Even though the summer movie season is far from over, now that we’ve officially passed the halfway mark of the year, the awards show contenders are starting to come into view. Toy Story 4 will likely at least get nominated for Best Animated Feature and The Last Black Man in San Francisco displayed enough artistry to garner nominations in multiple categories. In addition, The Lion King update and Tarantino’s latest, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, are due out in consecutive weeks. So, at the very least, some of the front runners will be clearly established by the end of July. Wild Rose may not get recognized for its overall quality by year’s end but it’s one 2019’s best films so far, built on the powerhouse performance from its leading lady.
While this story isn’t an entirely unfamiliar one, it’s fairly atypical. We first meet Rose as she is being released from prison after serving a year for drug smuggling. She returns to her mother’s house to see the two children she left behind but only after she stops by her boyfriend’s place for a quick shag and a shared joint. While she struggles to grasp the depth of what she has done/is doing to her family, she can’t let go of her dreams of becoming a country music star and immediately begins the pursuit of her Nashville aspirations once again. Considering the formula films such as this has been in place for a while, this was a strikingly honest portrayal of what it’s like for a young woman attempting to make it in the music business (and life in general) while wrestling with the responsibility to her family. In many ways, this screenplay by Nicole Taylor spoke directly to all the authentic and unglamorous elements which were absent in a film like A Star is Born. This was a much more challenging narrative to tell but Director Tom Harper knew it was something special. His bare-bones approach really helped to strip away any unnecessary distractions and focus the film on the story and its star.
Besides the challenging character writing, Jessie Buckley played this role with an emotional honesty that’s hard to find. She showed a level of chaotic disconnect with everything except the music which made her character arc worth investing in. When it came down to the film’s signature sound, Jack Arnold produced the music for the film accompanied by Buckley’s soaring vocals. The original song, “Glasgow”, written by Caitlyn Smith, Kate York, and Mary Steenburgen is fantastic…and should be a serious contender for Best Original Song. Buckley’s singing voice is full of such raw, emotional power that it will reach into your chest and wring your heart. It really is one of those must-see performances where the film’s stock is elevated to an entirely different level based on the strength of one performance. I gave her my Breakthrough Performer of 2018 for her role in Beast and this was another stellar performance that definitely puts her in the conversation for Best Actress, if not the front runner at this point.
Next to Buckley, the consistently talented Julie Walters shines as Rose’s mother, Marion, who’s tasked with watching after the grandchildren during her daughter’s incarceration. As we come to find out, it wasn’t just the jail stint that injected Marion into the situation and that mother/daughter dynamic comes to the surface as well. She is in an unenviable position where she’s obviously worried about her daughter but, since she’s an adult, the focus has shifted to taking adequate care of the grandchildren. It’s easy to see Walters has honed her craft over decades and her subtle mannerisms and facial expressions add layers of complexity and nuance to every character she plays. There are a few scenes where she definitely pulls at your hearts strings and could even earn her a nod for Best Supporting Actress.
This movie is surprisingly well-shot but George Steel’s cinematography isn’t one of the predominant features of this film. However, it’s used incredibly well in particular instances…especially the selection of unconventional close-ups such as the one of Buckley singing through an open mail slot (pictured above). That kind of creativity went a long way in establishing this as a different type of film, even though it’s cut from familiar cloth. If you dig deep on the cast, you’ll recognize multi-time Grammy Winner Kacey Musgraves listed for guitar and vocals for one of the scenes in Nashville which extends some very important credibility to the project. Her presence isn’t flaunted but that kind of endorsement can do wonders within the Country Music circle.
Just on the surface, this movie doesn’t have a ton of traction. It’s a foreign film that went into limited release with an unproven quantity in the lead role. The extra thick Scottish brogue was particularly difficult to understand in certain scenes but the film survives those instances on the strength of the acting and the context between the characters. There’s a personality given to Glasgow, Scotland which can’t be underscored enough and it really shapes the characters and the trajectory of the story. Despite some hurdles, this is a thoroughly enjoyable experience and, for what it’s worth, this is one of the best films I have seen so far this year.
Recommendation: If you like country music or honest music in general, it will probably be hard to dislike this movie. Considering the number of strong musical films released in the past few years, there is clearly an appetite. See if for Jessie Buckley’s star-making performance and stay for the music and character progression. Subtitles/captioning may be a bonus is possible.