Puns, Fun, and a Concert for One

There is a very specific kind of UK comedy-drama that’s quietly funny, with well-developed characters but somewhat low stakes, and an accessible and (eventually) uplifting narrative that nonetheless feels very authentic. Waking Ned, Gregory’s Girl, The Full Monty, Billy Elliot, Educating Rita, Local Hero, Another Year, Philomena — you know exactly the type; they’re the definition of crowd-pleasers. The Ballad of Wallis Island is a very welcome addition to that niche subgenre of tiny comforting gems hailing from across the pond. It also gives lovable co-creator and co-star Tim Key one of his biggest spotlights, and boy, it’s well-deserved.

The Ballad of Wallis Island is based on a short film from nearly 20 years ago, by the same writers and stars here (Tom Basden and the aforementioned TIm Key). It has a pretty perfect premise — a lottery winner spends some of his riches to hire his favorite band for a private concert on his island, just for him; except, the two members of the band split up (and broke up) a decade or so prior and haven’t spoken since. The feature film fleshes this idea out and greatly improves upon it, giving it the room to truly earn its emotional moments, along with plenty of space for very funny improvisation. It also has the endlessly charming Carey Mulligan, making this a troika to remember.

Let Tim Key Unlock Your Funny Bone

The Ballad of Wallis Island

4
/5

Release Date

January 25, 2025

Runtime

99 minutes

Director

James Griffiths

Writers

Tim Key, Tom Basden

Pros & Cons

• Tim Key is a standout talent and utterly charming and funny.
• Carey Mulligan and Tom Basden are fascinating to watch together.
• Great music and scenery throughout in a thoroughly sweet, wholesome film.

As The Ballad of Wallis Island opens, we are arriving at the eponymous island at the same time as Herb McGwyer (Basden). Charles (Key) awaits him on the shore with a tiny white board welcoming him to Wallis Island. There’s no dock, so they awkwardly trudge through the water carrying luggage, a guitar case, and more cumbersome weight. It’s a disappointment of an introduction for both men, but Charles is practically indefatigable. The soaked clothes, bad weather, and discomfort of his guest barely penetrate his loquacious lifestyle. It’s like his “dad joke” setting has been turned up to 11.

Comedy is obviously subjective, so Charles may come across as an annoying character to some people. I found him to be utterly delightful and hilarious, and I could binge-watch a whole TV show with this character. Granted, I’m already familiar with the wonders of Tim Key, a frequent stalwart on British panel shows and radio, and a well-known poet. Hopefully an entire new audience will discover Key from this film and seek out his work, because he is one of the most watchable funnymen of the moment.

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Key’s motor-mouth comedy works so well in The Ballad of Wallis Island because it’s incongruous with the utter silence and softness of the film. There are only a handful of actors (something like six speaking roles), and most of the movie is quietly spent at Charles’ house or walking the wet trails of the isolated island. At its core, this is a film about two supremely lonely people (Herb and Charles) whose fixation on the past is preventing them from moving forward in their life. By connecting, they are able to eventually patch up the hole in each other’s soul despite Herb being disgruntled and Charles being annoying. It’s a beautiful sight to behold.

The Ballad of Carey Mulligan & Tom Basden

When we meet Herb McGwyer in the film, he’s a solo artist but is better known for his folk-pop career with Nell Mortimer as the band McGwyer Mortimer, but those days are behind him. When he accepts a ridiculous amount of money to sail off alone to Wallis Island, he doesn’t realize that the plan is to ultimately reunite him with Nell for one last performance — or is it one last performance? As anxious and distraught as Herb becomes, he’s also a bit excited amidst the trepidation. Herb and Nell were like peanut butter and jelly, Simon & Garfunkle, butts and thongs. They were great together, and maybe they will be again.

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That’s part of the tension in the film, but it’s never played up to melodramatic heights. The Ballad of Wallis Island is a comforting film, akin to what I’ve called a “chilm,” and its drama won’t raise your blood pressure by much. Nonetheless, there is a fascinating dynamic between Basden’s Herb and the radiant Carey Mulligan’s character, Nell Mortimer.

Nell has mostly moved on from fame, and she arrives at Wallis Island with her husband Michael (Akemnji Ndifornyen), an avid birder who is excited to spend some time scratching his ornithological itch and searching for birds on the island. The scenes between Herb and Nell are funny, sad, gripping, and musically rich, and there’s a kind of emotional ballet going on. It’s like one of them thinks they’re in a rom-com, and the other is living actual life.

A Sweet & Sincere Indie Movie

The Ballad of Wallis Island doesn’t pride itself on kitchen sink realism and emotional drama; Charles won the national lottery twice with the same numbers, after all. While real life is much more complicated than what we see on display here, The Ballad of Wallis Island is down to earth and authentic enough to not feel like escapist fluff. It is a crowd-pleaser that will turn on the waterworks for any dry eye remaining in the audience, but the film earns its deeply compassionate sweetness.

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The performances are wonderful throughout, especially Tim Key’s; just the thought of him may bring a smile to your face after you see this film. James Griffiths’ stripped-back direction is tethered to these great actors, and he gives them a lot of freedom while also beautifully capturing the peaceful but melancholic nature of the island. The music is emotionally stimulating and just very pretty and relaxing to watch. Is it a masterpiece? No, but who cares? It’s about as good as a little indie can be.

From Baby Cow Productions and BBC Studios, The Ballad of Wallis Island is in select theaters this Friday, March 28, and gradually expands to theaters everywhere by April 18, 2025, from Focus Features.

You can view the original article HERE.