Wicker

Wicker is showing at Curzon Oxford today, Friday 30 October, with three screenings throughout the day: 3:40pm, 6:20pm and 9:00pm. It's a period fantasy comedy drama, and the title gives away the central image: a woman who finds unexpected love in a man made of wicker.

That's the hook, and the story builds around it. The woman is derided by her community, an outcast in her own village, and her relationship with a man made of woven branches only makes her a target for more of the same. The shock of the other villagers is a good part of the comedy here, as they watch her fall for something they can't even begin to wrap their heads around. It's a period piece, so it's set in a time and place where being different is a liability, and the fantasy element—a living, breathing wicker man—is the thing that pushes her right to the edge of that.

It's a bit of a genre-crosser, too. It's a comedy, but it's also a drama, and the fantasy is the engine for both. The romance is the heart of it, and the comedy comes from the gap between her genuine affection and the bewilderment of everyone else. It's the kind of film that works best when you just go in without overthinking it.

Curzon Oxford is in the Westgate Centre, Castle St, OX1 1NZ, and it's hosting the main screenings, though the film is showing across several Oxford cinemas. It's certified 15, so it's not for the little ones. With three times to choose from—3:40pm, 6:20pm and 9:00pm—you can catch it as a matinee, a post-work trip, or a late one.