'The Ballad of Wallis Island' Review: Relearning an old favorite never sounded so good
The latest from director James Griffith finds former lovers intersecting at the crossroads of an eccentric lottery winner's request and the result is a charming exercise in indie fare
Being a lifelong music fan, attending upwards of 60 concerts a year (though it’s been around 40-50 lately as I get older), I’m all too familiar with the inevitable connection between musician and fan. Art has the power to change opinions, open perspectives, and provide comfort in the darkest of times, but the connection between the creator and consumer needs a layer of mutual respect. Boundaries need to be in place to protect fans from being taken advantage of as well as keeping artists from the pressures of a parasocial relationship. The dynamics of that relationship finds itself on full display in James Griffiths’ The Ballad of Wallis Island (2025), where the line is crossed over and over and over again thanks to a wild set of circumstances.
The Ballad of Wallis Island premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, adapted from the director’s 2007 short film The One and Only Herb McGwyer Plays Wallis Island, and clearly understands the margin between musician and fan. While not up to the task of exploring it head-on as in Martin Scorsese’s The King of Comedy (1982), the deteriorating social contract between our protagonists helps to fuel its offbeat black comedy payoffs. Not only does the escalation in the first half help to decrease the tolerance threshold between them, but sets up the explosive emotional turmoil lingering under the surface. It’s a delicate balance that’s difficult to strike in a genre as overrun with competition as Sundance-friendly indie comedy, but The Ballad of Wallis Island always has its head and heart in the right place.
The film opens on folk musician Herb McGwyer (Tom Basden) venturing to Wallis Island, a remote location on a stretch of coastline in southwest Wales, for a private performance. For the small price of £500,000, you too can book one half of the former folk duo McGwyer Mortimer. Herb is thrilled for the opportunity to make a fortune for one night’s work, despite the person who hired him, Charles (Tim Key), making an awkward first impression. He’s an odd, well-meaning fan bursting at the seams with enthusiasm and a quick wit, but doesn’t have the greatest grasp on social cues. He lingers around too often in close proximity, cracks jokes at the worst possible moment, and is a perpetual hopeless romantic. After learning more about Charles’ background, Herb quickly realizes the private gig is for Charles only. As a two-time lottery winner (explained in a very funny backstory), Charles finds himself with a lot of money and the world at his disposal. Herb is understandably turned off by the proposal, but trudges forward with his eyes on the prize. However, Herb quickly finds out that the other half of McGwyer Mortimer, Nell (Carey Mulligan) was asked to join the concert without Charles’ knowledge. And she’s brought her American boyfriend, Michael (Akemnji Ndifornyen) with her too! How fun!
The Ballad of Wallis Island luxuriates in the awkward contractual obligation that sets Charles and Herb’s partnership into motion. The first third of the film establishes their clearly uncomfortable relationship, yet Charles’ clueless persistence isn’t rooted in exaggeration or cynicism. He’s just a sweet, misunderstood guy who's trying his best with the tools at his disposal, and Herb’s curmudgeonly demeanor at the forefront only makes their lack of chemistry all the more amusing. Initially, Herb is at a loss trying to understand Charles’ offbeat sentimentality, struggling with limited resources at his disposal when his clothes and phone get wet. Herb goes through the ordeal as if the Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-2024) theme is right around the corner.
While the film's formulaic beats feel lived in at times, The Ballad of Wallis Island's comic timing and kind heart allow this film to shine. It's the mixture of chemistry and simplicity that give The Ballad of Wallis Island its shape, especially when two major blow-ups threaten to stop the concert entirely. The comic mishaps are set up beautifully as screenwriters Key and Basden allow their real life relationship to influence their authentic on-screen chemistry. The same goes for Herb and Nell, who go through a lot of the same motions as other past couples forced to reunite, but Nell opens herself up to the possibility of Herb finding a new outlook. The opportunities they’re given to reconnect and explore their past help shine a light on their tumultuous past, as one of them clings for hope that they might have a future after all. The same can be said for Charles’ relationship with Herb, and how easily personality quirks are forgiven when you see the wistful, appreciative look in his eye as Herb plays a guitar. It’s a look that warms hearts, melts souls, and could bring a smile to the biggest curmudgeon.
B+
Feature image credit to Focus Features via Screen Rant
