Yes No Maybe So: Kate Winslet IS The Dressmaker
Tuesday, July 14, 2015 at 3:48PM This is dedicated to the patient among you, those who don't badger me about things they KNOW are coming. (Like we're not going to cover this trailer, at TFE! It's like you've never been here before). Most importantly this is dedicated to the die-hard Kate Winslet fans who will sit through Labor Day, Divergent, and A Little Chaos to be there her true return to form whenever it happens. By the looks of this trailer for The Dressmaker, the wait may soon be over.
The Yes No Maybe So breakdown, which is crazy overstuffed with screencaps since this diva murderess fashionista Oscar winner demands them, is after the jump with the trailer...
Yes please. A dried up Aussie landscape interrupted by a feminine gloved hand. Cheeky disruptions
DUH, YES. Kate Winslet. Her face was made for the big screen. Especially while wearing smart period chapeaus.
Yes. Intrigued am I by the establishing shot visuals. They're memorably introducing us to wherever this tale is set, some town in the boonies. They're minimalist yet all the images pop with great composition or color details. So much so that I felt compelled to look up the cinematographer. Ahhhhh, Donald McAlpine. ♥ We are in very good hands. He shot Moulin Rouge! and Romeo + Juliet and Peter Pan (2003).
Quick story beats: Myrtle Dunnage has returned home. The town law enforcement (Hugo Weaving) seems to like her. Or at least have a history with her. They banter. Then...
-How's my mother?
-Molly doesn't get out much."
YES. Judy Davis. The cinema has sorely missed you. Plus this trailer is so great at introducing things: locale, characters. Very punchy.
Maybe So. We see Liam Hemsworth for a minute. He wonders how Myrtle has turned out - hasn't seen her since she was a kid. Um... since Liam is 15 years younger than Kate this seems like a very strange thing to say. Will the casting work out? Will they have chemistry?
Maybe So. Everything is very bold. Look at all that Production Design / Set Decoration. But with the whistling music and the very dressed sets and very quirky characterizations and mega-costumed Kate... could it all be a bit much? The tone -- if the trailer is any indication -- will be tricky to pull off for a whole feature.
Details details: check out this wacky hairdo!
She's back! The murderess is back!
Yes. A whole town completely obsessed with Kate Winslet? So... every town basically (in a perfect world)
No. People think she killed somebody but the trailer doesn't let on if she actually did or not. Her mother seems to know something that she isn't telling. Would that the trailer would be as mum as mum. I think we're getting too much of the plot. And if you give us the whole plot, why would you expect people (other than actress obsessives) to buy tickets?
But back to things that matter like Judy F***ing Davis and Kate Winslet in full diva mode.
Yes.
People may have forgotten this but Judy Davis is kind of a genius actor. Cross your fingers that she's still got it.
YES.
HOLY GOD(DESS) YES
Yes Sure why not to Liam being cute and flirting with Kate.
Hell Yes. to this whole scene I forgot to screencap where frumpy Gertrud (fast rising Aussie actress Sarah Snook) thinks a "dress can't change anything.". Kate shakes out her hairdo and gets sassy
Watch and learn, Gertrud, watch and learn.
Yes to any film which asks Kate Winslet to strike a pose. Vogue.Vogue.Vogue.
(Paint her like one of your French girls)
- Take your clothes off.
- A Murderer and a Lesbian.
LOL yes
Yes
to Kate looking so talented and confident and her screen mum encouraging her. Plus we get a makeover sequence obviously for Sarah Snook. Yay, makeover scenes! The women's picture equivalent of the training sequences in action, sports drama, and superhero films.
NO. TOO MUCH PLOT, TRAILER, TOO MUCH PLOT.
I'm skipping all that. But Liam does say "you're wasted here" to Kate to which I must say "doesn't look like it. Looks like she's finally got fun stuff to do on screen again."
Check out these title cards...
Obviously Double Yes
But, question, Why doesn't Judy Davis get "Academy Award Nominee" by her name? She's a two time nominee and shoulda won already!
YES [*fans self*]
To a moment when Liam yanks Kate against his body with her measuring tape. Seduced by your own tools of the trade? Love it. (Forgot to screen cap but it needs a gif for maximum heat)
Yes to the guys even since they seem to "get" her. Though why is Hugo Weaving pretending this is a sequel to The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert? This is one question the trailer does not answer.
I reckon you'd make some bloke pretty happy.
If by 'some bloke,' Liam means "all actressexuals" then double yes.
Yes
The post title stinger features a shirtless Liam as Judy flirts. So prime actressing from two of cinema's greatest AND beefcake bonus?. Spoiling us, this movie might.
I'm as big a yes as Kate Winslet's dress is eye-catching red. You?
Reader Comments (55)
YYYEEESSSSS!!!!!!!!!
Me want Kate Winslet. Don't ever make her skinny. She is fine as she is.
No, unless it gets major oscar traction. Looks kinda insufferable.
Yes, Yes, and then a little more yes
Yes, I will be dragging the bf to this. Twice, if it's good ;)
That Winslet title card is my everything.
