Shadows on the Wall | The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

dir Hettie Macdonald
scr Rachel Joyce
prd Juliet Dowling, Kevin Loader, Marilyn Milgrom
with Jim Broadbent, Penelope Wilton, Earl Cave, Linda Bassett, Joseph Mydell, Daniel Frogson, Naomi Wirthner, Nina Singh, Paul Thornley, Joy Richardson, Claire Rushbrook, Ian Porter
release UK 28.Apr.23
23/UK eOne 1h48

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A first-rate cast and light-handed filmmaking elevate this quintessential British drama. It may feel like something we've seen before, specifically the 2021 road movie The Last Bus, but there are nicely nuanced textures woven into this story, which touches on some very dark themes. It's notable that director Hettie Macdonald manages to avoid letting it become either sentimental or preachy, allowing the message and the emotion to emerge through the actors' performances.

In South Devon, Harold (Broadbent) gets a note from former colleague Queenie (Bassett) simply saying goodbye as she enters hospice care in Berwick-Upon-Tweed. Harold's wife Maureen (Wilton) bristles at the mention of her name. But Harold goes out to post a reply letter. Then he just keeps walking, inspired by a garage clerk (Singh), hoping Queenie might try to stay alive if she knows he's coming. But this is a 600-mile trek, and he isn't exactly prepared. Still, he gets advice, support and some company along the way, becoming a fixture in the evening news.

Combining the jaunty cross-country road movie with some unusually intense issues, the film's tonal shifts are sometimes a bit jarring. But it remains accessible thanks to both both Macdonald and screenwriter Joyce, adapting her novel (which is based on her radio play To Be a Pilgrim). The film indulges in big emotions but thankfully avoids getting melodramatic about them. This is notable in the relationship issues between Harold and Maureen, which spring from their British stiff-upper-lip refusal to speak about things that matter most.

Broadbent is a likeable hero, an everyman pensioner who embarks on this unexpected journey when pent-up feelings are released. He never overplays the role, and maintains a wonderfully wide-eyed curiosity that reveals Harold's layers of self-discovery. Wilton is particularly strong as the even more repressed Maureen, who reacts with anger and frustration before slowly excavating her own long-buried emotions. Their scenes together are beautifully played. And the sparky supporting cast, many in one-scene roles, is excellent.

The film feels perhaps a bit too openly emotive, with humour that's warm rather than funny and characters who are clearly heading for a satisfying conclusion. In other words, just a bit of real-life edge might have given the subject matter a more potent kick. But as the script reveals the extreme weight of this couple's history, viewers will find ways to connect on a very deep level with the material. Which makes the film more provocative and challenging than it seems to be.

themes, language 12.Apr.23

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