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Time Out
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
The Ballad of Wallis Island
There've been a host of great rom-coms down the years, but good comedies about heartbreak are altogether thinner on the ground. Their ingredients – big laughs and quiet grief – are a tough mix, but when they land, like La La Land, they tend to linger. Welcome, then, to La La Island. Writer-actors Tim Key and Tom Basden's three-hander, set on a remote British isle, have delivered a rare blend of unkempt charm, emotional precision and soulful folk music with this feature-length expansion of their own 2007 short, The One and Only Herb McGwyer Plays Wallis Island. Key, best known on screen as Alan Partridge 's befuddled Sidekick Simon and as an award-winning stand-up off it, plays Charles, a jovial but lonely lottery winner who has retreated to this remote idyll to mourn his wife and wear out the LPs of his favourite folk duo, McGwyer Mortimer. Once the 'it' couple on the folk music scene, Herb McGwyer (Basden) and Nell Mortimer (Carey Mulligan) have long since split up – romantically and musically – but for Charles, their music is both the sound of happier times and the perfect articulation of his sadness. It's Indecent Proposal, only with more knitwear and plaintive strumming In the manner of Robert Redford in Indecent Proposal, only with a lot more knitwear and plaintive strumming, he's offered them a suitcase of cash in return for a reunion gig on his island. Only, he sold it to them both as a solo gig. It's a funny, smart premise that pays off in myriad ways. Director James Griffiths, who oversaw the original short, draws perfectly pitched turns from the small cast. Basden is suitably salty as the lovelorn, rumpled and initially conceited Herb, who discovers the deception first and initially recoils in the face of Charles's boundary issues and stream of tactless jokes. 'A cool half million should keep you in guitar strings, you bloody mercenary,' Charles tells him, jabbing him right where it hurts. There's something here in the relationship between art and money – how stacks of cash will test even the most robust principles – but the story really comes alive when Mulligan's Nell arrives with her amiable American husband (Akemnji Ndifornyen) in tow and forces Herb to finally face his past. Anyone who's held a candle to a past love when they've long since moved on will pour one out for the salty singer-songwriter, who deals with his heartache in all the worst ways. In folk terms, he's Dylan, she's Baez and they're well into their toxic, post-Newport phase. The songs, written by Basden, give a wistful voice to a love that once burnt brightly. There's a whimsical romantic subplot involving Sian Clifford's local shopkeeper that sugars some of the tougher truths here. But this musical comedy really sings when it's exploring the vagaries of the human heart.
CBC
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Tim Key says Carey Mulligan was the key to unlocking The Ballad of Wallis Island as a feature film
Back in 2007, while writing comedy sketches together, Tim Key and Tom Basden came up with an idea for a short film, The One and Only Herb McGwyer Plays Wallis Island. It follows a lottery winner named Charles who hires a jaded folk singer, Herb McGwyer, to perform for him on his private island. Now, 18 years later, that short has been adapted into a feature film, The Ballad of Wallis Island, starring Key, Basden and Carey Mulligan. In an interview with Q 's Tom Power, Key says he and Basden never planned to turn their "small idea" into a full-length movie, but they couldn't stop thinking about it. "Ultimately, I think, we just needed one final piece in the jigsaw which unlocked it as a feature film," Key says. "I guess that was when we came up with the idea of the folk musician in the story was part of a folk duo that no longer played together — and it was his girlfriend." WATCH | Official trailer for The Ballad of Wallis Island: Expanding on their original premise, Key and Basden created a new character named Nell Mortimer, played by Mulligan. The Ballad of Wallis Island sees Charles using his money to reunite his favourite group of all time, the folk rock duo McGwyer Mortimer, who've been acrimoniously separated for years. Key says Mulligan was at the top of their list to play Nell. "We wanted her because she's just an incredibly nice presence on screen and very human. In a film where other people are having a lot of problems, she's playing quite a together person, but a very kind of compassionate person. I mean, she just put so much of Carey Mulligan into the way she played it." While Key had never met Mulligan, he did have her email address from an unrelated project. She replied immediately saying that she'd love to read the script. "We just got lucky that she knew who we were," he says. "She'd watched stuff and listened to stuff that me and Tom had done for, like, a decade, but you just don't know that until you reach out to someone. And we may have reached out to someone different, or Carey may not have had any idea who we were, in which case you don't get that person to be in your movie. But I think, so luckily, we were pushing against one of the doors which was slightly ajar." The Ballad of Wallis Island hits theatres across Canada on April 11.
