Movie Review: The Dressmaker (PG13)

Without Kate Winslet's on-screen presence, this small, quirky Australian film is unlikely to gain any traction.

But even though the Oscar winner and her va-va-voom curves are outstanding, they don't distract enough from how absurd, uneven and over-indulgent her new murder-mystery dramedy is.

Liam Hemsworth offers additional star power, but besides providing eye candy, his existence is redundant.

The story revolves around Winslet's Tilly, who as a child was wrongfully accused of murder and subsequently exiled from her rural Australian town.

Now a successful dressmaker specialising in haute couture gowns, she returns to exact revenge on those who framed her.

Her method is unorthodox - bribing the dowdy female townsfolk with her Dior-inspired gowns for secrets and info.

Rating: 2/5