Hyde Park Pick: The Ballad of Wallis Island

Adapted from the 2007 short film, The One and Only Herb McGwyer Plays Wallis Island, this charming new feature from director James Griffiths represents a collaboration between him and co-writers/actors Tim Key and Tom Basden who all worked together on the original short. 

The film follows eccentric lottery winner, Charles, who lives alone on a remote island with only the local shopkeeper, Amanda, for social engagement. With money and time to daydream, he decides to bring his favourite musicians, Mortimer-McGwyer, back together for one last magnificent gig.

Cash is the great lubricant which helps to bring the former bandmates and lovers together for one great comeback performance, but old tensions soon surface.

Wallis Island is the sort of indie that is too easy to overlook but an easy joy to spend time with. Gentle, funny but also beautifully sincere. This is largely down to the low key but thoughtfully crafted characters and the wonderful performers bringing them to life. The screen is mainly held by the small cast of Tim Key, Tom Basden and Carey Mulligan and there’s something deeply genuine in their interactions with one another. Where you’d fear that one player may outshine another, the well crafted script keeps balance, making it easy to care for everyone involved. And this is the kind of film where I really enjoy letting myself care.

The only downside is that we don’t get to spend more time with Amanda the shopkeeper, or more specifically Sian Clifford’s excellent realisation of this unusual, serious but sweet woman. This is in no way a snub to the film, more a wish for Sian Clifford to be in most things, more. 

The Ballad of Wallis Island is showing daily at HPPH from Fri 30 May. You can book tickets here.