The Ballad of Wallis Island (2025)

James Griffiths's gentle comedy drama starring Tom Basden, Tim Key and Carey Mulligan immediately reminds you of the Coen's Inside Llewyn Davis. Which, considering that film is one of the best of twenty first century, instantly invites worry. But, fear not. Basden and Mulligan are -or were- the two halves of folk group McGwyer Mortimer, popular back in 2014 (and evidently previously romantically involved), but this was a decade or so ago, and neither have seen each other in the intervening years. This is where superfan Charles (Key) comes in. The film opens with Basden's Herb McGwyer arriving on a remote Welsh island where Charles lives on his own, having been paid a handsome sum of money by Charles to play an intimate acoustic gig on the beach, to "less than one hundred people". Herb takes the handsome sum offered to fund his new solo album, and arrives to find Charles and all his Alan Partridge-esk eccentricities (he's also Partridge's Sidekick Simon in the TV series) waiting for him- as well as the fact that the 'hotel' he was supposedly staying in is simply Charles's house. Although 'simply' perhaps isn't the word to use. Charles, or his house, or his life -are far from ordinary. He lost his wife five years ago, something which he's clearly never got over and he now lives a lonely existence despite the fact that he's won the lottery- twice- and has now spent his remaining money on getting Basden over to play what he thinks is a one man show. Of course it's not that simple; Charles has also paid Mulligan's Nell Mortimer (and her new husband) to come over as well, and play a set with Herb of their old classics, which Charles and his wife used to love so much. Naturally, Herb is unaware of this fact until both Nell and her husband turn up on the island. So the whole set up leaves us knowing more or less exactly how The Ballad of Wallis Island is going to play out. But Griffiths and his cast are more than up to the task of making how we get there not just charming and funny, but also hugely enjoyable and tear jerking when necessary. We've seen this film many times before, but perhaps not as exquisitely put together as Griffith's film. In fact, one of the touchpoints here is Bill Forsyth's 1983 masterpiece, Local Hero, and I make that comparison favourably. The music itself was written by Baden, and performed by both him and Mulligan giving The Ballad of Wallis Island an even more authentic feel. Key's Charles is the key to the film (pun intended), going from infuriating to loveable in the space of just a few seconds, and it feels like he might not ever have a more perfect role written for him. The film is about moving on, in all its different formats, and Griffiths has compiled a beautiful way of approaching it from two intertwining angles. It's not perfect- it's not an original concept in terms of genre or indeed the loose storyline, but the characters and screenplay are impossible not to warm to. The Ballad of Wallis Island might not be the finest non-rom-come ever made, but it's certainly one of the best of 2025. 8.0/10