Boston Globe
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
‘The Ballad of Wallis Island' is a pitch-perfect ode to the power of song
Advertisement Herb McGwyer is no longer the one and only musician invited to play Wallis Island. In this iteration, he's part of McGwyer Mortimer, a since-disbanded duo that featured songwriting partner and Herb's former flame, Nell Mortimer (Carey Mulligan). Details of their breakup are slowly revealed as the film progresses. However, we assume that there must be some acrimony involved since Charles purposely neglects to mention to Herb that he'll be sharing the gig with Nell. Charles also conveniently forgets to tell either party that this concert is for an audience of one. Considering the amount of money they're getting (500,000 pounds for Herb, 300,000 pounds for Nell — all from Charles's lottery winnings), McGwyer Mortimer should play Advertisement The venue itself is far from convenient. Located off the coast of Wales, Wallis Island is one of those places you can only get to by boat — and that boat runs whenever its captain feels like driving it. Which isn't often, of course. The island doesn't even a proper dock, as Herb discovers when he and his guitar fall overboard into the stormy seas upon arrival. From left: Tom Basden, Carey Mulligan, and Tim Key as Charles in "The Ballad of Wallis Island." Focus Features Wireless service is scarce, leading to some funny moments involving a cellphone outside the grocery store run by Amanda (Sian Clifford), a local who's sweet on Charles. She doesn't understand some of Herb's requests for items like peanut-butter cups, though she dutifully puts in inventory orders with the mainland when he asks. Herb is distant and grumpy, a cynical yin to Charles's perky and optimistic yang. Charles is always smiling, trying his best to be polite and laughing at his own social gaffes. Herb finds his quirkiness annoying and is less than pleased to discover that the 'five-star hotel' on the island is really Charles's large but humble house. Nell is far less critical when she arrives on her boat with her husband, Michael (Akemnji Ndifornyen). She takes a shine to Charles more easily, perhaps because Michael is equally weird and goofy. Nell also knew she'd be sharing the gig, something she's willing to do despite retiring from the music business. Once all the parties have gathered, songs are sung and old wounds are reopened. Mulligan and Basden have chemistry both as musicians and as ex-lovers, so they play the dramatic and musical scenes beautifully. The requisite misunderstanding that occurs at the end of the second act is handled in an unexpected manner by both actors, which adds to the joy of watching this film. Advertisement So why is Charles going through all this trouble to reunite his favorite band on a nearly deserted island? The simple answer is nostalgia. Charles saw McGwyer Mortimer several times in concert, and their breakup pained him for what appears to be selfish reasons. Since he has the money, he can get one more show all to himself. The songs (written by Basden) are very good, which makes this a credible idea. Thankfully, 'The Ballad of Wallis Island' is more complicated than we think. Through this crazy setup, Charles thinks he can recreate the feeling he once had while sharing those concerts with his now deceased wife. This bittersweet notion is something we can all relate to, especially when it comes to music. Think about the first song you associate with your significant other, and how that thought makes you light up. Key is so good at conveying these feelings that you can forgive the movie almost anything. Just watch him at any given moment when someone is singing. There's one shot in this film where Key's face conveys so much emotional information that my eyes filled with tears. I had no idea where his memories were taking him, but I knew where mine were going. 'The Ballad of Wallis Island' is full of gentle, heart-tugging moments like that, but it's also very, very funny. The laughs come not from complicated setups but from simple human observations. These are lovely people, flaws and all, and we like them and their passions. By the time the excellent title song plays over the end credits, we've become good friends with the denizens of Wallis Island, temporary and permanent. This is a movie about a relationship that deserves to be nurtured and cherished. The most wonderful feature of 'The Ballad of Wallis Island' is that it's not the relationship you're expecting. Advertisement ★★★½ THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND Directed by James Griffiths. Written by Tom Basden, Tim Key. Starring Tom Basden, Tim Key, Carey Mulligan, Sian Clifford, Akemnji Ndifornyen. At AMC Boston Common, Landmark Kendall Square, Coolidge Corner, suburbs. 100 minutes. PG-13 (profanity) Odie Henderson is the Boston Globe's film critic.
