The Dressmaker - A Movie Review
The wardrobe plays a huge role in 'The Dressmaker'.
I have the best idea for a dress. Time to get my sewing kit.
Released in cinemas in 2015, The Dressmaker is a story about a woman who returns to her small town in Australia. Tilly has a dark past. As the town spreads rumors, Tilly puts her sewing talents to good use, crafting outfits for people.
The Dressmaker was not the film I was expecting upon watching a minute of the trailer. It had more silliness to it than a comprehensive story. The film started with one story and went off on several different random tales.
Kate Winslet was the only committed actor to her role. Tilly Dunnage has a gift to design clothes. She also doesn’t play by the rules, a trait that I liked about Tilly. Traumatized by an event that occurred in her childhood, people have varying opinions about her.
To get into the right mindset of her character, Winslet learned how to sew, assisting in making the outfits for the film. I like when actors do more to fit their roles.
The relationship between Tilly and her mother is an important focus. Obviously still holding onto grudges, Tilly’s return helps their relationship on an assortment of levels. I love Judy Davis’ performance. She was hilarious in all of her deliveries. Winslet and Davis were wonderful together.
In fact, they couldn’t even keep a straight face during one scene with Liam Hemsworth. I wouldn’t blame them. Hemsworth was charming in his role. I like the way he dictated his character, finding people from his past to connect with.
We needed more build-up in the romance between Tilly and Teddy. The romance felt too sudden. To me, they didn’t share the right chemistry.
Ensemble for The Dressmaker is a cross between relatable people who you find in your hometown and filler characters who do the strangest things. They took away from the story. They were funny, it’s just that they weren’t given the right motivations.
Some credits to include are Hugo Weaving, Julia Blake, Shane Bourne, Kerry Fox, and Caroline Goodall. Overall, the cast had a fun time working on this film. At one point, wild emu ran through the set interrupting the shooting.
The Dressmaker was in development for 13 years before filming started. Jocelyn Moorehouse got lost in the storytelling. I wanted to enjoy the film but she created random scenes that took away from the main storyline.
She exceeded in the film’s humor. She should have acquired the tone before filming began because The Dressmaker dipped into a black comedy.
I like how Moorehouse crafted the sets. The inside of Tilly and her mother's home is disheveled representing how unkempt things have been in the town. For some scenes, the screen is tinted in a sepia tone. It inhabits the darkness of the past. Despite how colorful the town is, darkness hinders in the shadows.
Moorehouse did a great job highlighting the world of dressmaking. Margot Wilson created all the gorgeous dresses seen in the film. The wardrobe plays a huge role in The Dressmaker. Each character has its own connection to wardrobe.
We all have a passion. Films that highlight occupations are essential. It’s fun to learn about someone’s occupation no matter how well-known it is. We all have the gift to create. No matter what your talent is, use it.
The story is not the strongest, but it is an entertaining film to watch. Find The Dressmaker on Amazon Prime if you would like to watch it.
About the Creator
Marielle Sabbag
Writing has been my passion since I was 11 years old. I love creating stories from fiction, poetry, fanfiction. I enjoy writing movie reviews. I would love to become a creative writing teacher and leave the world inspiring minds.
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