'Judy & Punch (2019)' is a reimagining of the long-standing, problematic 'Punch and Judy' puppet show, ostensibly from Judy's perspective. The concept is, I suppose, rather interesting; it's a feminine (no rape) revenge movie with the possibility of pointing out its source-material's numerous narrative flaws. Sadly, the piece never quite seems sure what it wants to be, delivering on the set-up but struggling through the pay-off. Its tone fluctuates wildly; it's unsure if it wants to be humorous or horrific. It's quirky, for sure. One of the main problems is just how much time we spend with Punch. The flick clearly wants to be Judy's story, empowering and unconventional; it ends up relegating her to the sidelines for quite a while, though. It doesn't live up to its potential, especially in this regard. Basically, the thing just never clicks. It feels rather awkward, in a way, and it's somewhat lacking in confidence. It isn't all that engaging, really. It also isn't particularly affecting and, frankly, it ought to be. Still, it isn't without its merits. Its conceit is, as I mentioned, intriguing and its message is solid. It's also reasonably entertaining, never even threatening to become dull. It's generally well-made and makes some distinct decisions, standing out from its peers in several aspects. It's a decent film, don't get me wrong; it's just not a great one. It doesn't quite connect the way it should and, ultimately, that's what lets it down. It still beats the puppets, though. 6/10
56 Reviews
Hands down !
lizxypopcornkid22 May 2020
A fascinating socio-political study of proto-feminism mixed with exceptionally dark comedy
Bertaut10 December 2019
The debut feature from Australian actress turned writer/director Mirrah Foulkes, working from an idea by English actress Lucy Punch and her brother Tom Punch (which, given the subject matter, seems like it's a joke, but isn't), 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 mixture of Monty Python-esque slapstick and serious social critique, taking in misogyny, domestic violence, witchcraft, social stratification, and the exploitation of old age, and wrapping it all up in a gleefully anachronistic and pseudo-magical realist aesthetic, not entirely dissimilar to what you might find in the work of Angela Carter. It's a curious mix that really shouldn't work, and, for many, it probably won't. I can see some finding the tonal balance too skewered towards socio-political protest for it to work as a comedy, whereas others will argue that the comic elements undermine the seriousness of the socio-political agenda. For me, although the film is a beat too long at 105 minutes, I thought Foulkes just about got away with the tonal balancing act - most of the humour lands and most of the political material is well-handled. She's also helped immeasurably by strong performances across the board and a stunning visual design, which is especially accomplished given that this is her first feature.
In the town of Seaside (which, the opening legend informs us, is nowhere near the sea) in the English countryside, Judy (Mia Wasikowska) and Punch (Damon Herriman) are a young couple with an infant child. A Seaside-native, Judy ran away with Punch some years ago, with the duo going on to create the Punch & Judy puppet show. Judy is by far the more talented puppeteer, but Punch is a natural showman and a master of self-promotion, and is often called the "greatest puppeteer of his generation", despite not even being the greatest puppeteer of his marriage. However, his inability to control his drinking led to the show's reputation waning, and the two have now returned to Seaside. Although Judy is happy just getting on with life, when Punch hears that a talent-scout is in the area, he determines to curb his drinking and put on the best show he possibly can. Meanwhile, women guilty of such things as having a rash, looking at the moon for too long, and being the neighbour of a man whose chickens died, are being accused of witchcraft at such a rate that Seaside has a monthly "stoning day", to the apparent horror of no one except Judy and the town's meek new constable, Derrick (Benedict Hardie), who's in love with Judy (from afar). However, when Punch responds to a horrifying accident by viciously beating Judy, she embarks upon a mission of vengeance, joined by a band of women and children who have fled the town to avoid persecution.
You know from the get-go that a movie with the title Judy & Punch isn't going to be thematically subtle, and so it goes with Foulkes's film. Apart from Derrick and Scaramouche (Terry Norris), the senile husband of Maude (Brenda Palmer), Judy and Punch's elderly maid, literally every man in the film is a violent misogynistic thug. I don't bring this up by way of criticism, merely to illustrate that the film wears its themes, very proudly, on its sleeve. The Punch & Judy show itself, which invariably involves Punch beating Judy with a stick (itself not exactly a subtle phallic stand-in), has never been especially coy about its own thematic tropes, so why should a film inverting those tropes be otherwise? And, boy, does Foulkes invert them - we get Punch failing spectacularly (and hilariously) to look after their baby, we get sausage-related comedy, we get a troublesome dog, we get a police constable, we get an executioner, we even get a crocodile, but we get everything in service of a feminist rethread of the original's misogyny. Indeed, the more familiar you are with the show and its history, including its commedia dell'arte origins, the more fun you'll have with the film.
