'The Ballad of Wallis Island' Plays a Wonderfully Thoughtful Tune
What a special film. James Griffiths directs a screenplay co-written by Tim Key, the lead actor in the film, and co-star Tom Basden. The script is a great story about how we try to let go of the past yet can't. The Ballad of Wallis Island is a superb film that pokes at our emotions. It has us laughing and getting a lump in our throat all at the right times. The film asks why we have human connections. How does music help us grow? How do we make peace with each other? There's an emotional undercurrent that makes The Ballad of Wallis Island more than a movie featuring constant awkward interactions.
The story of TBWI is about a millionaire who miraculously won the lottery twice. The winner took his money to live alone on a remote island. Because he's on this island, there's hardly anyone to talk to. The only other people living on the island are Amanda (Sian Clifford) and her family. Amanda lives with her parents while she cares for her child on the island by running a convenience shop. If our protagonist, Charles Heath (Tim Key), is seemingly the only other person on the island, how does Amanda make enough, if any, money to run her shop? Plot hole aside, Amanda is a wonderful single mother who contains positive energy. Will she and Charles hook up? I won't spoil it, but I can say it leads to a beautiful place.
Since he has a lot of money, Charles can pay for whatever he wants. Thus, he brings two singers to the island to perform for an audience. Little do they know that the audience will consist of one person. Although the film's protagonist is Charles, the real pull of the movie is Herb McGwyer (Tom Basden). Herb is a famous musician who seems jaded. He performs solo, although he originally played with Nell Mortimer (Carey Mulligan).
When Herb arrives on the island, he falls off the boat and into the water, soaking his clothes. From the get-go, things are not to Herb's advantage. Charles is an obsessive fan of Herb. Being on an island with only one other person to talk to can make one a bit too excited to see other people. Charles gets on Herb's nerves. He never shuts up. Even worse, he's dishonest about who he'd be performing for. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Herb is offered a handsome amount of cash to do the gig.
Most people would take the money and happily do their job. Not Herb. Herb is an impatient, hostile anus. In Herb's defense, he's not entirely rude. How would you react if you fell out of a boat into the freezing water while fully dressed? Charles doesn't know when to leave anyone alone. When Herb is changing out of his wet clothes, Charles doesn't leave the room. He's clueless to subtlety. When someone says "shut the door," they intend for you to leave the room.
Unaware of what Charles has planned, Charles invites Herb's collaborator and former lover, Nell, to the island to play their old songs together. The two haven't spoken in years; now they're stuck on the island together. Nell is happy to take the money and do what's requested of her, while Herb is on the verge of leaving. Charles's invitation of Nell and her husband, Michael (Akemnji Ndifornyen), opens up a whole can of worms Herb didn't want to confront.
Herb is always frustrated, which makes him unpleasant to be around. Will he change? Can he? When confronted with his past, Herb feels hope, but will that hope last? The chemistry between Herb and Nell is palpable despite their opposite personalities. Nell is a free spirit who tries her best to bring joy to everyone. She's the antimatter to Herb's cynical attitude. Yet, through the healing power of music, they're once more brought together. Nell's husband, Michael (Akemnji Ndifornyen), is a polite, everyday guy who shares the same affection for people that Nell has. It's easy to see how they're a couple.
The film is about letting go of the past so we can enjoy the moment in front of us. Charles may be a lonely chatterbox, but he has a passion for life that Herb doesn't have anymore. Inviting Nell over helps heal some of those old wounds, only to have new ones form. Herb has tried to let go of his passion for Nell, but it can't go away. Their past was special. Through playing once more with Nell, Herb can start the process of healing.
The Ballad of Wallis Island is a resonant, serene picture whose cast doesn't go to waste. Everyone has a distinct personality that makes them more than just filler characters. In Herb's journey of recovery, he learns how to change. It doesn't come easy, but with enough fighting spirit, Herb can overcome the hurdles that made him want to quit. The movie ends on a sweet note that brings everything full circle. Through distinct characters and a gorgeous backdrop that photographs itself, The Ballad of Wallis Island is a thoughtful, minimalistic picture that tugged at my heartstrings in ways I didn't think it could.
I'm not a soft rock guy. I enjoy classical music with a splash of ACDC and The Doors with some Beastie Boys and Metallica. Soft rock was never my thing. Yet somehow, the soft rock in this movie soothed me. It made me finally understand why people love that musical genre so much. The solo strings of the acoustic guitar brought a sense of peace that I wasn't expecting. Hopefully, you'll feel the same way when you see the film for yourself. The Ballad of Wallis Island is one of the best pictures so far this year, that's worth revisiting if you ever need something to make you feel at peace for a couple of hours.
The Ballad of Wallis Island opened in New York/LA on March 28 and will open in Chicago on April 4.
