The Ballad of Wallis Island is a British comedy-drama about an eccentric lottery winner who invites his favourite musicians to perform at his island home so that he can relive his fantasies. Source: Australian Catholics.
The film is written by Tim Key and Tom Basden, who also star in the movie.
Herb McGwyer (Basden), and Nell Mortimer (Mulligan) are a folk duo who once had a romantic partnership. They are invited to play on the island and are genuinely surprised to find that they are performing for just one wealthy lottery winner – Charles Heath (Key).
Heath became a multimillionaire by winning a lottery twice. He lives in recluse on Wallis Island after the death of his wife five years earlier.
The film is spontaneously acted, well-scripted, and conveys folk tunes on a remote, picturesque island off the coast of Wales. The presence of Nell opens romantic memories for Herb and he finds himself attracted to her again.
The film is not really about Herb, Nell or Charles, however, but about people who have moved on in their lives and want to rediscover themselves. The soulful folk music in the film pleasantly reinforces the emotional plight of each of the key characters.
Basden plays a lovelorn soul well and Mulligan sings Nell with soul.
This is a comedy that begins slowly and picks up dramatic pace as it progresses. It downplays the complex emotions of the various couples, and leaves it to viewers to frame the end result.
Situational humour keeps the laughter going without too much pathos, and the film addresses the theme of “moving-on” as its main concern while keeping characters’ memories of their past behaviour intact.Â
Overall, this is an entertaining movie that slowly morphs into a film that astutely recognises the emotional significance of human love, loss and grief.
Review by Peter W Sheehan, Jesuit Media
The Ballad of Wallis Island: Starring Tom Basden, Tim Key and Carey Mulligan. Also, Akemnji Ndifornyen and Sian Clifford. Directed by James Griffiths. Rated PG (Mild coarse language and mental health themes). 100 min.
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The Ballad of Wallis Island (Australian Catholics)
