In The Salt Path, a married couple go on a long trek, after losing their home, and discovering that one of them has a terminal illness. Source: Australian Catholics.
In trying to face their stress, the couple decide impulsively to walk the longest uninterrupted path in southwest England: from Minehead to Poole along the Devon, Cornwall and Dorset coast.
The film is based on the 2018 book written by Raynor Winn. Winn was also diagnosed with a life-threatening disease and he underwent the more 1000km walk along the South West Coast Path in England with his wife.
Both book and film depict the human capacity to endure.
Isaacs plays the husband, Moth, who is diagnosed with a rare progressive neurodegenerative disease.
As Moth’s wife, Ray, and Anderson delivers a multi-layered performance, but both she and Isaacs deliver an unstated account of their predicament.
Moth and Ray hang onto their sanity by a thread and jointly decide to face a walk that highlights the indignities of age, unpreparedness and homelessness. Their journey is dangerous, and challenging. However, their love for each other is inspiring, and the film captures their mutual love and commitment well.
The film has excellent cinematography of the English countryside and seascapes. Its structure pushes the viewer to look simultaneously at “survival” as well as the “triumph” of what a loving couple hope to achieve.
The Salt Path lingers in memory as an impressive “nature” film with excellent cinematography and a movingly inspirational tone.
Review by Fr Peter Malone MSC, Jesuit Media
The Salt Path: Starring Jason Isaacs, Gillian Anderson, James Lance and Lloyd Hutchinson. Directed by Marianne Elliott. Rated M (Mature themes and coarse language). 115 min.
FULL REVIEW
The Salt Path (Australian Catholics)
