- Tom Bayden, Tim Key, Carey Mulligan
- May 30th 2025
- 100
- James Griffiths
Tim Key plays a lonely lottery winner who pays his favourite musician to play a one-night-only concert on his remote island.
If you only know Tim Key for his work in comedy, you’ll see him in a whole new light thanks to his dramatic performance in The Ballad of Wallis Island.
In this British comedy, Key plays lonely lottery winner Charles, who pays singer-songwriter Herb (Tom Basden) a lot of money to perform a one-night-only concert on the secluded Wallis Island.
A major fan of the defunct folk duo McGwyer-Mortimer, Charles also invites Herb’s ex-girlfriend and former bandmate Nell Mortimer (Carey Milligan) – without Herb’s knowledge – in the hope of staging a reunion. As you can imagine, the plan doesn’t go down well.
Based on the 2007 short film also starring and written by Key and Basden, The Ballad of Wallis Island is a delightful, charming and distinctly British movie.
It tells a simple story packed full of heart, laughs and engaging characters and is more moving than you might expect. Prepare for this to hit you right in the feelings!
Key is best known for his work in comedy so it’s no surprise that he nails Charles’s hilarious lines, which are filled with dad jokes, awkward puns and pop culture references. Charles is a chatterbox who doesn’t know when to shut up or leave someone alone, particularly his favourite musician!
However, this film gives Key the opportunity to show off his dramatic side too. The vulnerable underside of his character is slowly revealed during the film and his subtly emotional performance is profoundly moving. It’s a revelation to see.
Basden convincingly inhabits the self-serious famous musician Herb and it’s lovely watching him sing folk tunes with Mulligan, who previously sang on film in Shame and Inside Llewyn Davis.
The Oscar-nominated actress is wonderful as Nell, who comes to the reunion in a more positive place than Herb. He is hurt and doesn’t want to perform their songs whereas she has no issue walking down memory lane.
The Ballad of Wallis Island, directed by the short’s director James Griffiths, is a funny and heartfelt film that serves as a showcase for Tim Key’s dramatic acting skills.
In cinemas from Friday 30th May.
By Hannah Wales.
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