Without giving too much away, Judy & Punch is, at least in part, another entry in a subgenre we're seeing more and more of in recent years - gynocentric revenge films directed by women; Coralie Fargeat's spectacular Revenge (2017) and Jennifer Kent's haunting The Nightingale (2018) both spring to mind, but you could also include something like Isabella Eklöf's disturbing Holiday (2018), which is a rape/revenge drama without the revenge. At one point, someone watching the show asks, "does Punch always win?", and it's precisely this kind of societal assumption which Foulkes addresses - convention at the time may have been that, yes, Punch must always win, but Foulkes suggests life is far more complicated and far less predictable.
One of Judy & Punch's most obvious strengths is the aesthetic, with its lush and vibrant milieu - a realm that's not quite fantasy, not quite historical reality. The town of Seaside, for all its vivid Renaissance-era squalor, is that of a fairy-tale allegory - the kind you'd expect to see terrorised by a werewolf or a giant. Production designer Josephine Ford has a field-day, having seemingly been turned loose to indulge herself. One half-expects to see a gingerbread house in the background. What's especially interesting, however, is that cinematographer Stefan Duscio shoots the whole thing completely realistically, setting up a fascinating aesthetic juxtaposition which adds to the magical realism immensely.
Enhancing the surreality even more is the electronic score by François Tétaz, which has no place in a film of this time-period (aside from Tétaz's score, the soundtrack also features a rocking electronic adaptation of Johann Sebastian Bach's "Air on a G String" and even Leonard Cohen's "Who by Fire"). Despite how out of place this should be, it works wonderfully with the stylistic trappings of Foulkes's weird anachronistic vibe. Equally important here is the dialogue, which is a mixture of period-correct diction and a more modern inflection (one character even quotes one of the best-known speeches from Gladiator (2000), earning the biggest laugh at the screening I attended). Put it this way - at one point, we see a group of characters in Renaissance costumes doing tai chi. If that sounds like something you'd find funny, you'll love this exceptionally-realised world.
I'd be remiss here if I didn't briefly mention the acting, which is universally terrific. All the supporting players do fine jobs - Norris's Scaramouche is all politeness and confusion, whilst Palmer's Maude is all loyalty and kindness. But what comes across most is their deep love - they're the kind of elderly couple that still hold hands on a walk even though they've been married for decades. Really sweet stuff. Hardie is equally good as the one good man in a town of troublemakers. But unlike the characters played by Clint Eastwood, Derrick has zero authority and no respect. However, despite his ineffectual nature, Hardie plays him as a completely straight-shooter, true, and honest, and it's a testament to his portrayal that Derrick is more than just the punchline of a few gags. He has real interiority. Obviously, Wasikowska has the meatiest role, and her performance is similar to some of her previous work, but nevertheless, her Judy isn't just a vehicle for feminist rhetoric, she's a capable and fierce woman in her own right. For me, however, Herriman steals the show. Initially, he makes Punch seem contemptible, yet somehow, as the film goes on, he makes the character even less likeable. His work in the penultimate scene is especially strong, where he has to play the part so as to communicate one thing to the other characters and something else entirely to the audience. Superb stuff.
The film does, however, have some problems. As mentioned, for some it will be too funny to work as feminist critique, and for others, too serious to work as comedy. Others still might argue it works as neither because it never fully commits to either. Without a doubt, Foulkes walks a very fine line trying to maintain such a delicate balance. I think she pulls it off, but others won't, that's just the nature of tonally ambiguous films such as this. The narrative and dialogue are also extraordinarily on the nose on occasion. As I said above, I didn't mind this, but some people will have a problem with how direct are lines such as, "what is a witch but a person who exists outside your blinkered view of society?" A few of the themes are also under-explored, including domestic violence, which seems to have been included as a plot point simply because it's an issue in the original show - Foulkes never really takes it anywhere.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed Judy & Punch. A statement on oppression and female (re)assertion, it takes the best-known elements of a world-famous puppet show, and inverts them, turning an inherently misogynistic story into a celebration of early feminism. Allegorical in both visual and narrative design, it may be pantomime-esque, but so too is it compelling enough to turn what could have been dismissed as a nasty fairy-tale into a piece of work which is thematically relevant to the milieu in which we now reside.
