Have you ever wondered about the old Punch and Judy puppet shows? Probably not, but still, the new film Judy and Punch hopes that you at least have pondered the time period that produced those violent puppet shows. For better or worse (in equal measure, frankly), the movie takes on the vibe of that sort of a show. The result is a flick that has manic moments of inspiration, needless violence, and a lack of a defining characteristic. In getting to the punch (no pun intended) at the admittedly well executed conclusion, too many odd paths are taking. It all just makes for a sometimes interesting mess that falls short of being recommendation worthy. The movie initially seems to be outlining how the Punch and Judy shows came to be, but it then takes a turn. At the start, we see Judy (Mia Wasikowska) and Punch (Damon Herriman) operating a puppet show in the small town of Seaside, boldly proclaimed as being nowhere near the sea. Their show is wildly popular for its anarchy and violence, due in large part to Judy’s abilities as a strong puppeteer, but Punch gets all of the credit, being more of a showman. They seem to have a loving relationship, but his alcoholism one day leads to a massive tragedy for the pair. The way he handles that, especially when she’s alerted to it, is where things take a complete new course. It’s better left to be seen, should you see it, but it’s eventually more of a revenge tale than anything else. Mirrah Foulkes writes and directs, with other cast members including Benedict Hardie, to name one. Stefan Duscio handles the cinematography, while the score is by François Tétaz. For the second time this week, a new film needlessly kills off a dog. That’s not why this one fails, but it’s indicative of the lack of consistency on display here. Sure, there’s a mix of comedy and horror in the central tragedy that spurs the second half revenge, but what follows is the slaughter of a minor canine character that serves no purpose. We learn that one of the characters is far eviler than expected, sure, but the prior scene had already established that. It’s a choice on the part of filmmaker Mirrah Foulkes that completely rubbed me the wrong way, making the rest of the flick an uphill battle. Judy and Punch […]