The film follows Charles, an eccentric lottery winner who lives alone on a remote island and dreams of getting his favorite musicians, McGwyer Mortimer, back together.
Connecting with the music of our past is more about just nostalgia. There’s a presence to it, almost acting like a holy window into a state of mind accessible through chord progressions and hummed lyrics. “The Ballad of Wallis Island” hinges on that waning desire to retrieve that former life through its musical and cinematic performances. These performances ring clearly from beginning to end, and rather than pander to us, it delicately picks out the ethos it’s looking for. “Ballad” is at times charming and hilarious, lots of bumbling gags, but often sweet without being saccharine. “The Ballad of Wallis Island” plays itself seriously enough to feel cozy without being pedantic.
The movie follows Tom Basden, who plays Herb McGwyer, a rock star returned to a solitary island to play a single show for a single man from his days as a creative duo. Despite the island’s shortcomings, Charles Heath, the aforementioned man with hidden displays of wealth, brings along the other half of this duo: McGwyer’s ex-bandmate and ex-lover Nell Mortimer (Carey Mulligan). The three of them, along with Nell’s current husband Michael, navigate the glory days of their musical intrigue at the behest of their patron, all of them recapturing some form of glory or joy from a different era.
Initially, the concept started as a short film roughly eighteen years ago with Basden and Key playing out their strained relationship with comedic aplomb. The cheery awkwardness of Key’s performance as the wealthy benefactor to this group adds levity to plenty of scenes that might play as overly dramatic if left untouched. Basden’s rock star persona plays as more than just entitled and adds elements of likability, despite his constant whinging. Both men welcome Carey Mulligan into the fold with such deftness, its hard to imagine a script without her or her character. The lightness she brings into the room balances Key’s gleeful mishaps against Basden’s stone-faced outrage. Together, the three of them exist on a finely balanced spectrum.
“The Ballad of Wallis Island” knows its strengths and plays to them accordingly. The island’s remote location affords delightful rustic views contrasted against the worldviews of the two musicians. Those sharp cliffs and stone beaches make great backdrops to finish emotional realizations subtly. Small growth beats develop organically against light-absorbing stone. The whole thing feels like a texture as much in its location as its music.
The whole movie centers around this musical duo, exes though they be. It heavily leans on the silent chemistry between Basden and Mulligan, played out over minor musical songs or moments. It sort of rings true for folks. By the end, the film maintains its steadfast approach to grounded drama and never tries to escalate into too dramatic territory. It never gets overly sentimental or soap-opera-y. Instead, it strikes a beautiful chord by reminding us what a good state of mind is: a feeling encompassed by texture, laughter, context, and mood. It’s perfectly evocative.
Now playing in Select Theaters and opening nationwide Friday, April 18th