In the town of Seaside (which, the opening legend informs us, is nowhere near the sea) in the English countryside, Judy (Mia Wasikowska) and Punch (Damon Herriman) are a young couple with an infant child. A Seaside-native, Judy ran away with Punch some years ago, with the duo going on to create the Punch & Judy puppet show. Judy is by far the more talented puppeteer, but Punch is a natural showman and a master of self-promotion, and is often called the "greatest puppeteer of his generation", despite not even being the greatest puppeteer of his marriage. However, his inability to control his drinking led to the show's reputation waning, and the two have now returned to Seaside. Although Judy is happy just getting on with life, when Punch hears that a talent-scout is in the area, he determines to curb his drinking and put on the best show he possibly can. Meanwhile, women guilty of such things as having a rash, looking at the moon for too long, and being the neighbour of a man whose chickens died, are being accused of witchcraft at such a rate that Seaside has a monthly "stoning day", to the apparent horror of no one except Judy and the town's meek new constable, Derrick (Benedict Hardie), who's in love with Judy (from afar). However, when Punch responds to a horrifying accident by viciously beating Judy, she embarks upon a mission of vengeance, joined by a band of women and children who have fled the town to avoid persecution.
You know from the get-go that a movie with the title Judy & Punch isn't going to be thematically subtle, and so it goes with Foulkes's film. Apart from Derrick and Scaramouche (Terry Norris), the senile husband of Maude (Brenda Palmer), Judy and Punch's elderly maid, literally every man in the film is a violent misogynistic thug. I don't bring this up by way of criticism, merely to illustrate that the film wears its themes, very proudly, on its sleeve. The Punch & Judy show itself, which invariably involves Punch beating Judy with a stick (itself not exactly a subtle phallic stand-in), has never been especially coy about its own thematic tropes, so why should a film inverting those tropes be otherwise? And, boy, does Foulkes invert them - we get Punch failing spectacularly (and hilariously) to look after their baby, we get sausage-related comedy, we get a troublesome dog, we get a police constable, we get an executioner, we even get a crocodile, but we get everything in service of a feminist rethread of the original's misogyny. Indeed, the more familiar you are with the show and its history, including its commedia dell'arte origins, the more fun you'll have with the film.
Without giving too much away, Judy & Punch is, at least in part, another entry in a subgenre we're seeing more and more of in recent years - gynocentric revenge films directed by women; Coralie Fargeat's spectacular Revenge (2017) and Jennifer Kent's haunting The Nightingale (2018) both spring to mind, but you could also include something like Isabella Eklöf's disturbing Holiday (2018), which is a rape/revenge drama without the revenge. At one point, someone watching the show asks, "does Punch always win?", and it's precisely this kind of societal assumption which Foulkes addresses - convention at the time may have been that, yes, Punch must always win, but Foulkes suggests life is far more complicated and far less predictable.
One of Judy & Punch's most obvious strengths is the aesthetic, with its lush and vibrant milieu - a realm that's not quite fantasy, not quite historical reality. The town of Seaside, for all its vivid Renaissance-era squalor, is that of a fairy-tale allegory - the kind you'd expect to see terrorised by a werewolf or a giant. Production designer Josephine Ford has a field-day, having seemingly been turned loose to indulge herself. One half-expects to see a gingerbread house in the background. What's especially interesting, however, is that cinematographer Stefan Duscio shoots the whole thing completely realistically, setting up a fascinating aesthetic juxtaposition which adds to the magical realism immensely.
Enhancing the surreality even more is the electronic score by François Tétaz, which has no place in a film of this time-period (aside from Tétaz's score, the soundtrack also features a rocking electronic adaptation of Johann Sebastian Bach's "Air on a G String" and even Leonard Cohen's "Who by Fire"). Despite how out of place this should be, it works wonderfully with the stylistic trappings of Foulkes's weird anachronistic vibe. Equally important here is the dialogue, which is a mixture of period-correct diction and a more modern inflection (one character even quotes one of the best-known speeches from Gladiator (2000), earning the biggest laugh at the screening I attended). Put it this way - at one point, we see a group of characters in Renaissance costumes doing tai chi. If that sounds like something you'd find funny, you'll love this exceptionally-realised world.
