Erbak Movie Reviews: The Dressmaker (2015)
This week at Erbak Movie Reviews, we are delighted to spotlight a powerful female lead. The Dressmaker proves that you don’t need superhuman abilities to stand up against injustice — sometimes courage, determination, and a sewing machine are more than enough.
Myrtle “Tilly” Dunnage returns to the small town where she was born and raised. As a young girl, she had been exiled after being suspected of murder — a mysterious incident that was never truly clarified and haunted her for years. Now, she gathers every ounce of courage she has to uncover the truth and reunite with her mother, Molly. She doesn’t expect a warm welcome, but this time she comes armed with her finest weapons: vibrant fabrics, stunning dresses, and most importantly, her sewing machine.
Over the years, Tilly has blossomed into a strikingly beautiful and extraordinary woman. Part of her allure comes from the exquisite outfits she designs and wears. Having worked in France alongside the greatest fashion designers, she learned the value of clothing that highlights a woman’s beauty. Creating magic with her sewing machine is her greatest strength. The town may despise her, but they cannot ignore her artistry.
And indeed, they don’t. While caring for her ill mother, Tilly brings color back to the fading town with her dazzling creations. The very people who once refused to stand next to her suddenly fall under the spell of her bold, vibrant dresses. Of course, some still believe she is too daring — many think she should return to “where she came from,” a place they equate with hell. But Tilly has already endured her own hell for years as the accused culprit of a crime she cannot even remember. She is no longer a frightened child, and she will not let anyone imprison her in that darkness again.
All she ever wanted was acceptance. A chance to be happy. An opportunity to leave the past behind and turn a new page. Her growing affection for Teddy, the charming young man of the town, softens her burden. Her resentment may not have vanished, but she tries to push it down — if only the townspeople would embrace her. Sadly, they never do.
Everything Tilly has suffered, both in the past and present, reveals one truth: in this town, justice will never be served. The heartbreaking loss of her mother and Teddy finally opens her eyes completely. The only people who ever believed in her are gone. With no one left to fight for and nothing left tying her to this place, she realizes she has no reason to stay.
And so, she decides to burn the bridges — literally and figuratively.
The courageous woman who had once been condemned to hell chooses to let the people of Dungatar taste a spark of her own fire. She leaves behind a town engulfed in flames, and with it, the guilt she carried for years turns to ash. Myrtle “Tilly” Dunnage walks away without looking back, reclaiming her freedom and her power.
As a little girl, she was accused and exiled. As a grown woman, she was shamed and rejected. Yet none of this stopped her — because she came into this world to be brave.
Enjoy the film.
