By John Corrado

Director James Griffiths’ entirely enjoyable dramedy The Ballad of Wallis Island opens with musician Herb McGwyer (Tom Basden) arriving on the remote Wallis Island to play what he believes is an intimate solo gig.

Herb is formerly one half of the fictional folk music duo McGwyer & Mortimer, and has been brought there personally by Charles (Tim Key), a local eccentric living alone on the island. Charles has been subsisting off lottery winnings that he has poured into his fandom of McGwyer & Mortimer, devoting his life to collecting memorabilia.

Herb is uneasy by the obsessive level of fandom that Charles possesses, even more so when he discovers that the concert Charles is paying him to perform is for an audience of exactly one person; himself. The second surprise comes when Herb’s former bandmate and past flame Nell Mortimer (Carey Mulligan) arrives, with Charles personally investing in their reunion.

The film works as a charming mix of mismatched buddy comedy and music drama, and it succeeds because of how nimbly Griffiths manages the unique tone, shifting between eccentricity and sincerity. Working from a script co-written by co-stars Key and Basden, with the trio expanding their 2007 short The One and Only Herb McGwyer Plays Wallis Island to feature length, Griffiths fully immerses us in the world and rhythm of this island, as well as in the off-beat lives of his characters. If the story itself might feel a bit slight in places, the screenplay allows for a lot of enjoyable dialogue exchanges.

It’s carried by three very solid performances from Basden, Mulligan, and Key. Key in particular steals every scene, including casually dropping some absurdly funny one-liners. His Charles could have been a one-joke character, or, worse, a stereotype of a pathetically fixated fan. But Key imbues him with a level of endearing awkwardness and genuine pathos. Basden and Mulligan have convincing chemistry in their scenes together, including several poignant moments.

Griffiths offers some lovely character beats, alongside a number of original songs from the fictional McGwyer & Mortimer that underpin the film. Cinematographer G. Magni Ágústsson does a fine job of shooting the beautiful backdrops of the isolated island, adding to that sense of location so important to a film where the setting literally factors into the title. It’s a frequently delightful and heartwarming film.

Film Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)

The Ballad of Wallis Island opens exclusively in theatres in limited release on April 4th, including at TIFF Lightbox in Toronto.