I'd be remiss here if I didn't briefly mention the acting, which is universally terrific. All the supporting players do fine jobs - Norris's Scaramouche is all politeness and confusion, whilst Palmer's Maude is all loyalty and kindness. But what comes across most is their deep love - they're the kind of elderly couple that still hold hands on a walk even though they've been married for decades. Really sweet stuff. Hardie is equally good as the one good man in a town of troublemakers. But unlike the characters played by Clint Eastwood, Derrick has zero authority and no respect. However, despite his ineffectual nature, Hardie plays him as a completely straight-shooter, true, and honest, and it's a testament to his portrayal that Derrick is more than just the punchline of a few gags. He has real interiority. Obviously, Wasikowska has the meatiest role, and her performance is similar to some of her previous work, but nevertheless, her Judy isn't just a vehicle for feminist rhetoric, she's a capable and fierce woman in her own right. For me, however, Herriman steals the show. Initially, he makes Punch seem contemptible, yet somehow, as the film goes on, he makes the character even less likeable. His work in the penultimate scene is especially strong, where he has to play the part so as to communicate one thing to the other characters and something else entirely to the audience. Superb stuff.
The film does, however, have some problems. As mentioned, for some it will be too funny to work as feminist critique, and for others, too serious to work as comedy. Others still might argue it works as neither because it never fully commits to either. Without a doubt, Foulkes walks a very fine line trying to maintain such a delicate balance. I think she pulls it off, but others won't, that's just the nature of tonally ambiguous films such as this. The narrative and dialogue are also extraordinarily on the nose on occasion. As I said above, I didn't mind this, but some people will have a problem with how direct are lines such as, "what is a witch but a person who exists outside your blinkered view of society?" A few of the themes are also under-explored, including domestic violence, which seems to have been included as a plot point simply because it's an issue in the original show - Foulkes never really takes it anywhere.
Nevertheless, I enjoyed Judy & Punch. A statement on oppression and female (re)assertion, it takes the best-known elements of a world-famous puppet show, and inverts them, turning an inherently misogynistic story into a celebration of early feminism. Allegorical in both visual and narrative design, it may be pantomime-esque, but so too is it compelling enough to turn what could have been dismissed as a nasty fairy-tale into a piece of work which is thematically relevant to the milieu in which we now reside.
Everyone knows what 'Punch and Judy' shows are, don't they?
TxMike11 September 2020
This is a totally quirky "re imagining" of Punch and Judy puppet shows, with Punch and Judy being a real married couple. Mia Wasikowska as the real wife, Judy, and Damon Herriman as the real husband, Punch. Judy is good and talented, Punch turns out to be mean, just like his puppet counterpart. The story is best described as a dark comedy. I found it very entertaining, my wife viewed the trailer and chose to skip it.
A really good movie for those who want something different. On DVD from our public library.
A really good movie for those who want something different. On DVD from our public library.
Everything's better with puppets.
Otkon30 May 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Clearly the reverse order in the title is meant to show that this is not your typical take on the centuries old tale of jovial spousal abuse. And indeed it is not.
Like the source, it is a dark comedy (with literal gallows humor). Punch's behavior is ramped up to horrific levels which makes Judy's revenge all the more apropos.
I don't want to say it gets a little heavy with its message. But of course, there is nothing subtle the original story. Because if you were wondering about the crocodile, that is from the original tale. As are the dog, the Devil, the ghost and the constable.
Oh and it has anachronistic music much like A Knight's Tale.
Like the source, it is a dark comedy (with literal gallows humor). Punch's behavior is ramped up to horrific levels which makes Judy's revenge all the more apropos.
I don't want to say it gets a little heavy with its message. But of course, there is nothing subtle the original story. Because if you were wondering about the crocodile, that is from the original tale. As are the dog, the Devil, the ghost and the constable.
Oh and it has anachronistic music much like A Knight's Tale.
