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The Ballad of Wallis Island

Play trailer 1:03 Poster for The Ballad of Wallis Island PG-13 Released Mar 28 1h 40m Comedy Drama Music Play Trailer Watchlist
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97% Tomatometer 122 Reviews 93% Popcornmeter 100+ Verified Ratings
THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND follows Charles (Tim Key), an eccentric lottery winner who lives alone on a remote island and dreams of getting his favorite musicians, McGwyer Mortimer (Tom Basden & Carey Mulligan) back together. His fantasy turns into reality when the bandmates and former lovers accept his invitation to play a private show at his home on Wallis Island. Old tensions resurface as Charles tries desperately to salvage his dream gig.
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The Ballad of Wallis Island

The Ballad of Wallis Island

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Critics Consensus

The Ballad of Wallis Island hums along a sweet melody without lapsing into outright sentimentality, mining a great deal of warmth from its humble premise.

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Critics Reviews

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Kevin Maher The Times (UK) There are songs sung sweetly, insults hurled then retracted, and a balm of kindness in every frame that emerges from somewhere between Basden’s hangdog sensitivities and Key’s cherubic wit. Rated: 4/5 Jun 4, 2025 Full Review Danny Leigh Financial Times What you also don’t anticipate is how poignant it all gets — a melancholy farce with an oddly pure soul. Rated: 4/5 Jun 4, 2025 Full Review Clarisse Loughrey Independent (UK) Key and Basden avoid turning their film into a nostalgic pat on the back for smug millennials convinced they lived through artistically superior times -- the sense of loss here is strictly personal. Rated: 4/5 Jun 3, 2025 Full Review Sammie Purcell Rough Draft Atlanta “The Ballad of Wallis Island” aims to make a strong point about the very feeling of comfort it projects, about how we deal with nostalgia and move on. Jul 18, 2025 Full Review Cody Allen Geek Vibes Nation The Ballad of Wallis Island doesn’t shout its meaning from the rooftops. It barely even raises its voice. Instead, it trusts the audience to lean in close, to listen carefully to its quiet melody of loss, renewal, and grace. Rated: 8/10 Jul 11, 2025 Full Review Maxance Vincent Film Speak When it opens itself up and moves away from tropes that could’ve made it forgettable, The Ballad of Wallis Island suddenly becomes a smartly constructed motion picture, one that’s worthy of the crowd-pleasing praise it has been getting. Rated: A- Jul 11, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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nicole j Very well made movie and super funny too. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/13/25 Full Review Paul C Really cute show. A little slow at times but a really neat ending. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/08/25 Full Review Jeff Best movie of the year,incredible. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/27/25 Full Review Brandon Slow, boring, not enough music, no climax. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 04/26/25 Full Review JEH a thoughtful take on real life and relationships Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 04/26/25 Full Review Rebecca D I didn't go into this movie with a lot of expectations, mostly because I didn't know much about it, but now I'm a fan. It's adorable and fun and we need more movies like it. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 04/23/25 Full Review Read all reviews
The Ballad of Wallis Island

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The Ballad of Wallis Island

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Movie Info

Synopsis THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND follows Charles (Tim Key), an eccentric lottery winner who lives alone on a remote island and dreams of getting his favorite musicians, McGwyer Mortimer (Tom Basden & Carey Mulligan) back together. His fantasy turns into reality when the bandmates and former lovers accept his invitation to play a private show at his home on Wallis Island. Old tensions resurface as Charles tries desperately to salvage his dream gig.
Director
James Griffiths
Producer
Rupert Majendie
Screenwriter
Tom Basden, Tim Key
Distributor
Focus Features
Production Co
Baby Cow Films
Rating
PG-13 (Some Language and Smoking)
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Music
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Mar 28, 2025, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
May 6, 2025
Box Office (Gross USA)
$1.6M
Runtime
1h 40m
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