Rom-coms have given us some of the most memorable male leads over the decades. Many male protagonists have gone on to become what people see as the ideal type. But as the popularity of the monster romance subgenre has proven, sometimes, genuine love and connection can be found in creatures who don’t take the human form. Wicker is a prime example of this.
In the lead-up to its release, the rom-com made waves online with a marketing campaign that heavily suggested that the movie wouldn’t hold back on being unapologetically explicit in satisfying physical pleasures. After all, seeing Alexander Skarsgård in full prosthetics doing the deed (and in 4DX in the US) has its appeal, to the point that he’s become the internet’s husband in some online communities. But Wicker is much more than that, and goes beyond being an R-rated guilty pleasure. As attractive as it seems to be with a strong, tall, and sturdy man made out of wicker, it’s even better when he treats you right.
Slight spoilers for Wicker below.
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Wicker’s World and Living in a Misogynistic Society
Based on the nine-page short story by Ursula Wills-Jones, Wicker centers on a lonely Fisherwoman (Olivia Colman) who has no one in her life and mainly tends to her work selling fish in the village. While she’s mostly content with herself, she has become a bit of the town’s joke because of her relationship status. This leads her to the Basketmaker (Peter Dinklage) and asks him to make her a husband.
Much to her surprise, he does, and out comes a man made out of wicker whose first task is marrying Fisherwoman. It’s an odd partnership, but Fisherwoman and Wicker Husband find a deep connection in each other that brings Fisherwoman a contentment she hasn’t felt before, while making the local women jealous and men angry.
Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson’s romantic fairytale comedy doesn’t hide the fact that its story is set in an inherently misogynistic world. Every character is referred to by their occupation, but the women are only known as the wife or daughter of their husband or father. They are taught that their life’s purpose is to their husband. The town’s marriage ceremony literally involves the bride having to put on a collar to signify their union.
The town treats women as second-class citizens, and the men are free to do as they please. As such, the arrival of Wicker Husband and his marriage to Fisherwoman is scandalous, but not for the reasons you think.
To Be Loved by a Wicker Husband
Wicker Husband is not like the other men, and not just because of what he’s made of. He is the only male character in the story who has “Husband” in their name. He also treats Fisherwoman right after several of the town’s men and women treated her as a social pariah. It’s Fisherwoman who works while Wicker Husband mainly tends to household duties. Aside from the amazing sex, Wicker Husband serenades Fisherwoman with sweet words and helps out with household chores, from washing the clothes to making repairs around the house. He isn’t abrasive or dominating over Fisherwoman (well, maybe only in bed), and is openly sweet and warm towards her.
As much as it’s off-putting for many townsfolk to see a woman be with a man made from wicker, Fisherwoman and Wicker Husband develop a loving relationship built on mutual respect. That oddity quickly disappears when the wives realize that he has a kind of love they are missing from their own husbands. The women take notice and eventually envy how they aren’t loved and respected the same way by their partners.
The men, meanwhile, hate how their wives complain about the lack of compassion and resent Wicker Husband for showing women that there are better options, which honestly is not that far off from today’s world when men who subscribe to toxic masculinity make fun of men who show even an ounce of feminism and can’t accept the fact that women don’t want to be with them because they’re assholes and not because of a grand conspiracy. In many ways, he highlights just how bad of a husband and person in general the men of the village are, especially in the loyalty they demand without giving much back.
Wicker Husband stands out not just for his physical attributes, but for how he treats Fisherwoman the way many women want to be treated: with love, respect, and kindness. He is what women look for in a partner. And it’s notable that Wicker Husband is called that because he’s not a prize or property for Fisherwoman, but a man who genuinely wants to be with her and treat her right.
He was made to be with Fisherwoman, not just for her. Their relationship is sincere and extends from physical attraction to emotional maturity. The two even exercise proper communication when faced with an impasse. This isn’t an Obsession-type scenario where the Wicker Husband lacks agency in the relationship, but a man, albeit made out of wicker, who willfully loves the Fisherwoman. That is real love, one rooted in free will and conscious desire with no strings attached.
To see a man so warmly and tenderly love her woman feels like a breath of fresh air at a time when the patriarchy isn’t just present in society; it’s actively encouraged by those at the top. Wicker Husband is a good man, and the movie shines in its exploration of how a man and a woman being in a healthy relationship doesn’t just lead to great things, but also how it sparks insecurity in those who have benefited from an inherently misogynistic power structure and social order.
It Always Goes Back to Treating Women With Respect
For a story packaged as a fairy tale, Wicker succeeds more in showing the tender and little things that make a love last. When there are those who teach men that they need to be above women in a relationship, Wicker surprises with a deconstruction of a hierarchical society and an apt allegory of the benefits of genuine love and respect. Monster romance movies have their fans not just for curiosity, but because sometimes, creatures, otherworldly beings, and even inanimate objects know how to love women better than most men can.
If a sentient basket knows what respect and consent are, then honestly, why not? Now that’s attractive. At the end of the day, a man who cares will always find a place in a healthy companionship because thriving and lasting relationships are a two-way street that sees both participants as equals. It actually pays to be a good man and be with a man who is, even if they aren’t made of wicker and have the build of Alexander Skarsgård.
Wicker is currently showing exclusively in SM Cinemas nationwide.
Featured Image and Photos: IMDB and BLACK BEAR PICTURES
