I’m petitioning for a new subgenre name: the melanchomedy.
One of my favorite genres, a comedy with a bit of a bittersweet flare, has a new entry with The Ballad of Wallis Island. The film begins with the arrival of Herb McGwyer (Tom Basden) to Wallis Island, where the eccentric millionaire Charles Heath (Tim Key) has paid him to perform in an intimate concert setting.
The problem for Herb is that Charles has failed to mention exactly how intimate this concert would be: there are no attendees but Charles himself. It’s a show all for him. There’s also no hotel on the island; it’s actually Charles’ home that Herb will be staying at.
This meeting between the two brings out the offbeat comedy as the awkward but well-meaning Charles makes these reveals to Herb’s chagrin.
There’s another problem, too: Charles has not told Herb that he has also invited Nell Mortimer (Carey Mulligan) to the island. Nell is Herb’s former musical partner and ex-girlfriend that he has been struggling to move on from for the past 10 years. Charles wants them to perform together again as McGwyer-Mortimer, their duo name. And complicating matters even further, her new husband is along as well.
It’s actually unclear how much Charles even likes McGwyer-Mortimer throughout the course of the movie. While he certainly seems to enjoy the music, he often mentions that they were the favorite musical duo of his late wife, and that is the real reason he has brought them out.
The British offbeat humor here accompanies a profound sadness of the two men struggling to move on without the women in their lives, a thread of connection between the otherwise unlikely pair. Charles’ antics often cause Herb to want to leave the island altogether, but something always brings Herb back. He’s stuck.
Tim Key is the standout in this, as he brings likability to Charles even as he is also constantly frustrating Herb. Nell alternatively seems unfazed by Charles’ peculiarity. Key’s comedic timing is spot-on and always leans into a gentle comedy that propels the movie along.
Tom Basden is great as well, and really makes you feel the turmoil within Herb that has been festering since his split with Nell. And Basden is a great singer-songwriter himself, lending his talents to his character. Carey Mulligan is terrific, of course, and is radiant in this supporting role. You can understand why Herb is so adrift without her.
Maybe the best thing to come of this movie is the fact that Basden and Mulligan didn’t just sing a bit of music when needed for the sake of the film: they recorded a whole album together just for the movie! If the song is named in the movie, you can listen to the whole thing.
If you’re looking for a simple, sweet, intimate comedy that stirs your emotions, The Ballad of Wallis Island is the way to go.
