Boléro
In 1928 Paris, choreographer Ida Rubinstein commissions composer Maurice Ravel to create a bold ballet piece; he grapples with artistic paralysis, personal loss and memory to fashion the world-famous “Boléro”.
DIRECTOR
Anne Fontaine (Coco Before Chanel)
ACTORS
Raphaël Personnaz • Doria Tillier • Jeanne Balibar • Vincent Perez • Emmanuelle Devos
2h 01m • Rated PG • Drama, Music • France • Language: French
The island setting, the modest production, and the humor that often arises from character rather than contrivance work together to keep the film from ever feeling flat. On the flip side, a few feel the pacing is uneven, or that the secondary characters don’t always land. Still, even these criticisms tend to be soft and in the service of a film that is more heartwarming than perfect.
Overall, the consensus sees The Ballad of Wallis Island as a warm, wistful, and soul-soothing film—modest in scope but rich in feeling. It’s not trying to dazzle, but it digs in where it matters: loss, memory, music, human connection. For many, it’s one of the more emotionally satisfying films of 2025.
The Ballad of Wallis Island is a quietly charming British comedy-drama directed by James Griffiths, written by and starring Tom Basden and Tim Key, alongside Carey Mulligan. The story centers on Charles, a lonely lottery winner living on a remote Welsh island, who invites his favorite folk duo—Herb McGwyer and Nell Mortimer—to reunite for a private performance. His motive isn’t just fandom; there are unresolved heartbreaks, nostalgia, and grief behind his idealistic gesture.
Critics are largely enamored with the film’s balance of humor and melancholy. Tim Key’s performance as Charles is praised for being endearingly awkward, verbose, and heart-on-sleeve, often using verbal wit to stave off silence. Basden as Herb, and Mulligan as Nell, deliver subtle, emotionally resonant performances, especially when the old romantic and artistic tensions surface—and you begin to feel what’s been lost, as well as what hope might remain. The original music is another highlight; the songs feel lived in, and the film uses them not as spectacle, but as emotional anchors.
Some reviewers point out that the premise is familiar—a fan’s devotee, reunited artists, romantic regrets—but argue that the execution elevates it.
CRITICS ROUNDUP
Some reviewers caution that the pacing occasionally sags in quieter interludes, and the film’s reliance on artistic-world detail might limit its appeal to general audiences. Nevertheless, the prevailing consensus sees Boléro as a mature, graceful biopic that delivers both substantive character insight and sweeping aesthetic ambition, making it a standout in recent music-themed cinema.
CRITICS ROUNDUP
A hauntingly beautiful depiction of artistic obsession and rebirth.
The film is widely admired as a richly detailed, emotionally resonant portrait of creative struggle, with Raphaël Personnaz’s portrayal of Ravel earning particular praise for its mixture of cerebral restraint and hidden intensity. Critics reward Anne Fontaine’s elegant direction for weaving together the glamour of 1920s Paris, the complexity of Ravel’s inner life, and the mounting suspense of a composer working toward a singular masterpiece. The interplay between Ravel and Ida Rubinstein (Jeanne Balibar) adds tension and intrigue, illuminating the power dynamics of the era’s arts milieu and the cost of genius.