The Ballad of Wallis Island (2025)

IMDb plot summary: An eccentric lottery winner who lives alone on a remote island tries to make his fantasies come true by getting his favorite musicians to perform at his home.

Directed by James Griffiths. Stars Tom Basden, Tim Key, and Sian Clifford.

The Ballad of Wallis Island is set on a remote island where a folk musician is invited to perform a concert. The concert turns out to the brainchild of one man who has spent all of his lottery winnings on bringing this folk musician to the island, with the intention of reuniting him with his former musical partner, whom he parted with on bad terms. The two ultimately decide to try to work together and put on their one-person performance, and the three people, two musicians and their host, form some semblance of relationship. This is a really charming film that is really anchored by Tim Key playing their island host. He is charming but irritating and over-eager to please and ends up consistently rubbing people the wrong way. He's the one whose character arc is most compelling. The musician character arc is fine, but Key's performance is really the one that thematically and emotionally anchors the entire movie. It's a sweet movie in the best way. These characters are enjoyable to be around. We get some fun musical sequences and some small romances, while also not downplaying actual human need and sorrow. This one didn't get as much attention as I feel like it should have gotten, so if you haven't had a chance to check it out, you should. It's really delightful.

How it entered my Flickchart:

🎥 The Ballad of Wallis Island (2025)

📊 Ranked #585/4188 on my Flickchart

🎯 Flickscore™: 86

beat Fahrenheit 451 (#2095 → #2096)

beat The Other Boleyn Girl (#1035 → #1036)

lost to That Night's Wife (held at #516)

beat Evil (#775 → #776)

beat 21 Jump Street (#646 → #647)

lost to The Mitchells vs. the Machines (held at #580)

beat Carrie (#612 → #613)

beat The Courtship of Eddie's Father (#596 → #597)

beat The Big Sick (#588 → #589)

lost to Marty (held at #584)

beat Stardust (#586 → #587)

beat It's Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown (#585 → #586)