Violent but insightful
tedrickjansson30 November 2019
Really enjoyed this movie. Great cinematography. Acting and score were engaging. It's violent but an insightful look at existing social norms and how important it is to question and challenge them in order to break down accepted stereotypes. Interesting contrast was how on the one hand alcohol was shown as a clear link to male aggression and violence. But on the other shown as a grease for social cohesion and supportive of fun and community. Unconscious biases are under the spotlight. As is ignorance. Power to Judy. Punch continues the chauvinistic dream albeit divorced from his new reality.
A Dark and masterful retelling of Punch and Judy
tm-sheehan26 October 2021
My Review - Judy and Punch
My Rating 7.5
Judy and Punch is a 2019 very original Australian rewrite of the classic of Puppet Shows Punch and Judy written and directed by Mirrah Foulkes in her feature film directorial debut.
Murray Foulkes actress, Director and writer has written a very dark retelling of this story which for generations has depicted domestic violence crime and cruelty from a cast of characters including Punch, Judy, The Policeman, a crocodile , Priest, Scaramouch and The Devil plus more.
They are all in this movie but instead of most of the emphasis being on Punch and his bad behaviour it's more about justice for his crimes committed while he was drunk and disorderly.
It stars Mia Wasikowska, as Judy and Damon Herriman, as Punch a husband and wife team of puppeteers who entertain their medieval audiences in a village called Seaside (nowhere near the sea).
The puppeteers Judy and Punch are trying to resurrect their marionette show in an an anarchic town on the brink of mob rule.
Punch is unreliable at home and while Judy is away gets drunk and commits unforgivable crimes of a domestic violent nature and Judy must be responsible for applying justice as Punch has framed an innocent couple for his misdemeanours.
An impressive supporting cast includes Tom Budge, Benedict Hardie, Gillian Jones, Terry Norris, Brenda Palmer and Lucy Velik as the colourful and bawdy characters in this tale that brings the most famous puppets in history to life cleverly reflecting the contemporary issues today especially domestic violence.
Mia Wasikowska as Judy and Damon Herriman as Punch are wonderful in their roles .
The set decoration by Josephine Ford and costumes by Edie Kurzer are fabulous they reminded me of the medieval paintings of renaissance artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder, and the film has a fine score by Francois Tétaz that perfectly compliments this dark fairytale.
I have a feeling this excellent Australian film may be overlooked and that's a shame in my opinion it deserves to be seen .
Judy and Punch is a 2019 very original Australian rewrite of the classic of Puppet Shows Punch and Judy written and directed by Mirrah Foulkes in her feature film directorial debut.
Murray Foulkes actress, Director and writer has written a very dark retelling of this story which for generations has depicted domestic violence crime and cruelty from a cast of characters including Punch, Judy, The Policeman, a crocodile , Priest, Scaramouch and The Devil plus more.
They are all in this movie but instead of most of the emphasis being on Punch and his bad behaviour it's more about justice for his crimes committed while he was drunk and disorderly.
It stars Mia Wasikowska, as Judy and Damon Herriman, as Punch a husband and wife team of puppeteers who entertain their medieval audiences in a village called Seaside (nowhere near the sea).
The puppeteers Judy and Punch are trying to resurrect their marionette show in an an anarchic town on the brink of mob rule.
Punch is unreliable at home and while Judy is away gets drunk and commits unforgivable crimes of a domestic violent nature and Judy must be responsible for applying justice as Punch has framed an innocent couple for his misdemeanours.
An impressive supporting cast includes Tom Budge, Benedict Hardie, Gillian Jones, Terry Norris, Brenda Palmer and Lucy Velik as the colourful and bawdy characters in this tale that brings the most famous puppets in history to life cleverly reflecting the contemporary issues today especially domestic violence.
Mia Wasikowska as Judy and Damon Herriman as Punch are wonderful in their roles .
The set decoration by Josephine Ford and costumes by Edie Kurzer are fabulous they reminded me of the medieval paintings of renaissance artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder, and the film has a fine score by Francois Tétaz that perfectly compliments this dark fairytale.
I have a feeling this excellent Australian film may be overlooked and that's a shame in my opinion it deserves to be seen .
Pick a tone and commit
habakukofice2 August 2020
The movie has a vaguely historical setting, but no historical accuracy.
Some aspects seem like fantasy, but are then rooted in real history and geography.