Arab Times
29-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab Times
'The Ballad of Wallis Island,' is the loveliest movie of the year
LOS ANGELES, March 29, (AP): It's never a bad time for a film like "The Ballad of Wallis Island,' but at the moment it feels like a much-needed balm. Modest in scope and made with the lightest of touch, not unlike the lovely folk songs that populate its soundtrack, it's also deceptively powerful: A gentle ode to moving on, in quirky packaging. This is a movie about a kind, chatty man named Charles (Tim Key) who invites his favorite folk band to play a concert on the remote island where he lives alone in a massive old home. Charles is a semi-recluse only by circumstance: He's holed himself up in this home full of eccentric acquisitions over the years after a lucky lottery win (there's another punchline there, but I won't spoil it). Wallis Island, though beautiful and serene, with white cliffs and rocky shores (it was shot in Wales), is not the kind of place where there's a lot of socializing, but there is quite a bit of time for reflection, hobbies, and, probably, talking to oneself at length. And Charles's greatest passion is McGwyer Mortimer (Tom Basden and Carey Mulligan ), a once popular folk group who have not been together, professionally or romantically, for almost a decade. That this is to be a reunion is terrible news for Herb McGwyer (Basden), who has made a name for himself as a solo artist and who arrives first, already aggrieved about the decisions that have led him here. All he seems to know is that it's a small gig that will get him a cool half million pounds, which will effectively finance his next album. Everything else about this journey to Wallis Island comes as an unwelcome surprise, starting with the fact that there's no dock, no car, no hotel and he's stuck as Charles' houseguest. The owner of the small general store (Sian Clifford, always a welcome presence) does not even carry rice, which Herb needs to dry out his water-damaged phone. That's a special order. And then Nell Mortimer (Mulligan) arrives, new husband, Michael (Akemnji Ndifornyen) in tow. Herb, faced now with his ex, has no phone and no escape plan: The one man who ferries people to and from the main island doesn't even keep a reliable schedule (the boat times are listed with a disclaimer: "sometimes'). Nell, meanwhile, is ready to perform with her old beau. She needs the money, but has also moved on with her life - making chutney in the Pacific Northwest, and seems to be in a good place. Herb remains the put-upon artist, a ball of childish anxiety and ego who has since sold out and seems to regret how things transpired with Nell so many years ago. And then there's Charles who is simply elated to be in the presence of these two. It's a fun group of somewhat conflicting interests to mash together. Once the bickering subsides, Nell and Herb will get to reconnect over their shared music, though someone will of course take the wrong message from it. And it's all a delight to watch: Mulligan and Basden are sublime together, naturally exuding the awkward chemistry of artist exes, with Key as the adorable comedic foil. Basden and Key actually co-wrote the script, based on a short film they and director James Griffiths made 18 years ago. It's still early days for 2025 movie releases, and far too soon to be making any reasonable declarations about how something is going to stack up with the rest of them by December. But this is a special one for any year. "The Ballad of Wallis Island' is the kind movie that makes it all look so easy - filmmaking, performance, mood, chemistry. It's not going to dominate any cultural conversations, and probably won't go the awards route, but it'll touch your soul if you let it. Like "Juliet, Naked' from several years ago, a kind of spiritual and tonal sibling, it's an easy one to recommend to just about anyone.
Gulf Today
29-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
‘The Ballad of Wallis Island' is the loveliest movie of the year
It's never a bad time for a film like 'The Ballad of Wallis Island,' but at the moment it feels like a much-needed balm. Modest in scope and made with the lightest of touch, not unlike the lovely folk songs that populate its soundtrack, it's also deceptively powerful: A gentle ode to moving on, in quirky packaging. This is a movie about a kind, chatty man named Charles (Tim Key) who invites his favourite folk band to play a concert on the remote island where he lives alone in a massive old home. Charles is a semi-recluse only by circumstance: He's holed himself up in this home full of eccentric acquisitions over the years after a lucky lottery win (there's another punchline there, but I won't spoil it). Wallis Island, though beautiful and serene, with white cliffs and rocky shores (it was shot in Wales), is not the kind of place where there's a lot of socializing, but there is quite a bit of time for reflection, hobbies and, probably, talking to oneself at length. And Charles's greatest passion is McGwyer Mortimer (Tom Basden and Carey Mulligan ), a once popular folk group who have not been together, professionally or romantically, for almost a decade. That this is to be a reunion is terrible news for Herb McGwyer (Basden), who has made a name for himself as a solo artist and who arrives first, already aggrieved about the decisions that have led him here. All he seems to know is that it's a small gig that will get him a cool half million pounds, which will effectively finance his next album. Everything else about this journey to Wallis Island comes as an unwelcome surprise, starting with the fact that there's no dock, no car, no hotel and he's stuck as Charles' houseguest. The owner of the small general store (Sian Clifford, always a welcome presence) does not even carry rice, which Herb needs to dry out his water damaged phone. That's a special order. And then Nell Mortimer (Mulligan) arrives, new husband, Michael (Akemnji Ndifornyen) in tow. Herb, faced now with his ex, has no phone and no escape plan: The one man who ferries people to and from the main island doesn't even keep a reliable schedule (the boat times are listed with a disclaimer: 'sometimes'). Nell, meanwhile, is ready to perform with her old beau. She needs the money, but has also moved on with her life - making chutney in the Pacific Northwest, and seems to be in a good place. Herb remains the put-upon artist, a ball of childish anxiety and ego who has since sold out and seems to regret how things transpired with Nell so many years ago. And then there's Charles who is simply elated to be in the presence of these two. It's a fun group of somewhat conflicting interests to mash together. Once the bickering subsides, Nell and Herb will get to reconnect over their shared music, though someone will of course take the wrong message from it. And it's all a delight to watch: Mulligan and Basden are sublime together, naturally exuding the awkward chemistry of artist exes, with Key as the adorable comedic foil. Basden and Key actually co-wrote the script, based on a short film they and director James Griffiths made 18 years ago. It's still early days for 2025 movie releases, and far too soon to be making any reasonable declarations about how something is going to stack up with the rest of them by December. But this is a special one for any year. 'The Ballad of Wallis Island' is the kind movie that makes it all look so easy - filmmaking, performance, mood, chemistry. It's not going to dominate any cultural conversations, and probably won't go the awards route, but it'll touch your soul if you let it. Like 'Juliet, Naked' from several years ago, a kind of spiritual and tonal sibling, it's an easy one to recommend to just about anyone. Associated Press
