#REVIEW: “THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND”

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

The Ballad of Wallis Island is a megaphone of warmth and heart right when the world needs it.

Charles (Tim Key) is an eccentric lottery winner who lives alone on a remote island in Wales and dreams of getting his favourite bands, McGwyer Mortimer, back together. His dream turns into a reality when the two bandmates and former lovers, Herb McGwyer (Tom Basden) and Nell Mortimer (Carey Mulligan), accept his invitation to play a private show at his home on Wallis Island. However, old tensions and ‘what-ifs’ resurface as Charles tries desperately to salvage his dream gig.

Director James Griffiths and Co-Screenwriters Basden and Key find a delicate balance between sentimentality and Comedy. This is a film touching upon lives lived and the pain of living future ones while having ample doses of wry British humour throughout. Thus, allowing audiences to lose themselves in the sweet pathos while laughing along the way.

Nostalgia infuses every frame of this tender film. Both Charles and Herb are yearning for their past lives. Charles wishes his wife, who was also a stan of McGwyer Mortimer, was still alive to see him get their favourite act back together. Herb wishes he made music that moved him like he used to before he intentionally ended the magic with Nell.

The one character who doesn’t yearn for the past is Nell. While Herb and Charles ache for their past, Nell looks toward her future. She now lives in the U.S., she’s married and expecting her first child. And unlike Herb, Nell is looking forward to performing their old songs one last time, especially for a massive fan like Charles. As always, Mulligan brightens up the screen. Her inherent charm, kindness and wit make Nell’s excitement infectious.

While the narrative is dramatic, the humour comes from the awkwardness of Charles and the reactions of the musicians toward him. From the beginning, it’s clear Charles is a man who is used to living a secluded life. He bombards Herb and Nell with many odd questions. The incomparable talent of Key allows even the most uncomfortable of statements and actions his character says and does — like owning a lock of Nell’s hair he bought online — to seem endearing.

Alas, this wouldn’t be a Musical Dramedy without the music. It’s got an amazing Soundtrack. Not only does Basden act and co-write this brilliant Film, but he also wrote and recorded each song heard within it. And this overachiever succeeds in each category.

Focus Features and Universal Pictures Canda release THE BALLAD ON WALLIS ISLAND on Friday, March 28, 2025.