IN FABRIC

UK, 2018, 118 minutes, Colour.

Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Leo Bill, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Julian Barratt, Steve Oram, Jaygann Ayeh, Fatma Mohamed, Hayley Squires, Deborah Griffin, Richard Bremer, Gwendolyn Christie. Barry Adamson.

Directed by Peter Strickland.

Audiences familiar with the name of the writer and director Peter Strickland will know what to expect in content and style. He has made a number of short films but made an impact with his feature in 2009, Katalyn Varga, story of revenge. His other films include the Beerberian Sound Studios, The Duke of Burgundy, Flux Gourmet.

Words used by critics, fans, non-fans include exotic, erotic, esoteric, weird – and one expressing frustration by using the word “bonkers”.

Strickland, like Peter Greenaway and directors who are interested in how the film looks and sounds as well as its content, blends realism and fantasy, dreams and hallucinations. At the centre of this film, the fabric is a red dress and its effect on the characters, leading to their destruction.

The main settings for this film, however, are more realistic, ordinary British homes, workplaces like the bank or mechanical repairs, crowds invading stores for shop sales yet also more exclusive departments, restaurants and clubs… The settings do give some kind of anchor for the plot and the behaviour of the characters.

Two thirds of the way through the film, the first story comes to an end and a new story begins, quite different characters and way of life, yet the red dress pervading the story, and some of the characters, especially the managers of the bank and the staff at the exclusive department reappear.

The strength of the first part is in the presence and performance by Marianne Jean-Baptiste (with memories of her breakthrough and impact in Mike Leigh’s Secrets and Lies 20 years or more earlier). She works at a bank, is interested in dating services, buys the red dress for a date, has difficulties with her son at home and the constant presence of his girlfriend whom Sheila dislikes. There are various episodes with the dress, its seeming destruction, its not being destroyed, its pervasive influence, ultimately destructive.

The second story is not so interesting, the characters and their plot not as commanding as was the first story. This is the story of Reg, Leo Bill, 17 years engaged, henpecked by his demanding fiancee, Babs, Hayley Squires, and more encounters with the red dress.

Strickland uses many of the same cast in his films including Gwendolyn Christie, Fatma Mohamed, Richard Bremer who appeared in Flux Gourmet, Sidse Babett Knudsen from The Duke of Burgundy. Fatma Mohammed has appeared in most of Strickland’s films.

1. The films of Peter Strickland? Esoteric, exotic, weird? Arthouse style?
2. The British settings, ordinary homes, workplaces, banks and offices, shops and specialist departments, the rush for the shop sales, restaurants, working men’s clubs, repairs? The musical score?
3. The structure of the film, the focus on Sheila and her story, family, the red dress, dating, consequences? The shift to the story of Reg? The change in tone? The first part and characters being more compelling than the second? The culmination in the dressmaking levels of hell?
4. The importance of the red dress, the vivid red, in the shop, Sheila’s choice, Miss Luckmoore and her comments? Sheila wearing the dress to the date, the rash on her chest? Washing, the explosion of the washing machine? Yet the red dress intact? Always reappearing? Gwen and the red dress? Sheila wanting to take it back and the reaction? The walk in the countryside, the dog attacking the red dress, not in tatters? Sheila, driving, the dress, the character on the road, the crash, Sheila crawling out?
5. The shop, Miss Luckmoore and the rest of the staff, stylised manner, black dresses, the shop department, exclusive, the customers? Going into the shelf and descending, the women and the shop mannequin, the hair and the blood, Mr Lundy, managing the store, voyeurism and consequences? Sheila attempting to return the dress? The other customers, Babs and her going to the store, the dress, the interactions with Miss Luckmoore? The customers and the fight, the consequences? The role of the dress?
6. Sheila, separation from her husband, Vince at home, his attitudes, sketching Gwen, Gwen taking over the house, winning at the game, the clashes between Sheila and Gwen? Vince and the bewilderment about his mother?
7. At the bank, Sheila and her job, the interviews with Clive and Stash? Their prissy manner, questions, threats, gossip about Sheila and the toilet…? The reappearance, the interview with Reg, issues of a loan, his work, getting the description of how to mend the washing machine?
8. Sheila, dating, the advertisements, the red dress, the restaurant, Adonis and his lack of interest? The meeting with Zach, dancing, friendly, the night with him, his bewilderment about the dress?
9. The introduction to Reg, the sudden transition from Sheila, the stag party, marriage after 17 years, the dress, his wearing it, the drinking, the rowdiness, the aftermath, the rash on his chest, washing the dress, Babs and her reaction? Reg and his work, washing machines? Observed by his boss – and the visits, his boss just looking at him and not speaking? Region the interview with the two at the bank, the loan, describing how to fix the machine? Henpecked by Babs? Sitting at the television, the commercial about the sales, the red dress?
10. Babs, 17 years, her father, continually talking, demanding? At the shop, clash with Miss Luckmoore, the dress, trying it on? The rash?
11. The mayhem in the shop, the customers, their fighting, crashing and smashing?
12. And the transition to the levels of hell, Sheila, Reg, at their machines, the red dress, going lower and tables vacant for future characters coming to hell?