Judy & Punch

In the lawless town of Seaside, a travelling puppet show draws crowds thanks to the skill of Judy, the puppeteer behind its success. Her husband Punch, once a celebrated performer, now spends more time in taverns with whisky than on stage, and claims the applause for himself. After a drinking episode ends in violence and the disappearance of their child, Judy is left for dead in the woods and taken in by the doctor Goodtime and a group of outcasts, who help her plan her revenge.

The film is a reworking of the traditional British puppet play, turning it into a story told from Judy's side and setting it in a seventeenth-century town of mud, mob rule and religious fear. Australian director Mirrah Foulkes wrote the screenplay and made her feature debut here; Michele Bennett, Nash Edgerton and Danny Gabai produced. Mia Wasikowska plays Judy and Damon Herriman plays Punch, with supporting turns from Benedict Hardie, Terry Norris, Don Bridges and Brenda Palmer among a credited cast of 38.

Judy & Punch was released in 2019 and runs 105 minutes. It sits somewhere between comedy, crime, drama and thriller. On IMDb it holds 6.1 out of 10 from around 3,200 votes, and on TMDB 6.1 out of 10 from 76 votes, while a critics' rating stands at 6.6 out of 10 from 138 reviews, a modest but consistent reception.