★★★★
A musician from Glasgow dreams of becoming a Nashville star.
Certification: 15
Near perfection. Wild Rose is near perfection with only a few minor flaws with pacing and execution of its ending. This tale of a Scottish lass with dreams of singing country music in Nashville is heartwarming, heartbreaking and I’ll let you come up with your own Billy Ray Cyrus joke cause I have accolades to laud over this film.
Jessie Buckley delivers a career-defining performance as Rose-Lynn with one of the most well-written characters I’ve seen in a film in a long time. Equally, both loveable and loathsome, Rose-Lynn is a real human character with dreams and flaws and her journey is enrapturing from beginning to end. The juxtaposition of Scottish culture with country music is a combination that works so well and Jessie Buckley’s performance exudes such passion that even if you’re not the biggest fan of country music you definitely can get invested in her story. Buckley’s performance is also supported by two incredible performances from actresses Sophie Okonedo as Rose-Lynn’s employer and Julie Walter’s as Rose-Lynn’s mother, both characters who are the focal points of Rose Lynn’s struggle for her dream.
Even if the story beats may seem predictable at points the sincerity of these actresses performances is what makes the story so moving. Walters character is so recognisable, a fierce matriarch who wants the best for her grandchildren and wants Rose-Lynn to finally take responsibility for her life. Okonedo who sees Rose-Lynn as some gateway to a more exciting lifestyle, the conflicts that arise between these characters remain grounded in such an uncomfortable realism and never drifts into melodrama despite Rose-Lynn’s grandiose ambitions.
Director Tom Harper and his production team are firing on all cylinders, from the cinematography, costumes, sound editing and especially the screenwriting and production design, this is British film at its finest. The world of Wild Rose is about the collision of two unlikely worlds and seeing Rose-Lynn walking through the streets of Glasgow in her iconic white jacket and boots is a sight to behold. From Glasgow’s country hall to Nashville’s country music museum, Rose-Lynn’s journey is fully realised and delivered with expert care and execution.
The only flaws with the film come with its editing, for the most part, the film runs smooth, taking its delicate time to introduce you to this beautiful character and her struggles. There are some pacing issues however in the second act where it drags and you’re just waiting for the dramatic climaxes to occur and issues with how the final minutes are executed. The ending of the film is beautiful, heart-wrenchingly beautiful as you see Rose-Lynn reach the end of her journey in a sequence that combines Wild Rose’s character development and musical prowess into a spellbinding moment of cinematic visual storytelling. However the film needed a few scenes after it just to make sure everyone understood what that sequence was trying to convey, it's annoying and does let some air out of the balloon but when a film is this good you can look past its flaws and still bask in its glory.
Wild Rose is such a magnificent testament to the human spirit, the power of music, family and stays with you long after you have viewed it. Jessie Buckley enraptures from beginning to end with a performance I will be praising until the end of time and I hope that you the reader will join me after you witness this highlight of cinema 2019.
Director: #TomHarper
Release Date: April 12th 2019
Trailer:
Written review copyright ©CoreyBullochReviews
Images and Synopsis from the Internet Movie Database
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