Story

Charles Heath (Tim Key) is an eccentric. He has won the lottery twice and lives alone in a mansion on Wallis Island. His favourite musical duo is Herb McGwyer (Tom Basden) and Nell Mortimer (Carey Mulligan), whose records he plays over and over. He dreams of having the duo play for him on the island, but unfortunately Herb and Nell separated 9 years previously. Nevertheless, Charles invites Herb to perform a gig at a very high price and, without telling Herb, he invites Nell as well.

Herb is struggling to move on from his break-up with Nell, who is now married to Michael (Akemnji Nidfornyen), so he’s upset to find that Nell has also been invited to play. After a while, tensions ease and they start playing together again. Herb is obviously still in love with Nell, but she has moved on. The situation becomes untenable for them both, and Nell leaves the island.

Meanwhile, Charles, a simple soul, tries hard to make the reconciliation happen. When this fails, he tries to support Herb. In doing so, he also finds happiness himself, as does Herb, enabling them both to move on.

Themes

Mental health issues; musical duos; separation and divorce; fear of suicide; loss and grief

Violence

The Ballad of Wallis Island has some violence. For example:

• Herb slips over a bowl of rice, landing badly on his back.
• Herb and Nell argue loudly.
• Herb yells at Charles.

Sexual references

The Ballad of Wallis Island has some sexual references. For example, there’s still chemistry between Herb and Nell. They’re shown with their arms around each other.

Alcohol, drugs and other substances

The Ballad of Wallis Island shows some use of substances. For example:

• Characters drink with dinner, and they sometimes drink alone.
• Herb smokes frequently.

Nudity and sexual activity

The Ballad of Wallis Island has some nudity and sexual activity. For example:

• Herb is seen in the bath, naked from the waist up.
• Herb takes off his dressing gown, and Charles walks in on him in an awkward moment. Nothing is shown.
• Nell walks in on Herb, who is undressed, in the bathroom. She’s embarrassed, but he says it’s nothing she hasn’t seen before.

Product placement

The following products are displayed or used in The Ballad of Wallis Island: Johnny Walker whisky, Calippo ice-blocks, and Ikea.

Coarse language

The Ballad of Wallis Island has some coarse language.

Ideas to discuss with your children

The Ballad of Wallis Island is a comedy drama based about an eccentric man who lives alone on a remote island. It’s also about the musician he admires, who’s struggling to move on from the past and come to terms with separation from his ex-partner.

There’s nothing scary or violent in The Ballad of Wallis Island, but it isn’t suitable for children aged under 8 years. It’s more suitable for teenage and adult viewers.

These are the main messages from The Ballad of Wallis Island:

• Bringing joy to others can be a way of healing yourself.
• It’s often a mistake to try to recreate the past.

Values in The Ballad of Wallis Island that you could reinforce with your children include:

• moving on from the past and finding fulfilment in the present
• forgiving yourself and others
• showing empathy towards others
• accepting things.