette theater run by Punch (Damon Herriman), the self-proclaimed “greatest puppeteer,” and his wife Judy (Mia Wasikowska), who holds the real talent in the family. The show is crude and the routine misogynistic without much artistry, as a male puppet beats other puppets, including female ones, with a fist, a stick, or any toy object at hand. As the audience roars their approval, the violence on stage grows meaner and more frequent — and eventually spills into the couple’s real-life home. Punch, a verbally and physically abusive drunk, dismisses his wife’s flair for the theater and instead screams at her to give the audience what they want: “t
Read the whole review on TMDB - Stephen Campbellon TMDB · Dec 20197/10
**_A fascinating socio-political study of proto-feminism mixed with exceptionally dark comedy_** >_Thence to see an Italian puppet play that is within the rayles there, which is very pretty, the best that ever I saw._ - Samuel Pepys (May 9, 1662); _The Diary of Samuel Pepys_ (1825) >_In my opinion the street Punch is one of those extravagant reliefs from the realities of life which would lose its hold upon the people if it were made moral and instructive. I regard it as quite harmless in its influence, and as an outrageous joke which no one in existence would think of regarding as an_ _incentive to any kind of action or as a model for any kind of conduct._ - Charles Dickens; Letter to Mary Tyler (November 7, 1849) The debut feature from Australian actress turned writer/director Mirrah Foulkes, working from an idea by English actress Lucy Punch (which, given the subject matter, seems like it's a joke, but isn't) and her brother Tom, _Judy & Punch_ is a (very) dark comedy that presents the fictional background behind the early years of the (in)famous puppet show. Essentially a study in proto-feminism, a look at #MeToo sensibilities applied to a very un-#MeToo society, it's a strange
Read the whole review on TMDB - SWITCH.on TMDB · Jun 20199/10
It’s always fantastic when an Australian film is a success, and even more so when there’s a female filmmaker at the helm. However, for something as unique and fresh as ‘Judy and Punch’ to come from Australia makes me genuinely proud. A period story with a message that’s vital to current society, Mirrah Foulkes is an exciting young storyteller, and I can’t wait to see what she has in store next. - Charlie David Page Read Charlie's full article... https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-judy-and-punch-a-dark-fairytale-from-a-fresh-australian-voice Head to https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/sff for more Sydney Film Festival reviews.
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Cast
- Mia WasikowskaJudy
- Damon HerrimanPunch
- Benedict HardieDerrick Fairweather
- Terry NorrisScaramouche
- Don BridgesThe Preacher
- Brenda PalmerMaid Maude
- Tom BudgeMr. Frankly
- Virginia GayMa
- Eddie BarooNordic Man
- Michael M. FosterPimp
Crew
- Mirrah FoulkesDirector
- Mirrah FoulkesScreenplay
- Stefan DuscioDirector of Photography
- François TétazOriginal Music Composer
- Dany CooperEditor
- Michele BennettProducer
- Nash EdgertonProducer
- Danny GabaiProducer
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