The violence is played for laughs, but is the also meant to be poignant.
Either go full Punch and Judy, like a fantastical Falling Down, or make a gritty piece about the realities of a harsh life in the Early Modern period, but don't vacillate between the two. As released this film doesn't work as either of those things.
Some aspects seem like fantasy, but are then rooted in real history and geography.
The violence is played for laughs, but is the also meant to be poignant.
Either go full Punch and Judy, like a fantastical Falling Down, or make a gritty piece about the realities of a harsh life in the Early Modern period, but don't vacillate between the two. As released this film doesn't work as either of those things.
A thrilling ride and absorbing world
jacobyoung-8120321 November 2019
A really great ride. Such a fantastically well-realised medieval style of world that really sucks you in from the beginning. That may have been the best thing for me - its style and atmosphere was really engrossing and the score and music choices really helped that. Visually the film was very striking too. The main performances were excellent - the two leads, the small girl, the old man and the constable stand out. A really unique and well-thought take on punch and judy - it was clever how all the links to the show were brought in (many of which I didn't realise at the time). There were a couple of issues - a few performances here and there I didn't like that much - but overall it was really great and I look forward to seeing it again.
can be infuriating
SnoopyStyle17 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Judy (Mia Wasikowska) and Punch (Damon Herriman) are a married couple with a rambunctious puppet show in the small medieval town of Seaside which is nowhere near the sea. Judy is worried that Punch is making the show more and more violent. She dislikes the brutality of the town which includes stoning for superstitions. Punch is a drunk and causes the death of their baby. When she confronts him, he brutally beats her and leaves her for dead. He reports them missing to the new naive constable Derrick and riles up the town to hang the two innocent servants.
Watching a serious movie about dumb people can be infuriating. That's the feeling of this movie for the most part. I do like the style and the theme. While Punch is frustrating, Judy's journey is compelling. I don't really like the ending where the town learns a lesson. It seems more appropriate to burn the whole place down. The story is screaming for something more explosive. I certainly understand the idea of the goodness of the puppet show and its redemptive qualities. It's not as satisfying as I want.
Watching a serious movie about dumb people can be infuriating. That's the feeling of this movie for the most part. I do like the style and the theme. While Punch is frustrating, Judy's journey is compelling. I don't really like the ending where the town learns a lesson. It seems more appropriate to burn the whole place down. The story is screaming for something more explosive. I certainly understand the idea of the goodness of the puppet show and its redemptive qualities. It's not as satisfying as I want.
PUNCH ME IN THE FACE FOR WATCHING THIS
MadamWarden29 January 2020
Let's make a really really low budget movie with a terrible script, terrible acting, worse plot that has an over the top message that violence against women is bad, the masses are ignorant and.... Who the hell knows.
What a waste of time!!!
What a waste of time!!!
That's The Way To Do It!
Moviereeeels1218 May 2020
A reworking of the Punch & Judy puppet show, set in a non explainable time and location.
Great acting from all, script is well above average, a good solid budget which looks of high quality on the screen, and an absolutely fantastic music score.
A very well made period horror / thriller, really worth a watch, probably more than once.
Hoped for something better.
Sergiodave15 September 2021
'Judy & Punch' began far better than I was expecting, which unfortunately raised my hopes for this movie, which while being an okay film to pass the time, could have been so much more. As for Stoning as a punishment for witchcraft in England, complete rubbish.
That's (not quite) the way to do it.
CtlAltDel22 June 2022
Fine performance by Herriman and I'd walk over hot coals to see Mia Wasikowska on screen. Some good additional performances from the supporting cast. What usually let's an Australian film down is at least one awful performance and a terrible script. But here, both are pretty much on point. What does let it down is the plot and a rather ham-fisted sociopolitical point to be made about violence against women. An important theme but treated without any nuance. The dramatic climax is, unfortunately, cringeworthy.
Be psychologically prepared
Gordon-1128 August 2021
Great film but...
banzanbon19 October 2020
I love everything about this film, especially that it hooks into such a marvelous old story. It's a simple and unpretentious story but it's very well done.
Everything from the cast, to the set design, directing, editing...however, the lighting is AWFUL and clearly the DP was not too smart in lighting the scenes well enough. It happens on many parts of the film and that's just unacceptable.
