Reel Review and Interview: The Ballad of Wallis Island Is a Beautiful Comedy That Will Make Your Heart Sing
This movie is an absolute joy and tear-jerker from start to finish. This bittersweet comedy started out as a short film a decade and a half ago. With it's rave reviews from Sundance and SXSW, this story will for sure steal audience’s hearts. This film is a testament to the potential of a short film becoming so much more. Reel Talk’s Ally Bonsall attended the SXSW premiere of this heartwarming film and spoke with the wonderful cast and creators. Tom Basden, Tim Key, and James Griffiths dreamed up a beautiful story that dives into lost love, grief, ego, and being true to yourself.
The Ballad of Wallis Island follows Herb McGywer (Tom Basden), who reluctantly agrees to play a private concert on an eccentric millionaire’s secluded island. Thinking this concert will be a quick cash grab to release his solo album, Herb is less than pleased when he learns his old bandmate–and ex-lover– Nell Mortimer (Carey Mulligan) will also perform with him at this concert. Oh, and she’s bringing her husband. Talk about awkward.
Tim Key plays the lovable millionaire, Charles Heath, who is a diehard fan of McGywer and Mortimer. It turns out he and his late wife used to follow the band all over the world to see them perform. It’s even more gut-wrenching when you learn Nell was Charles’s late wife's favorite.
Can Herb and Nell put aside their differences for a loving fan? At a bird's eye view, this film seems like a typical “one that got away” romantic comedy, but there is so much more beneath the surface. The film serves as a homecoming for Herb, who seemingly has lost his way since the band broke up. Nell serves as a guiding light that helps him find his way home. This story makes you realize that there’s more to life than status, money, fame, or even anger. While Nell and Herb harbor some anger towards one another, they eventually realize that the time they spent together making music meant something to people, and for Charles, it meant everything.
Key’s portrayal of Charles is absolutely beautiful. Audiences start out seeing him as a sort of off-putting man who is a superfan of the band, but you learn that he’s truly a grieving spouse who wanted to celebrate the life of his late wife. His quirky yet endearing heart helps Nell and Herb remember the magic their music made for people.
Basden did an incredible job of making Herb a cynical, jaded performer who lost sight of his purpose. Throughout the film, I caught myself yelling at the screen, telling Herb to “Get over yourself, man!” It was great to watch the ice around his heart slowly melt as Charles and Nell led him back to his true calling: creating music that connects with people, not just music that sells. Don’t even get me started on how gorgeous Mulligan and Basden’s voices sounded together. I’ll be patiently waiting for a tour.
Mulligan’s portrayal of Nell perfectly captured a grounded woman who leads with kindness and grace, which is the opposite of Herb’s way of life. Her presence throughout the film helped shed light on the importance of compassion, but she also never shied away from giving a reality check every so often.
While this film has romance elements to it, I loved that it ultimately thrived off of genuine human connection and sincerity rather than romantic love. This is the kind of film that, as it ended, I felt a sense of faith had been restored in the human spirit. One could argue that music’s true purpose is to connect strangers and give hope that the world is a beautiful place.
Be sure to catch The Ballad of Wallis Island when it hits theaters April 11.
