Rent The Ballad of Wallis Island (2025)

Gentle and Enjoyable - The Ballad of Wallis Island review by CD

This is a very British comedy in a windswept and rocky coastal landscape. The comedy is very much driven by the lead character (Charles) and in the detail of the dialogue. There is a gentle but definite dig at the hubris of music celebrities and enough character-depth and a little sadness in the background to make this a deeper film than it appears at the start. The tennis match is a great bit of comedy and reminded me of the scene in "Les Vancances de Monsieur Hulot" by Jacques Tati. Highly recommended.

Filmed in South Wales, this is Excellent Character-based Tragi-Comic Drama at its Finest - The Ballad of Wallis Island review by PV

Based on a 2007 award-winning short film of the same name, also written by and starring longterm comedy collaborators Tom Basden and Tim Key, this is a lovely film which works because the characters are so strong and believable, even when the set-up, backstory and context are not. We let that slide via our willing suspension of disbelief.

The star here is Tim Key, who's well known from UK TV, Alan Partridge, Plebs and Detectorists etc; Tom Basden also well-known since Plebs and Peep Show where they both started after university where they were in a comedy act called COWARDS with 2 others. Key and Basden are from the same generation as Mitchell and Webb from Peep Show and emerged from stage, radio and TV comedy sketch shows too.

The Welsh-heritage director James Griffiths no doubt chose the South Wales locations in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire where this was filmed. He also directed the 2006 short film which has the same plot exactly. Just shows how long films take to get made/get funding - 20 years in this case. Maybe they could have done it sooner if they'd won the lottery eh?

Just roll with it, enjoy the story and characters - and the lines of the main Tm Key character are classic and believable, not cartoon character or caricature - this is a real man and we know blokes like this! The tall tale itself is unlikely, what with lottery wins and piles of cash BUT just go with the gentle character-based tale and this film will touch anyone who watches it.

Also, this film is VERY wise to just play snippets of the songs of the fictional pop/folk star. It is always a weakness in drama about fictional bands - the songs which were supposedly hits are always so lane. This gets away with it by just playing pretty bits of old songs, and folk-rock is hardly hit parade stuff either.

4.5 stars rounded up.

More films like this please - The Ballad of Wallis Island review by CH

Now here’s a British film that unexpectedly swept me right off my feet and such films are increasingly rare….but Ballad of Wallis Island is sweet and funny, it is clever and awkward, kind and poignant. It is all those things and more….an absolute gem of British film making. 

Don't go in expecting a hilarious Basden/Key comedy, be patient and you will like this.. - The Ballad of Wallis Island review by The REAL Film Cricket

The Ballard of Wallis Island would seem like a comedy film with the two of the main actors Basden and Key being well-known British comic actors, but to be fair what could be a silly played entirely for laughs story has more depth to it. The actors, who wrote the story based off an original short film and true-life experiences, have definitely dug deep below the surface of an eccentric, and for most of us unbelievable ‘gig’ for performers.

Here lies the problem with the film, anyone not knowing the background but seeing those two names in the making and acting of the story, alongside the always good Carey Mulligan, might think hilarious, silliness from start – especially if they do not read up or research the making of films, and many people do not, which is probably the best way to go into watching a film being honest.

The story starts with Charles, played by Tim Key, being a silly remarks, sort of daft bloke, and it reminded me of me! When I talk to people in shops or companies on the phone, I am often like that. The musician, played by Basden, was another version of me, less happy, wanting to know exactly what is happening all the time, not smiling or laughing much.

These two characters, the way they were introduced, due to this, made me laugh. I can imagine many others watching would not be so amusingly entertained. I can see why many would feel the start, the introduction was slow to get going. Particularly the large part of the story, the past and the present cannot always resolve or mix, took a while to get going.

The always good Carey Mulligan rocks up in the same manner, not quite knowing what is going on, with husband in tow, as Basden’s character’s ex-partner in the musical and romantic sense of the word.

This is the clash, the past, which was both good and stressful, being introduced to the present, similar but now, and trying to reproduce the good times. An interesting concept and the answer the film gives is correct I would say 90% of the time.

The outcome is actually realistic, fun, poignant and entertaining. I would say perhaps the tale did drag a bit slow at times, but the film was interesting, and a different watch to a lot of films. Almost something you might see in the fifties or sixties than you would now, which is no bad thing.

The acting as expected was good. Mulligan was utterly convincing in her role as was Sian Clifford as Amanda the only other female role, both seemed natural and much like people you might have met or know.

Akemnji Ndifornyen as Nell’s husband Michael was convincing too but I did feel he was introduced as the potential problem factor and then quickly and rather too conveniently shipped off out of the action so the tale could go in the direction it wanted. A tad obvious and very ‘film making’ in the process.

The two main actors, friends in real life and the writers, definitely had a chemistry and ease working with each other and were fun to watch. If I were to criticise any of the performance it would these roles, and particularly Tim Key, they were bit too caricature like, but being kind this was probably done on purpose to underline certain points and ideas.

Overall I would say The Ballard of Wallis Island is entertaining, fun and sad. Any points that were a problem for me – and when I say this I mean just for me, not everyone – was the reason for the ‘concert’ I worked it out in seconds, the convenient disappearance of the husband, and the tale definitely was padded out to make the film longer so it dragged a bit and at time my attention wandered, perhaps some other issues or paths could have been added.

The Ballard of Wallis Island is a good film, but it is definitely a ‘your taste’ tale, some won't like it. For me it just managed to tip over into the ‘like it’.