Everything from the cast, to the set design, directing, editing...however, the lighting is AWFUL and clearly the DP was not too smart in lighting the scenes well enough. It happens on many parts of the film and that's just unacceptable.
Tight Script great Performances
emcebe3 March 2021
Loved it ! Good continuity with a storyline that kept moving , regardless of the vague time period it was set in . Good sets And loved the original footage at the end from my own childhood days where puppet shows were the things we watched before ever there was television. Both Damon and Mia were brilliant and I loved seeing Terry Norris back on the screen too. A shame there are so many negative comments as I found it a great interpretation of the violence of Punch ( the puppet, and in this case the man) as finally countered by Judy ( the puppet original, and here the woman ) as she found support and the strength to stand up to years of abuse. An analogy for our times , for any times over the centuries and not necessarily far right feministic propaganda, rather a long awaited fairness to be able to live a life without fear. A shame that like so many hime grown films it did not get the publicity and promotion it should have received and recognition for its fine director Mirrah Foulkes and a very fine cast.
Odd
gab-6759921 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
A very odd but good movie. Judy in my opinion should have been played by someone more attractive for this to have been a hit. I did not think Judy was going to cut off his hands, I thought she would slice off something more important. Still, it was a sad but lovely story. They should have shown Judy with the constable at the end for it to be a truly happy ending. Oh, and bring back the dog and bby as zombies. Then I would give this a 10. I recommend if you have nothing better to watch, I myself will not be watching it again.
Even by feminist standards
Fielddream203 April 2020
To make a film where every single male character is bad or very weak is really quite something. I am sick of this genre and it's about time blokes start to question them.
The point that seems to be missed is that trotting out this style of movie is insulting to many blokes and doesn't bring them with you - More turns them off.
The point that seems to be missed is that trotting out this style of movie is insulting to many blokes and doesn't bring them with you - More turns them off.
A great surprise and pleasure.
surferbill30 August 2019
Not knowing what to expect I was absorbed right from the start. I was taken into a type of fantasy world; the colours, the people, the theatre, the atmosphere, its offbeatness. So well written, directed and acted. I found much in it an allegory with our modern world. Congratulations and highly recommended.
Good, but could've been better
Ishmael_2226 July 2020
This sucked
fluffchop1 November 2021
If they called it Judy & Punch rather than the standard Punch & Judy, then it should have been a comedy as in Wills & Burke. It wasn't a comedy however and it needed to be. It's just a crass movie full of drunken nonsense that is the Australian film "industry". I can't believe Lucy Punch could have written any of this as nothing about her shines through at all. I was just waiting for it to end from the first chapter till the end.
Darkly hilarious, exciting, and visually splendid
themadmovieman21 December 2019
A black reimagining of the classic seaside children's puppet show, Judy And Punch is as deliciously dark as you can imagine, featuring an immensely enjoyable mix of hilarious black comedy and intriguing, unsettling drama throughout. Couple that with a really striking period setting that both looks pretty and plays a unique role in the story, as well as two great lead performances, and you've got a brilliantly unorthodox hit, and one of the most unashamedly entertaining dark comedies you've seen in quite a long while.
Of course, dark reimaginings of classic fairytales, children stories and such have been in fashion for a good few years now, but they almost always seem to be hijacked by dull, grim blockbuster ideas. Take a film like Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters as an example, which has a brilliantly weird premise, and seems to open up all the opportunities for a hilarious and exciting dark comedy, but is suffocated under the spectre of predictable, dumb and excessively action-oriented filmmaking.
Judy And Punch, on the other hand, is a far more measured and intelligent approach to a dark reimagining of the classic puppet show. Not only impressing throughout with its genuinely hilarious humour, the film is a thoroughly engrossing watch thanks to its intelligent and unique ideas surrounding not only the origins of the eponymous puppet show, but also the medieval world of witch hunts.
It's an unorthodox but genuinely entertaining combination that works really well right the way through, only helped more by the film's capacity for humour and to take what at times does feel like a rather dark and even unsettling tale a little lighter than you may expect, and seems to be the case in so many other films of the same ilk.
As a result, there's complex and intriguing ideas at play that go far beyond what at times eventually boils down to a rather simple revenge story, and it really makes a vibrant world out of the setting created for the origins of Punch & Judy, furthered yet more by the excellent costume and production design and cinematography that make such a vivid portrayal out of this isolated medieval town, all brought together in brilliant style by director Mirrah Foulkes.