SPOILER
I believe Hugo Weaving actually plays a cross-dressing policeman in this, according to my mum who has read the book, so he's VERY much getting in touch with the Priscilla days.
This looks EXACTLY as it should. And frankly: I think the Academy NEEDS to overcompensate from last year. Mainstream fun movies, female leads, black leads and helping to revive the studio Christmas film (Xmas is coming out and trying to revive the currently big screen dormant Holiday/Christmas film genre, and the Academy helping that out would send a statement) should be the heavy focus this year, both from critics groups and from the Academy itself. So, y'know what? Based on this trailer, and based on what the Academy needs to actually do to re-establish itself, I'd put high money this could clean up.
HELL YESSSSSS! Even if Liam Hemsworth is ridiculously boring.
Oh my! I was one of those being impatient but man, this post was worth the wait. Great Job!
Absolutely, and while I was probably a Yes at the beginning, I am now LEGIT excited about what was potentially just "theater itch" sort of movie. Looks like great fun, and I love having a Winslet movie to be excited about (first time in seven years or so).
Kate Winslet: YESSSS
The music, title cards, etc.: DEAR GOD NO
This must be how TheForce.net feels when a new Star Wars: Force Awakens trailer drops.
So that's one more trailer off the list to see. Has there been ANYTHING on The Light Between Oceans? A promotional still? A teaser? A screening? Anything at all!?
YES YES YES. Now THIS is the Kate I love. This will be Kate's meatiest role since Mildred Pierce and Carnage. Her role in Steve Jobs is fantastic as well. Looks like she'll be back to form this year. I'm one of her die hard fans and I'm relieved that her dry spell lasted only 2 years. Labor Day and the Divergent series did her no favours. It's understandable though. She has been working non-stop since 1994! She has not only been around for a while, but she's been on a roll for a while. After decades of setting the bar high, she was bound to slow down at some point. But the thing is she was always bound to return. Girl looks up to Judi Dench and Meryl Streep for longevity. It was just a matter of time, and that time has arrived.
Really? I love Winslet and she looks fierce, but I wish she looked for more daring material again. She should totally call Jane Campion, since she is that close to New Zealand again.
But yes, it looks fun. I just have this Chocolat vibes.
I try not to watch trailers anymore, so I didn't indulge in that, but those screen grabs are gorgeous. So ... I'm a yes just with this post.
Glenn where are you? I'd like to hear your comments, because.....
As an antipodean, I'm a "maybe so". It feels so Australian period piece cliche. But the comeback of Jocelyn Moorhouse is the main drawcard for me here (PROOF was enough for me to eternally be interested in whatever she does). Not to mention the cavalcade of some of our best local acting talent that deserve repeated exposure (Snook, Shane Jacobsen, Kerry Fox, Julia Blake, Barry Otto, Sacha Horler).
I'm a yes of course. Kate always had my heart since Titanic.
I know her accent is on point here but Kate's a Reading girl unless you meant Davis and Snook by "two of Australia's greats".
...Why doesn't Judy Davis get "Academy Award Nominee" by her name? She's a two time nominee...
Who wants to be reminded she's Oscar-less?---then anyone who researches who she lost to and for what would understand why she would want to avoid the subject altogether.
YES YES YES
KATE KATE KATE
It's been so long (2008) since I've been this excited to see her bite into a meaty role. Looks like she'll have the most fun with it. Hopefully it does decent business so we can continue to see her loose and in charge in future roles.
NO-I HATE KATE!
I literally spent the entire trailer in a state of gay panic: YAAASSSSSS! GUUUUUUUUURL WERQ! Oh NO SHE BETTA DON'T!!!! It was too much for my poor little brain to handle. The fucking diva fierceness pouring out of Kate Winslet: YES YES HELL-TO-THE-MOTHA-FUCKIN' YES. And I am ALWAYS here for Judy Davis. And Hemsworth beefcake (Hemsworth acting, not so much).
Summer -- i have no idea what i was on about there. i made so many mistakes in this writeup. so many typos and errors i had to fix. I blame Kate who was blinding me with her fabulosity.
Am I the only one who's more of a YESSSSSS for Judy Davis than for Winslet? Then so be it. Though I do obviously love Winslet, because I'm not some kind of unspeakable monster. Also a Yes on principle for Snook, because I still haven't recovered from the amazing potent wonderfulness of her performance in Predestination
But yeah, the movie itself... that's a hard call. I don't know how much of it is just that godawful music, but the whole thing feels a bit too much like the wrong kind of quirky '90s Aussie dramedy. Except that it happens to be superbly shot. I'll definitely be there, but I might not be too enthusiastic about being there.
YES! I worship at the altar of Kate Winslet (the same one made by Winona Ryder).
One of those die-hard fans here. Super happy we will be treated with promising performances by her this year. Her Joanna Hoffman in Steve Jobs has me very intrigued. I like what I see so far.
Oh my god YES!
Judy Davis should have won the Oscar instead of Marissa Tomei. YEAH, I SAID IT!
I just find it refreshing to see an older actress romancing a younger actor in a movie, even though the characters could have been the same age.
