James Griffiths' The Ballad of Wallis Island

Each week, Drew creates a watchlist with film recommendations provided by you, the tnmn community.

Last week’s category: underdog movies. The results are posted to our website and Letterboxd account every week.

This week’s category: movies with great soundtracks. Reply to this email with your submission and why we should watch it. We’ll feature it in next week’s newsletter.

Note: If your submission doesn't comply with the category, I’ll get a vocal coach. Within a year, I’ll develop a profound singing voice. One that will propel me to superstardom overnight. Then, I’ll record a tasteful, sultry piano-jazz cover of “Scotty Doesn’t Know”. But instead of “Scotty”, I’ll use your name. And — just as the mid-2000s were for people named Scott — so will be the mid-2020s for you. People will think they’re being funny when they reference the song in conversations with you. Some will even sing it at you. So, ya know. Follow the category.

A spoiler-free description of the movie.

A lonely man living on a remote island attempts to get his favorite band to perform at his home.

If you like these things, then you’ll like the film.

→ Humor and heart. This movie is like, wickedly funny. Tim Key’s unusual cadence had me wondering why this is the first time I’m learning about him. But equally striking is the depth he brings to a character that could have been emotionally flat.

→ ZG energy. That is, Zach Galifianakis energy. Tim Key’s hysterical performance in the film is more than a knockoff — but it gives a touch of Alan from The Hangover.

→ Waves. There are a lot of drone shots looking down at ocean waves.

→ Folk music. It’s about a folk band and there’s lots of original music in the movie.

For a limited time, our friends at the EarBuds Podcast Collective will recommend a podcast to pair with our headlining film.

This week: The Way They Were. In episode 103, we learn about the Sonny and Cher split with a guest comedian, Dominick Pupa. Not unlike the headlining film, which centers its comedy around a famed musical couple.

— Arielle at EarBuds Podcast Collective

What I liked about it.

The art of the brick joke is alive and well in James Griffiths’ The Ballad of Wallis Island. I already knew what a brick joke was because I’m very smart. But I bet you don’t, so here:

Think of a comedian who throws a brick up into the air (the setup) at the beginning of a story. Then, towards the end of the story, the brick lands on someone’s head (the punchline).

You almost forgot about the brick — it felt like a throwaway detail. But the surprise of the brick returning brings you to the floor laughing.

This is something that The Ballad of Wallis Island does exceedingly well. No doubt, the product of a great marriage between Griffiths’ direction and the script, which was co-written by Tom Basden and Tim Key, each of whom star in the film.

The script itself plays a sort of tonal tag I’ve come to admire in my favorite comedies. At times, it almost feels like you’re watching two separate films.

Sometimes it’s a heartfelt drama — a story of love lost between two former folk music bandmates — grounded with a crunchy performance by the great Carey Mulligan.

Other times, it’s a whimsical comedy — a story of a strange loner awkwardly trying to get his favorite band to perform for him again — soaring with Tim Key’s comic charm and a disgruntled Tom Basden.

Tim Key is the comedic centerpiece of the film. He has this affable, earnest-but-inane way about him that’s almost reminiscent of Michael Scott — but on an island.

The magic of Griffiths’ direction is the way in which these two disparate tones come together in the end.

Tim Key pulls double-duty in his performance as Charles. He brings to life a heartbreaking character, and he makes much use out of the few moments in the film where his character isn’t babbling.

There’s real emotional depth here, and its understated delivery — the way characters grow and change without needing to talk you through it — it’s all the more powerful for it.

All things considered, The Ballad of Wallis Island is poised to become a comfort film to a lot of people, presuming it reaches enough of them streaming on Peacock.

Oh and also: I DID have to look up what a brick joke was. I lied to you because I really wanted to do my own brick joke in this column. I got you good, fucker!

Enjoy the film.

A fact or two about the production that makes you say “oh, neat”.

→ One of the film’s writers and stars, Tom Basden, wrote the songs you hear in the film. And the vocals you hear from the fictional folk duo, McGwyer Mortimer, are actually performed by Basden and his co-star, Carey Mulligan.

→ The songs were recorded in Marcus Mumford’s studio. Marcus is the lead singer behind Mumford and Sons. He’s also married to one of the film’s leads, Carey Mulligan. Basden even sent his demos of the film’s music to Mulligan and Mumford, both of whom he mentioned were incredibly supportive of his work.

→ The film’s soundtrack is a full-length album. All fifteen songs that made the soundtrack are McGwyer Mortimer songs. Each is intended to portray different parts of the fictional relationship between the folk duo.

One great line of dialogue from the film.