The Dressmaker (2015)

A glamorous woman returns to her small town in rural Australia. With her sewing machine and haute couture style, she transforms the women and exacts sweet revenge on those who did her wrong.

Director:

Jocelyn Moorhouse

Writers:

Rosalie Ham (based on the novel by), Jocelyn Moorhouse

Stars:

Kate Winslet, Judy Davis, Liam Hemsworth

15 wins & 38 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kate Winslet	...	Tilly Dunnage
Judy Davis	...	Molly Dunnage
Liam Hemsworth	...	Teddy McSwiney
Hugo Weaving	...	Sergeant Farrat
Julia Blake	...	Irma Almanac
Shane Bourne	...	Evan Pettyman
Kerry Fox	...	Beulah Harridiene
Rebecca Gibney	...	Muriel Pratt
Caroline Goodall	...	Elsbeth Beaumont
Gyton Grantley	...	Barney McSwiney
Tracy Harvey	...	Lois Pickett
Sacha Horler	...	Una Pleasance
Shane Jacobson	...	Alvin Pratt
Geneviève Lemon	...	Mae McSwiney
James Mackay	...	William Beaumont

Storyline

Based on Rosalie Ham's best selling novel, The Dressmaker is the story of femme fatale Tilly Dunnage who returns to her small home town in the country to right the wrongs of the past. A stylish drama with comic undertones about love, revenge and haute couture.

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Plot Keywords:

f rated | australia | bare chested male | dressmaker | costume designer | 

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Taglines:

Secrets, gossip and scandal are back in fashion.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for brief language and a scene of violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 October 2015 (Australia)

Also Known As:

El poder de la moda

Filming Locations:

Docklands Studios, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Box Office

Budget:

AUD 17,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$185,165, 25 September 2016, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$2,021,399, 16 December 2016

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,715,078, 30 October 2016

Company Credits

Production Co:

Screen Australia, Film Art Media, White Hot Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Tilly's sewing machine is a Singer 201K2. They were incredibly sturdy and very expensive, costing the equivalent of up to 6 months wages for a working woman. They are still considered one of the best sewing machines by professional dressmakers and tailors.

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Goofs

The record cover for South Pacific is the original Broadway cast recording (1949), but the excerpt from "Bali H'ai" is from the 1958 Film soundtrack. Similarly the excerpt from Oklahoma is from the 1955 film soundtrack. In both cases these post date the scenes in which they occur.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Myrtle 'Tilly' Dunnage: [standing in the nighttime street] I'm back, you bastards.

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Crazy Credits

Windmill squeak is heard at then end of the credits.

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Connections

Referenced in Film 2017: Episode #44.10 (2015)

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Soundtracks

Bang Bang
Written by Colas Isnard (as C. Isnard)
Performed by Lanie Lane

User Reviews

All dressed up with somewhere to go!

Over the years there have been many quirky, eccentric characters featured in Australian films such as Muriel's Wedding, The Castle and Priscilla Queen of the Desert. The stories have been uniquely Australian to be appreciated by Australian audiences but occasionally they become worldwide hits like Crocodile Dundee. It's the laid-back Aussie humour that international audiences sometimes just don't understand which prevents the majority of Australian films from crossing the cultural barrier. The Dressmaker has been successful at the Australian box office for it features a story where the underdog or misunderstood succeeds along with a story that promotes the Aussie dry wit with dialogue that appeals to the everyday Australian.

Myrtle 'Tilly' Dunnage (Kate Winslet) returns home to rural Australia after spending time abroad developing her fashion designing skills. As a child she was sent to a boarding school in Melbourne by Sergeant Farrat (Hugo Weaving) for she was accused of murdering a boy who bullied her. Her mother, Molly (Judy Davis) initially doesn't recognise her and isn't convinced she's her daughter. She eventually accepts her in her house and Tilly transforms it into a fashion factory where she makes clothes for the women of the town. In the meantime, she becomes romantically involved with Teddy McSwiney (Liam Hemsworth) whom she has known since they were children. The town still hasn't forgiven her for apparently killing the boy and believe she is cursed. Tilly will virtually stop at nothing to exact revenge on those who did her wrong.

The Dressmaker is a long way from being perfect but what it does offer is an entertaining two hours that is well-paced and beguiling. There might be a few too many flashbacks and slow motion sequences but the compelling storyline featuring a wide range of interesting characters allows the majority of the film to shine. Some of the depictions of the characters might be broad but that's just the perfect fit for quintessential Australians.

A lot of the dialogue is witty and adds much to the Aussie humour on show. Davis garners most of the laughs in a performance which demonstrates her sensational acting ability. Winslet perfects the Aussie accent with this being her second time playing an Australian after 1999's Holy Smoke! Many of the scenes she shares with her screen mother are hilarious. Weaving also has his turn in the spotlight with a wonderful performance as the cross-dressing police officer. Hemsworth plays it straight in comparison to his co-stars and reliably fulfills his role as the love interest. Support actors such as Shane Bourne, Sarah Snook, Kerry Fox and Barry Otto also succeed in projecting the individual traits of their characters.

Credit must go to the costume designs with the haute couture style befitting of the movie title. With the story being reminiscent of a Clint Eastwood western where the main character comes to town, mingles with the locals then affects their lives one way or another, the music score by David Hirschfelder has some resemblance to a western. It's an exciting score that perfectly sets up the moods of the characters and the theme of the plot. The cinematography by Donald McAlpine also enhances the look of the film, ensuring that the rural town maintains its 'western' appearance.

Although clichés do affect the characters and story, the overall quality of the film ensures that most viewers will be entertained. Jocelyn Moorhouse (the director and co-writer) should be chuffed with her film's box office success even though not all critics have praised her work. Sometimes it's the majority you have to please, not the minority. http://mlaimlai2.wix.com/magical-movie-review