Judy & Punch

If you are going to filter the classic 16th-century seaside puppet show through a modern prism involving domestic abuse, toxic masculinity, political corruption and minority persecution, this is a supremely clever way to do it. Writer/director Mirrah Foulkes excavates the true origins of the panto-style plot, taking what is well-known from perceived folklore and storytelling traditions - the creatively subdued Judy (a poignant Mia Wasikowska), a drunk Punch (Damon Herriman) constantly mislaying their baby, the sausage-stealing dog, the bumbling policeman - and expertly forms a fun, provocative and sometimes shocking spin on what made one of history's most famous double-acts tick. One moment the film is a beautifully rendered, light-hearted period drama, the next a darkly sinister brutal fable for our times. Meanwhile, Foulkes brilliantly pulls off the heady mix of disparate tones, both whimsical and harrowing, to forge easy engagement in a fiercely dynamic and emotionally epic female-driven revenge saga.