The Ballad of Wallis Island
If it was just Tim Firth’s character, it would be Fast Show-esque or maybe even League of Gentleman. If it was just about the music or a superfan reunion gig or bands breaking up, then it would be a modern Almost Famous. Or it could have been focused on Tom Basden’s raking up memories and emotions from the past musical career and been a gloomier, grumpier film, like a sour High Fidelity. However, because of the mix of characters and the unexpected twists, it’s none of these things. What it truly is is uplifting, charming, chucklesome — you genuinely laugh throughout (and it produces wider whole audience laughing) with a gorgeous original soundtrack of the former folksy duo’s greatest hits. No wonder we clapped at the end!
A man who’s won the lottery twice summons dispersed band members McGwyer Mortimer to his island home for a private gig — for serious cash. Only it becomes more complicated, Charles (Tim Key) is a superfan of the former band, as was his late wife, Marie — and the gig is in tribute to her. Charles cannot stop talking, filling space with words or word play punning — much to Herb McGwyer (Tom Basden)’s growing irritation.
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With dodgy WIFI, no harbour, a pay phone requiring actual coins and the limited range of the local island shop, Tom battles and loses to the sea, fights to find rice to soak his phone in (which later gets boiled — and somehow the phone survives and works — extreme product placement!!!) and most of all his ego and his desire for starry prestige. Tom is the star, his writing, singing and former actual partner Nell Mortimer (Carey Mulligan) forgotten, retired and making chutney, until it turns out that Charles has invited her…and her husband, keen bird spotter Michael (Akemnji Ndifornyen) along too, to reunite the band! (Although Tom is the one Charles really wants to hear! and his people have made it so).
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When Michael goes off on a puffin spotting adventure for a few days, Tom and Nell start writing again, practising the songs and singing together, even releasing wish-filled lanterns after a day of beach cricket, bonfires and fun. It looks like we all know where this is going next. As Tom’s suppressed feelings and past memories are stirred up, he does too. But this isn’t a predictable movie — no-one behaves typically and this isn’t the Brit rom-com you think it’s going to be.
Nell loves her husband and is hormonally pregnant; she leaves, honouring herself and her husband. In her leaving, she also honours and respects Charles too. Tom then has a massive selfish strop, insulting his host Charles and stomping all over his wife’s memorial gig in a fit of pique, which is the film’s only weakness. Tom treats Charles appallingly badly and although he does eventually apologise through deeds and doing decent things, Charles’s reactions to Tom’s rejection and frankly obnoxious behaviour in his own home is really overlooked. Tom spends an awful lot of time behaving like a diva, huffing about, threatening to leave — and worst of all, having maligned his host verbally turns up again to drip all over the house and behave like a real user.
In all the huffing, leaving and returning, soul searching and lack of gratitude, Tom starts to see himself for who he is — and who he wants to be. Finally, he does something secretly kind and plays the gig he was being paid for. He also gives back the cash he was paid for the gig and a guitar with kindness, owning his non-starry name and abandoning his fake starry image. He also finally appreciates Charles and is thankful for Charles’s kindness, hosting and the island itself. Tom leaves happy!
Sweetly, there’s a romance brewing between Charles and the local shop-owner and lone parent Amanda (Sian Clifford). Challengers this is not — they bond together over the fun of a beachy gig, and tennis. Swing-ball fans, this is your moment!
Lots of emotions mixed in here — grief, loss, love, longing — and some neat asides about how the music industry (and indeed fans) treat and pay male vs female creatives. Whilst I feel like the film skirts around Charles’s reactions to Tom’s flouncing about and aggression, it’s full of real emotions, a loving husband who defends his wife and challenges Tom, and it will have you chuckling. Best of all, the one where Mulligan sings!
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