“The Dressmaker” by Jocelyn Moorhouse (2015)

A guilty pleasure and not something you approach expecting life-affirming philosophy (although the authoress of the successful novel might think differently) this stylish and visually enticing Australian movie is light-hearted fun built around character that is surprisingly not our typical, young ingénue but a fully formed, grown up woman with a past. This is probably the main attraction of the story, as we are constantly served with stories about girls and here finally we see a woman - hard working, capable, strong, brave and very sensuous to boost. 

Kate Winslet is the dressmaker who returns to her birthplace after many years to face nasty, provincial citizens of Dungatar who banished her many years ago for the crime that traumatized her so much that she can’t even remember the details: locals are alarmed with her return, her own alcoholic mother (excellent Judy Davis) don’t even recognize her and to say that she is not welcomed would be understatement. Than, just like in some good revenge western, dressmaker turns the tables on people who cruelly tortured her all those years ago. It is an interesting twist, because although its a woman’s movie its actually a western in a new clothing - except that instead of guns, this character uses Singer Sewing Machine. It could have been much darker but director Jocelyn Moorhouse purposely keeps it featherlight in order to combine humor and drama, in such degree that comedy eventually turns into almost parody, however visually everything is stunning and a hoot to watch as heroine not only swaggers around in high couture dresses amongst surprised citizens of dusty little town but soon dresses all the women in her creations, so the final result is surrealistic dream where small-town folk prances around in latest Parisian fashion. As we will see later, wolves in new clothing are still wolves.

Although movie eventually loses the steam and goes on perhaps too long, the main focus is Kate Winslet who is western gunman in high heels - her steely determination and firm calmness is sharply contrasted with caricatured citizens of Dungatar who all deserve what they got. Where in old movies we would have some decorative gal to add sex appeal, here we have Liam Hemsworth in that role, so its amusing how this movie puts it all upside-down and plays with established rules of western genre - instead of silent but dangerous gunman and his pretty girlfriend, here we have silent and dangerous dressmaker and her handsome boyfriend. Campy, light-hearted fun.