Film Review: Judy & Punch

I am truly enjoying the season of the witch. 

In the unruly, small medieval town of Seaside – which happens to be nowhere near the sea – the rule of the community mob reigns supreme. People suspected of heresy are stoned to death, criminals are publicly hung, and any women that don’t behave themselves are presumed to be witches. Professor Punch (played by Damon Herriman) and his wife Judy (Mia Wasikowska) perform their puppet shows for the crowd, with great success, though the audience is generally ambivalent to Punch’s alcoholism and the fact that Judy is the superior puppeteer. When Punch’s drunken stupidity leads to Judy finding out he caused a catastrophe, he attempts to murder Judy and blame it on their elderly house servants to cover his own tracks. But Judy survives, finds herself in a commune of “witches” cast-out from Seaside, and hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

This movie is a powerful piece about women, and it shows in the performances of all of the female cast, especially Wasikowska’s. The only moment I was worried I wouldn’t enjoy this film was in the ten minutes or so that it seemed her screen time was over. But that didn’t last long, and her triumphant return made the story all the more exciting. 

Director Mirrah Foulkes manages to deconstruct the familiar dynamic of traditional 17th Century Punch and Judy puppet shows and show the gender-based violence at the core of not only these shows but also perennially enduring in today’s screen and stage media. 

This film at its core shows women’s work: in the home, in the entertainment business, as well as the emotional work women engage in to deal with trauma, that is in this film enacted by men in a town where women are treated as automatically less than. It shows so clearly the way that contemporary fears continue to be scapegoated onto local misfits and outsiders, and the way that communities exclude those who don’t fit and follow the crowd.

That being said, this film still ends in the persistent trope of women going high even when their stories are a result of men going so, so low. Judy, a woman who deserves so much better, still does not bring about the vengeful murder that Punch’s behaviour so surely merits. And in a movie that focused so closely on the justness of Judy’s journey, I kind of would have liked to see her really get her hands dirty and deal a hand as dirty as she got dealt.

This is a triumph for Australian cinema in 2019, particularly for Screen Victoria. The dark and broody cinematography, key character performances and spot-on costuming all combined add up to a fantastic, fairly gory tale of revenge and the strength of women. 

Here’s hoping Damon Herriman doesn’t do any more movies where he’s implicated in the killing of babies and women any time soon (I’m looking at you, The Nightingale) … it seems like he’s got the Charles Manson schtick down pat.

4/5 stars

Judy & Punch is showing in Australian cinemas from November 21.