Note – I orginally wrote this blog after seeing the film not long after release, the promptly forgot about it, so here it is now
Breakups are tough. This is, of course, not a groundbreaking statement, if anything it’s one of the most common experiences humans go through alongside the more well know death and taxes. But what happens if you refuse to let it pass and keep wishing for your past past? When will you let the past go.
The Film centres itself around folk musician Herb McGwyer, somewhat of a has-been after the breakup with his performing and life partner Nell Mortimer. Accepts an invite to perform at Willes Island for a princely fee – which he needs to get his next record off the ground – only to find the performing for and staying with superfan Charles. The already highly strung Herb is then thrown further off kilter at the arrival of Nell and her new partner.
Now on this Island, Herb’s initial thoughts are to run – only added to by Chris giving different parties information about their situation and financial compensation. After Herb storms off, attempting to leave the island – Nell’s partner confides in him that they are tight on cash and are in need of the princely sum the two-time lottery winner Charles has to offer.
So we have reached the table stakes of the film, and despite some aggressive shaky cam at the opening of the movie, it has been an enjoyable and humorous setup.
Herb is painfully stressed out, in a way that I found troublingly relatable. The lies he tells too easily and the temper he loses too quickly are a painful reflection of, well, toxic masculinity.
Charles is a Partridge-esque figure, leaning on the trope of a man who seems to have lived a completely solitary life for the last 5 years since the death of his wife. Herb is painfully stressed out, in a way that I found troublingly relatable. The lies he tells too easily and the temper he loses too quickly are a painful reflection of, well, toxic masculinity. Nell in contrast seems to have her life together, despite being in a much worse position from an outsider perspective – having never had a solo career of her own.
During the middle of the film we start to see the dynamic between the 2 stars, evenings of practice for the concert are mixed in with trips to the single store, run by a slightly forgettable clerk who it feels like will only function as a way to give Charles a somewhat romantic ending after both musicians have convinced him slowly to reach out to her. If you can’t tell from my tone, I found this arc slightly less interesting and believable. Particularly the implied romantic nature of their relationship. We have a man without a single friend in the world and who still deeply loves and mourns his wife – can’t he just be given some friends?
No matter, the dynamic between the two stars is strong and as Nell’s partner is pulled out of the story to go look at puffins, they are left with Chris to get the show on. Stuck in a warm conservatory lined with memories of their past they reminisce, both seeming to find an old creative spark. Chris grows comfortable playing their old work again while Nell begins somewhat secretly writing new material – a deeply purposeful contrast of the two. This moment peaks when the three go to the beach to celebrate “Seamen’s Day” and it seems like McGwyer Mortimer is back again. We see Nell rest her head on Herb’s shoulder, simply and enjoy the moment.
However when they get back to Charles’ house, Herb pushes his luck, asking Nell – a woman he hasn’t seen before for 9 years – back into his life. He claims to still love her. Nell is – rightly – insulted? Worried? Angered? By this and leaves the island as soon as possible seemingly still receiving her payment for the gig on the implication she will go off and write a solo album.
Herb is ready to leave as well – alongside Nell’s partner who returns from his trip, seemingly to give Herb a somewhat childish scolding. However Herb remains, at first in his sorrow but then to perform the gig after a change of heart. And it is a decent reason for the change of heart but it’s set up earlier and I don’t like how much of this is plot synopsis as it is. You will just have to trust me.
In the end Herb performs the concert on the beach to Charles and the shopkeeper, and leaves the next day leaving behind the money. Herb finally decided to let go of his past.
A film without balls, or as you might call it “a romantic comedy”, would have had Nell return, likely at some point in the concert to join and do the performance for “one last time”. And this film goes as far to fake out the audience with her harmonies coming in during one of the numbers we see. However it very importantly doesn’t. Herb has well and truly burnt that bridge, he has made the mistakes and choices he made and will likely never have any sort of relationship with her again. But Herb is finally liberated by this, it allows him to perform their hit love song for the last time and as we hear in the end credits write a new song closer to his artist roots again. You don’t believe Herb is leaving this Island the perfect man, but he found some closure from his time there.
Some technical notes to wrap up as it is the day job. This film does not need a large screen experience, apart from a handful of wide drone shots of the Welsh coastline there is little to gain. Do not be put off by the opening shaky cam – it is very intense and does come back at one point around the middle. Otherwise the DP creates some very pretty moments both of the island’s landscape and of Charles’ detailed house. The soundtrack is composed of songs of the duo’s back catalogue and with the expectation that the credits song is an amazing standalone piece of music.
Overall, The Ballad of Willes Island is a strong addition to the original British drama and is one of those rare comedies about troubled people that seem to focus less on laughing at them and more with them. The film is a timely reminder – for me personally – that life is a lot longer than we give it credit for if we are willing to see where it takes us.
This film comes at a ‘perfect’ time for me. I was, at the time of watching, 3 weeks out of a a 5 year relationship that we had both at one point thought was the one. This film spends little time talking about the break up between the band members and lovers. But it doesn’t matter why things fell apart, what either party could have done to make things better – in the end you have to let go and move on, especially when the other side has.