The Ballad of Wallis Island (12A)

Moderate bad language

A bittersweet, folk-tinged tale of missed connections, old wounds and the odd note of hope.

Tim Key plays Charles, a socially awkward lottery winner living in self-imposed exile on a remote island, nursing old wounds with vinyl records and wistful memories. His solace comes in the form of a long-disbanded folk duo, Herb (Tom Basden) and Nell (Carey Mulligan), whose music once scored his happiest days. With a suitcase full of cash, he hatches a quietly madcap plan: reunite them for a private concert, each under the impression the other won't be there.

Writers and co-stars Key and Basden strike a fine balance between heartfelt emotion and well-timed comedy. As the embittered Herb, Basden gives a wonderfully weary performance opposite Mulligan’s Nell, whose arrival complicates everything. Their shared songs, written by Basden, carry the ache of things left unsaid, while Charles’ well-meaning manipulation adds a touch of chaos.

Director James Griffiths allows these odd dynamics to unfold with warmth and restraint, finding emotional depth beneath the film’s charming eccentricities. Gently funny, wistful and often unexpectedly wise, it’s a clear message that not all love stories are about staying together. Some are about letting go with grace.