COMING SOON
My Brother's Band
When a world-famous orchestra conductor learns through a health crisis that he was adopted, he discovers a younger half-brother playing trombone in a modest community brass band. The pair — separated by fate — reunite through music, bridging their differences with hope and harmony.
Director
Emmanuel Courcol (See You Up There)
Actors
Benjamin Lavernhe • Pierre Lottin • Sarah Suco • Ludmila Mikaël • (ensemble)
1h 43m • Rated M • Comedy, Drama, Music • France • Eng subs
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
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My Brother's Band
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Audiences and reviewers embrace the film for its warmth, charm and irresistible emotional uplift. Its music scenes overflow with life, and the performances bring an authenticity that makes the brothers’ journey deeply satisfying to watch. My Brother’s Band is the kind of film that leaves viewers smiling — a gentle, beautifully acted story that celebrates connection, community and the way music can repair what life has broken. It’s a genuine crowd-pleaser, full of feeling and crafted to send you out of the cinema lighter than you came in.
Critics Roundup
A heartfelt musical tale about family, second chances and the joy of playing together.
My Brother’s Band follows a celebrated orchestra conductor whose world shifts when he discovers the existence of a younger half-brother playing trombone in a small community brass band. Their unexpected reunion reveals long-buried truths, unspoken regrets and a shared musical spirit that begins to close the distance between vastly different lives. Through humour, tension and heartfelt moments, the film traces how two men relearn family, identity and the joy of making music together.