‘The Ballad Of Wallis Island’ Trailer: Carey Mulligan Sings For An Eccentric Fan In The Beloved Sundance Comedy

Okay, so when the first trailer for The Ballad of Wallis Island was released in mid-January, I hadn’t seen it yet. Frankly, I wasn’t expecting much. It looked cute, and had Carey Mulligan in it, but still it wasn’t high on the list of things I was looking forward to. Then I attended the Sundance premiere just days later, and emerged knowing that I had just seen one of the festival’s best films. More than that, it’s a film I think just about anyone can fall in love with. If you love the work of John Carney, then this is for you.

Starring Carey Mulligan, Tim Key, and Tom Basden, the film is based on a 2017 short film by Key, Basden, and director James Griffiths. Originally titled One for the Money, the film was retitled when Focus Features acquired the rights last year.

The story centers on Charles, an eccentric lotto winner who invites his all-time favorite musical group to his personal island for a reunion. But the estranged bandmates and former lovebirds have a hard time getting back into rhythm, especially with Charles hovering around.

If you don’t come away with a soft spot in your heart for Charles, then your heart is seriously broken.

Also in the cast are Sian Clifford and Akemnji Ndifornyen. Everyone is fantastic in this tiny ensemble.

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, Mortimer-McGwyer (Carey Mulligan and Tom Basden), back together. His fantasy quickly 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.

Focus Features releases The Ballad of Wallis Island on March 28th. You can check out my early review here.