We need a lot of this thing to make up for Sean Connery's whole career.
Also, maybe it's just my imagination but the bit of reading when she says "you got old" at the beginning of the trailer—and her hand gesture—, made me think of Bette Davis.
Tone is completely uneven and I have no idea what Kate Winslet is going for. I don't get her with Gale, but maybe this will play well over the holidays in 3 theaters for seniors? Team Dustin.
"prime actressing from two of cinema's greatest AND beefcake bonus?"
FUCKIN' YEAH!!!
[as we say down here]
Judy Davis should have won the Oscar instead of Marissa Tomei. YEAH, I SAID IT!
You're not alone.
I loathe Kate Winlset - the most overpraised and overpriced (I'm sure) actress of her generation. Cate Blanchett should've been The Dressmaker, just like Cate Blanchett should've been Mildred Pierce...
OK OK I get it: I'm impatient :)
Marvelous work, Nathaniel. I'm a total yes. No problem with the movie pretending Liam is as old as Kate. At least in the trailer they seem like a believable couple. Whatever, too much talking. This looks fun.
I am so thrilled that Judy Davis will soon be back on the big screen or any screen for that matter. She has been truly missed.
Looks like they got the style down - hopefully there will be some substance somewhere or else it would be a shame. Plus I'm over all the pretty interchangeable male actors. An attactive male actor with some depth to him is much preferable. I think we though Ryan Gosling was going to be that before playing the same role in 10 movies
Yes, yes, yes--Judy Davis. Best line reading-- "A murderer and a lesbian"
Yes--Kate Winslet. Nice to see her back to form. That red dress--awesome.
Yes--Liam Hemsworth. He's so pretty and sparkly in this--maybe he needs to use his own accent in order to come alive.
Some thoughts
a) OBVIOUSLY this is a yes from me. If people think the tone is weird then I direct them to a lot of Australian comedies. It's sort of our thing. I love that Moorehouse - PROOF being one of the greatest, period - is going to this stylistic, almost farce-like material. Giving the cobwebs a shake.
b) The age thing is odd, but Liam Hemsworth is a very handsome man and a lot of those type of actors are usualy much better in movies that aren't blockbusters (see Jai Courtney and Sam Worthington for other Australian examples).
c) Judy is very Bette in some of those clips.
d) Loving the design. I wish more films would go for broke like that.
YES
I just realised I haven't actually been excited by a Winslet performance (rather than the anticipation of a performance) since 2004, which is unsettling.
Still, she looks eye-watering in this, even by her standards. She seems to have a sturdy handle on a particular 'tone' (unlike the trailer itself) and even her accent sounds good. And who doesn't want Judy Davis back on a big screen
But after this, Australians need at least a ten-year moratorium on quirk. And especially on 'cheeky' scores. Also, on dialogue.
Still - this could very easily just be a faintly tacky trailer for a fun film.
Though if it were a Campion joint rather than a Moorhouse joint (I never have and never will understand the appeal of Proof), I'd be much more confident
My beautiful Muse Kate is finally back! Life doesnt get any better! ;-)
Hopefully the Ampas tribute her body of Work this Year with a nod!
"If people think the tone is weird then I direct them to a lot of Australian comedies. It's sort of our thing."
Glenn, I say this with love but: with a precious few exceptions, I'm not sure this has ever been a good thing.
I would watch Kate read a newspaper in a baggy sweatsuit. Put her in a red dress like that, well, I'm down for this one. Yes.
All the yes - a straight Aussie remake of the feel of "To Wong Foo" perhaps? I'm totally OK with it. Kate looks almost as good in heels as Patrick Swayze did.
Since y'all have covered the actressing quite well already in the comments, can we have a moment for the dazzling smile of Liam Hemsworth? Speaking of which, can we get JA to do a special Liam vs. Chris face-off? I'm genuinely curious how TFE readers are going to weigh in on that beefcake battle.
I'm predicting an Oscar nomination for Hugo Weaving...just because I want to.
Troy -- you go with your bad self.
SanFran -- but which one is "the beast"
Nathaniel, I suppose Thor would have to be the beast, but what a beautiful beast he is.
great write up, this looks like fun, but i am hoping it is just the surface.
this movie will need critical support to get to the US
The first minute was a lot more interesting before that awful, treacly music kicked in, but overall I'm a big yes on this one.
Love all your screencaps.
yes, yes, a million times YAAASSSS!!! i can not wait for this Fall with winslet in couture here and '80s sally jessi raphael glasses in STEVE JOBS. it might be too early to say it, but welcome back to form, kate! you've been missed!
I've been a HELLYES ever since the words Judy Davis were uttered, but the trailer has me properly excited for some major campiness and Winslet looks delicious. I really hope it doesn't disappoint...
For those who have been "missing" Judy Davis, please make sure you check out The Eye Of The Storm, her multi-award-winning performance from just a couple of years back that somehow got buried on its cinema release outside Australia - it's her best role since the 1990s and more than proves she's "still got it".
7bis -- if it ever came out in the US even I missed it and i've been a fan of hers since the 80s.