We all want to be known and connected. This world can be lonely, especially if you’re walking the path alone. It makes sense that we’d want to find someone to share our lives and journey. But for some, that can seem nearly impossible.

The new film Wicker, based on the short story from Ursula Willis, is about that search for connection and companionship. But it focuses on a woman who manages to find it in the most curious way. It’s a delightful, sometimes raunchy journey that is full of a lot of heart.

The film is set in a small village where the people are defined, quite literally, by the position they hold in the community. For some that is being known as a daughter or a wife. For others, it’s being know by their profession. That’s the case for the fisherwoman (Olivia Coleman), who lives on the outskirts of the village and is responsible for fishing.

Each day she grabs her catch and brings it into the village to sell or trade. She’s good at her trade, but it’s rough and odorous work. And that hasn’t gone unnoticed by people in the village, particularly the prim and proper doctor’s daughter (Elizabeth Debicki), who seems to hold sway over the people.

But at a wedding, when this village’s version of the bouquet toss is complete, it’s the Fisherwoman who is marked as the next to marry. But that seems impossible. So, she goes to the Basket Weaver (Peter Dinklage) for help. She asks him to make her a husband. So, he undertakes the task, requesting a month to do so.

In a month’s time, he provides his husband (Alexander Skarsgard), who is well apportioned and made of wicker. But he has the soul of a poet and the work ethic of a driven man. He is also deeply in love with the Fisherwoman, who for the first time doesn’t feel so alone. That, too, seems to trouble the doctor’s daughter, who begins a new campaign against a woman she sees as a rival.

This is a strange story, no doubt. A lot of the marketing campaign has centered on the apportionment of the wicker husband, and the way he satisfies his husbandly duties. That, of course, is a big portion of the film. But it’s not the most important or more memorable part of this story.

Ultimately, this is a story about identity, connection, and jealousy. We see Coleman give a beautiful performance as she takes the Fisherwoman through a range of emotions. She struggles with being alone, then finds her match in her wicker husband. But then she struggles with the idea of being enough and the fear of what it would mean to lose her new companion.

Others struggle with the idea of contentment in marriage. There is a greater discussion of partnership, work, and even motherhood. The film takes an interesting approach to these subjects, creating a rich and vibrant world. It’s also a unique story that goes in directions you don’t expect.

That’s a credit to Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson, who co-wrote and co-directed the script. They create a fascinating world and populate it with some interesting characters. There is a lot of humor here and that is certainly a good entry point to the world. But there’s also a lot of heart here and this becomes a deeply engaging and emotional journey.

I enjoyed Wicker, and I think those that go to see it will enjoy it, too. There are some good performances and a story that sticks with you and makes you think. It’s a fun film that outpaces the hook used to sell it.

Wicker opens nationwide on Friday, October 23.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.