So, that was … interesting.
I went to the Regal Cinema in Augusta to see Wicker. I fear that going to the Regal Cinema is not a cheap date. Between the tickets and a medium Pepsi (which, to be fair, was dern near a gallon of Pepsi), I spent $25. I’d planned on getting popcorn, but I couldn’t afford it. I believe I will not be returning to the Regal Cinema in Augusta, no matter how much I want to see a movie now.
Wicker itself was … other than I had anticipated. When something is billed as a “comedy,” certain expectations arise. There were some funny bits, but Wicker is not, IMHO, a comedy, and had I had a clearer knowledge of what it actually is, I would probably have waited until it wandered 20 miles north to a cheaper venue.
The movie wanted to talk about the patriarchy, how one person’s unhappiness in a close-knit society can poison an entire village, how kindness is so little valued, how crippling is unkindness; and how simple love actually is.
These are worthy topics, and if I thought some of the roles were a little broad, it does well to recall that (1) the movie is based on a literary short story, and (2) I’m a genre writer, and Fantasy isn’t a Teaching Tool for me; it’s real.
That said, I’m not at all unhappy that I saw the movie. Aside from the fact that you could do worse of an afternoon than see Wicker for the story alone, Peter Dinklage was, well, Peter Dinklage, which I’ve always found to be worth the price of admission; Alexander Skarsgard as the Wicker Husband, and Olivia Colman as Fisherwoman are adorable, and the chemistry between them is terrific.
I stopped at the Rusty Lantern on my way home for a slice of hot pizza for supper, and now? It’s time to have another glass of wine and read a chapter or two before bed.