Here’s a reminder that sometimes the back end of nowhere is delightful. Aggravating and barely civilized, yet delightful. This film is also a reminder that “getting the band back together” can be an exceptionally bad idea. They broke up for a reason.
Somewhere north of modern technology and south of Berk lies Wallis Island. A special boat makes the trip there every few days. It’s the only contact the island residents (all three of them) have. Seriously, this is an island in the middle of nowhere inhabited by, like, three people. And one of the people is an absolute loon … but a lovable loon.
Widower Charles Heath (Tim Key) has too much money. He won the lottery twice (!!) and used some of the money to buy a home on a distant island. Now, he is using the rest for the purpose of reconnecting the folk duo of Mortimer (Carey Mulligan) and McGwyer (Tom Basden). We see this through Basden’s eyes: he has been summoned to Wallis Island for £500,000 to play a special concert. The details are sketchy. The hotel is a house. The audience will be one guy. There is no cell reception and one phone on the island, which requires coins and a trek to use.
Meanwhile, Mortimer and the new Mr. Mortimer have also been summoned to the island (for £300,000). Mortimer and McGwyer have a history. It is intimate and almost certainly sexual and ended badly. He is still a name in the industry. She is not. She needs the money much more than 
he does. But they used to make beautiful music together, both figuratively and literally. We see it when their walls break at Wallis.
Nobody likes to be duped. And how long will it be before these two clue in that one eccentric goofball has used every last cent of his money to reunite them? And what would it take to reunite the love-turned-hate person in your own life?
The Ballad of Wallis Island is made not by the musical leads, who both come off as a little stiff, but by their eccentric benefactor, who just wants to smile for a few minutes while blithely ignoring the machinations of life. Charles could be a billionaire; he could also be a bum; he doesn’t seem to care which at any given time. He just wants to see his favorite musical duo play once again. This is a sweet fantasy, not meant to be taken seriously in any way. But it will likely make you smile if you give it a chance.
There once lived a millionaire named Heath
Without an heir upon which to bequeath
So he spent all his dough
To drag two, in tow
Who reunite as readily as lose teeth
Rated PG-13, 99 Minutes
Director: James Griffiths
Writer: Tom Basden, Tim Key
Genre: Getting the band back together
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Suckers for a goofy fantasy
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Actual professional musicians, I imagine
