In the absolutely delightful The Ballad of Wallis Island, a serious musician discovers he’s giving a concert for one on a remote island–and his former partner and girlfriend will be there too. Funny, moving, and downright quaint in all the right ways, this composition will appeal to anyone who has a funny bone or a heart.
Tom Basden plays famous musician Herb McGwyer, who just wants to do a gig. But eccentric and lonely millionaire Charles Heath (Tim Key) has other ideas: as a superfan, he wants to chat with, hang with, and experience the duet he loves (the other half of the former duet being Nell Mulligan, played by Carey Mulligan).
Basden and Key make the perfect odd couple, the dour straight man from the city paired with the oddball from the country [island]. Both play their parts perfectly, with Key giving one of the most infectious performances of the year. Key plunges into his role as if he dropped his wedding ring in the deep end of the pool, relishing in a character with incredible positive intent but who exhibits it in the most awkward and annoying ways. He’s hilarious from the first minute, and yet his shtick never grows old as the movie pries deeper into his character. More on that in a minute. Basden plays off him well, his deadpan and confused demeanor elevating the ridiculousness of Key’s behavior.
What elevates The Ballad of Wallis Island is that, as funny as it is, it’s a drama at heart. It’s a movie about moving on and letting go, a theme that manifests in different ways through different characters. Charles is a man who has money but has lost his way after the death of his wife. Herb also has money, and a career, and fame, but has never recovered from his separation from Nell.
Director James Griffiths, working from a screenplay by Basden and Key, intertwines the comedy of drama into a perfect blend. The movie has superb tonal balance; it strums the heartswings while tickling the funny bone. So many drama-comedies swing from one tone to the other, but The Ballad of Wallis Island sings at a steady pitch.
Easily one of the funniest, entertaining, and pleasing movies of the year, The Ballad of Wallis Island is one of 2025’s hidden gems.
breakdown by Erik Samdahl. Erik is a marketing and technology executive by day, avid movie lover by night. He is a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society.
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