I have a well-documented love of all things dark, from twisting crime thrillers to brutal horrors. My favorite movies of the year list usually ends up stuffed with flicks that can be considered pretty bleak in tone. But, I do have a slightly sappy side as well, and my love for “The Ballad of Wallis Island” proves it.
I caught this British comedy-drama in theatres last weekend, and while my expectations were relatively low ahead of watching, after 100 joyful minutes I walked out of my screening with a broad smile on my face, convinced I’d just seen a frontrunner pick for the most overlooked movie of 2025 (so far).
“The Ballad of Wallis Island” received only a limited theatrical release in the U.S. back in March, which means an awful lot of people didn’t get to see it on the big screen. That’s a real shame. But fortunately, life is all about second chances (a theme of the movie itself), and now this heartfelt movie is available to stream on Peacock or via PVOD on platforms like Amazon and Apple.
If you were one of the many who didn’t get to catch “The Ballad of Wallis Island” in cinemas earlier this year, I strongly implore you to seek it out on streaming, because it’s something very special. Here's why I love it so much.
What is ‘The Ballad of Wallis Island’ about?
![THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 28 - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/HTi-e20yVNs/maxresdefault.jpg)
Charles Heath (Tim Key) is a reclusive lottery winner, living on the eponymous Wallis Island off the coast of Wales. He's also the world’s biggest superfan of folk music duo McGwyer Mortimer.
Unfortunately, the band, made up of Herby McGwyer (Tom Basden) and Nell Mortimer (Carey Mulligan), who were previously romantically involved, broke up 10 years ago, and haven’t played a show together live since. Using his lottery winnings, Charles convinces them to both come to the island, reunite, and play a very intimate concert for an audience of one.
Once on the island, old tensions flare up, and McGwyer and Mortimer find themselves grappling with their past and their present. They also have to tolerate Charles’ fawning fandom and personality quirks. Eventually, the increasing tensions between the pair put the dream gig under threat.
‘The Ballad of Wallis Island’ is delightful and deeper than you might expect
“The Ballad of Wallis Island” wormed its way into my affections almost immediately. That’s thanks in large part to the comedic brilliance of Tim Key. The flick opens with McGwyer arriving on the island in a small boat with a giddy Charles welcoming his hero, and this brilliant scene sets the tone.
From the off, one thing becomes immediately apparent: Charles just cannot shut up. He is a persistent babbler and fills every silence with a running stream of nonsense. Loads of his lines had the entire audience in my local theatres laughing out loud, but as the movie progresses, we slowly peel back the layers and learn there’s more to Charles than just his extreme levels of fandom.
Charles very quickly became my favorite character of the movie, partially because he’s just hilariously funny, with Key’s sense of comedic timing second to none. But also because when it becomes clear exactly why he loves McGwyer Mortimer’s music so much, I almost shed a tear (almost, I swear).
The folk music duo themselves have more than a little bit of Fleetwood Mac about them. And when they are reunited on Wallis Island for the first time in a decade, there’s a heavy distance between them. But this slowly erodes as they get back into the swing of playing music together and fondly reminisce on the past. However, the fact that Mortimer now has an American husband (Akemnji Ndifornyen) only adds to the underlying tension.
I’m not a folk music fan per se (Taylor Swift’s Folkmore duology is about as far into the genre as my Spotify playlists dip), but the musical element fits the tone perfectly. The original McGwyer Mortimer tunes are a surprise highlight and are performed by Basden and Mulligan.
There’s a lot more to “The Ballad of Wallis Island” than just cringetastic humor from Charles’ foibles and inability to stop talking for even a moment; there’s a real melancholic nature about the movie.
This element shines through most brightly via McGwyer, a cynical character, whose solo career is stalling, forcing him to create “commercial” music he has no passion for. His time on Wallis Island and the chance to reconnect with his old partner begin to change his outlook and his sweetheart slowly starts to shine through. This arc, while hardly original, really works wonders.
I also have to give kudos to “The Ballad of Wallis Island” for not playing out exactly as I expected. In the first act, I rather arrogantly, perhaps, assumed I had the whole movie mapped out beat-for-beat, but instead, it takes a more unexpected (and very welcome) route. There’s no shocking twist or anything of that nature, but the ending is a little more wistful than I anticipated.
“The Ballad of Wallis Island” is a tender comedy-drama, filled with likeable characters (even if they take a little while to warm up), beautifully understated music and a heartfelt story. Basden, Mulligan and especially Key are all fantastic, and by the end, you’ll be wishing that you could take a trip to the remote (fictional) Wallis Island to nourish your soul and meet Charles.
Stream ‘The Ballad of Wallis Island’ now
You don’t need to just take my word for it that “The Ballade of Wallis Island” is worth streaming.
The movie currently holds a near-perfect 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes. This rating comes from more than 100 reviews and has earned the movie a Certified Fresh seal.
“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,” reads the site’s ‘Critics Consensus,’ and viewers agree, rating it an equally impressive 93%.
These scores speak to the movie’s quality and how effectively it charms you. It’s such a special little movie, and I’m hoping its arrival on streaming opens it up to a richly deserved wider audience. I can’t wait to rewatch it on Peacock, and it’s now entered my rotation of comfort movies I turn to on rainy days.
If somehow all this praise hasn’t convinced you to give “The Ballad of Wallis Island” a watch (do you have a heart made of stone?), check out my full roundup of the top new movies arriving across streaming services.
But if you want to save some time, just go watch this one now, it’s a comfort blanket of a movie that will have you reflecting on your life and lost loves.
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