SALT PATH, THE (2024, UK, 115m, 12) ***
Drama
dist. Black Bear (UK); pr co. BBC Film / Elliott & Harper / Lipsync Productions / Location Safety / Number 9 Films / Rocket Science / Shadowplay Features; d. Marianne Elliott; w. Rebecca Lenkiewicz; pr. Peter Hampden, Kristin Irving, Elizabeth Karlsen, Beatriz Levin, Lloyd Levin, Norman Merry, Thorsten Schumacher, Stephen Woolley; ph. Hélène Louvart (Colour | 2.35:1); m. Chris Roe; ed. Gareth C. Scales, Lucia Zucchetti; pd. Christina Moore; ad. Philip Barber.
cast: Jason Isaacs (Moth Winn), Gillian Anderson (Raynor Winn), James Lance (Grant), Hermione Norris (Polly), Angus Wright (Doctor), Megan Placito (Bea), Robbie O’Neill (Sealy’s Partner (Chris)), Lloyd Hutchinson (Harry the bathing man), Marianne Elliott, Rebecca Ineson (Rowan), Sasha Frost (Trina), James Craven (Male Youth), Bern Collaço (Shopkeeper), Hannah Brownlie (Girl with Pink Hair), Pippa Hinchley (Ice Cream Lady), Tucker St. Ivany (Tom), Dan Ball (Lead Backpacker), Tamlyn Henderson (Nick), Olivia Edwards (Waitress), Lainey Shaw (Boss).
Based on the international bestseller by Raynor Winn, here played by Anderson, who sets out to walk the coast around Cornwall with her husband (Isaacs) after his business investment left them bankrupt. He is also suffering from a slow-building terminal illness. During the walk, the couple connect with the environment and the husband’s condition improves. Whilst Lenkiewicz’s script plays straight with the facts and the film is beautifully shot, it does not fully connect the couple with the audience, despite Anderson and Isaacs giving strong and committed performances, fully conveying the hardships of their journey. The film also comes up short in offering an on-screen resolution, which is left to captions to explain as the film closes.
