Judy & Punch (2019)

Seaside (nowhere near the sea), puppeteers Judy and Punch are trying to resurrect their marionette show in an an anarchic town on the brink of mob rule.

Director:

Mirrah Foulkes

Writer:

Mirrah Foulkes

Stars:

Mia Wasikowska, Damon Herriman, Benedict Hardie

4 wins & 16 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Mia Wasikowska	...	Judy
Damon Herriman	...	Punch
Benedict Hardie	...	Derrick
Jacek Koman	...	Singer
Eddie Baroo	...	Nordic Man
Virginia Gay	...	Ma
Amy Christian	...	Aileen the Heretic
Terry Norris	...	Scaramouche
Tom Budge	...	Mr. Frankly
Kiruna Stamell	...	Mavis
Lucy Velik	...	Polly
Don Bridges	...	The Preacher
Michael M. Foster	...	Pimp
Gillian Jones	...	Dr. Goodtime
Paul Ireland	...	Ruffian

Storyline

Seaside (nowhere near the sea), puppeteers Judy and Punch are trying to resurrect their marionette show on the brink of an anarchic mob rule. When Punch accidentally kills their baby during a drinking binge, his wife, Judy, having suffered a violent beating, teams up with a band of outcast heretics to enact revenge on Punch and the entire town.

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Plot Keywords:

three word title | pun in title | australian | puppeteer | puppet show | 

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Taglines:

A twisted tale of love, revenge and puppetry.

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Instagram

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 November 2019 (UK)

Also Known As:

Judy & Punch

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$189,033

Company Credits

Production Co:

Vice Media, Pariah Productions, Blue-Tongue Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

The film is set in 17th Century England and London is referred to as "the Big Smoke". However, it didn't earn this nickname until the 19th Century, due to the coal then being used to heat Londoner's homes producing large amounts of smoke.

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Crazy Credits

The cast are credited with either 'Ms' or 'Mr' in front of their names.

User Reviews

That's almost the way to do it.

'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