Seen
Parents confront their own childhood coping patterns and trauma, guided by leading experts, to understand how healing themselves reshapes attachment, strengthens family bonds, and positively influences children’s brain development and wellbeing across generations.
DIRECTOR
Hailey Bartholomew (365 Grateful)
WITH
Maggie Dent • Lael Stone • Nathan Wallis • Selena Bartlett • Vanessa Lapointe
1h 13m • Rated E • Documentary • Australia
All tickets $15
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.
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Reviewers praise its mix of science and lived experience, noting that its most effective moments come when parents speak candidly about their struggles, guilt, and breakthroughs. The tone is gentle, reflective, and at times profoundly moving—inviting audiences to see personal healing as a generational act of love.
A few critics remark that Seen can veer toward repetition or feel more like a wellness seminar than a traditional documentary, but most agree its heart and purpose are undeniable. The consensus frames Seen as an inspiring, emotionally intelligent film that encourages empathy, self-awareness, and growth—a compassionate call to understand ourselves so we can better understand those we raise.
CRITICS ROUNDUP
Transformative look at how healing parents can heal generations
Hailey Bartholomew’s Seen is a quietly powerful Australian documentary exploring how parents’ unresolved childhood experiences shape the way they connect with their children—and how breaking those patterns can transform families for generations. Featuring leading experts Maggie Dent, Lael Stone, Nathan Wallis, Selena Bartlett, and Vanessa Lapointe, the film blends neuroscience with emotional storytelling, focusing on the intersection between healing, attachment, and brain development.
Critics have responded warmly to its sincerity and accessibility. Bartholomew, best known for 365 Grateful, approaches her subject with compassion rather than clinical detachment, crafting a film that feels both educational and deeply human.