And finally, on top of all of that, you've got a pair of great lead performances from Mia Wasikowska and Damon Herriman as Judy and Punch themselves. Finding a fantastic balance between pure, crazed comedy and heavy, dark drama (something that is absolutely no mean feat), the pair are great to watch from beginning to end, and although they find their characters dealing with very different obstacles throughout, they're an excellent double act that play off one another with just as much humour and domestic unhappiness as the famous puppets themselves.
Overall, then, I had a great time with Judy And Punch. An unexpected surprise that takes an unorthodox angle on a well-known property, the film is full of both fantastically funny humour and exciting dark drama, brought together brilliantly by director Mirrah Foulkes with interesting and intelligent ideas that bring its story and setting to life in vibrant fashion.
Of course, dark reimaginings of classic fairytales, children stories and such have been in fashion for a good few years now, but they almost always seem to be hijacked by dull, grim blockbuster ideas. Take a film like Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters as an example, which has a brilliantly weird premise, and seems to open up all the opportunities for a hilarious and exciting dark comedy, but is suffocated under the spectre of predictable, dumb and excessively action-oriented filmmaking.
Judy And Punch, on the other hand, is a far more measured and intelligent approach to a dark reimagining of the classic puppet show. Not only impressing throughout with its genuinely hilarious humour, the film is a thoroughly engrossing watch thanks to its intelligent and unique ideas surrounding not only the origins of the eponymous puppet show, but also the medieval world of witch hunts.
It's an unorthodox but genuinely entertaining combination that works really well right the way through, only helped more by the film's capacity for humour and to take what at times does feel like a rather dark and even unsettling tale a little lighter than you may expect, and seems to be the case in so many other films of the same ilk.
As a result, there's complex and intriguing ideas at play that go far beyond what at times eventually boils down to a rather simple revenge story, and it really makes a vibrant world out of the setting created for the origins of Punch & Judy, furthered yet more by the excellent costume and production design and cinematography that make such a vivid portrayal out of this isolated medieval town, all brought together in brilliant style by director Mirrah Foulkes.
And finally, on top of all of that, you've got a pair of great lead performances from Mia Wasikowska and Damon Herriman as Judy and Punch themselves. Finding a fantastic balance between pure, crazed comedy and heavy, dark drama (something that is absolutely no mean feat), the pair are great to watch from beginning to end, and although they find their characters dealing with very different obstacles throughout, they're an excellent double act that play off one another with just as much humour and domestic unhappiness as the famous puppets themselves.
Overall, then, I had a great time with Judy And Punch. An unexpected surprise that takes an unorthodox angle on a well-known property, the film is full of both fantastically funny humour and exciting dark drama, brought together brilliantly by director Mirrah Foulkes with interesting and intelligent ideas that bring its story and setting to life in vibrant fashion.
Witch-a-phobia
ritera19 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
17th century or so in a small English town. Gripped by "witch-a-phobia."
Judy is the wife of Punch, a talented puppeteer and drunk. They're waiting for their big break.
Odd mix of tones as it's a light comedy/drama but but has a stoning of witches early on. NOT a success like Monty Python was on that kind of humor.
Then Punch accidentally drunkenly launches his baby daughter out a window and kills her. Followed by, in the argument, he beats the wife (he thinks) to death, dumps her in the woods.
Wanders a lot from there and then summarily ties it all up.
Good actors and good direction but ends up being a limp noodle.
Judy is the wife of Punch, a talented puppeteer and drunk. They're waiting for their big break.
Odd mix of tones as it's a light comedy/drama but but has a stoning of witches early on. NOT a success like Monty Python was on that kind of humor.
Then Punch accidentally drunkenly launches his baby daughter out a window and kills her. Followed by, in the argument, he beats the wife (he thinks) to death, dumps her in the woods.
Wanders a lot from there and then summarily ties it all up.
Good actors and good direction but ends up being a limp noodle.
Great story not told in this film
perdyhorse9 October 2020
This is a great story idea but sadly it lacked and real substance. It really could have been so good as it has some great actors but they had too much work to do without a good script. There was a beginning and and end but nothing really happened in the middle.
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