Tom Basden and Carey Mulligan Play Former Bandmates Who Reunite in Sundance-Bound British Dramedy "The Ballad of Wallis Island" with Tim Key

A Washed-Up Musician Rekindles His Passion in a Private Island Concert in New Dramedy about Music, Love, and Second Chances"

With all the hoopla and buzz around big-budget action spectacles, gory horror slashers, and loud superhero tentpoles these days, sometimes you just want to go to the movies and have a delightful time with a small, easy-going film about a few people simply trying to be good to each other. Enter this new British yarn about a washed-up singer-songwriter who gets the chance to reunite with his former bandmate and ex-girlfriend at the request of an eccentric superfan.

Watch the trailer for The Ballad of Wallis Island. The British dramedy, directed by television helmer James Griffiths (Bad Sisters, A Million Little Things), is premiering later this month at the Sundance Film Festival. Already set up at Focus Features and Universal Pictures, the movie will be released in theaters on March 28th.

English actor/comedian Tom Basden (Man vs. Bee, After Life, Here We Go) stars as Herb McGwyer, an indie singer-songwriter who recorded a couple of well-received albums years ago but never made it to global superstardom.

While down on his luck, Herb is invited to perform at a secluded island for a private concert. After agreeing, he is shocked to discover that the island is mostly empty, and this private concert is for only one person: Charles, a good-natured but quirky superfan who just won the lottery and seems to have spent all his winnings to set up this particular event.

But here's the kicker: Charles also invited Nell Mortimer, Herb's ex-girlfriend and former musical partner. Herb hasn't seen Nell in years and is surprised to see she has brought Michael, her new husband, to the show. After a few awkward reintroductions, the two former singing partners return to what they had forgotten they loved so much — singing and performing songs together for their adoring fans... scratch that, adoring fan, Charles.

Three-time Oscar-nominee Carey Mulligan breaks away from her usual intense roles of women in pain to take on the role of Nell Mortimer, a laid-back musician with an easygoing "I'm cool with this, if you are" attitude. One could say she knows the type, as she is married to indie folk musician Marcus Mumford, of Mumford & Sons.

Charles, the superfan, is played by Tim Key, an English comedian known for playing Simon, Alan Partridge's sidekick in the Steve Coogan-created comedy series. Key delivers a Kathy Bates in Misery-like performance, though with a twist: imagine if Annie Wilkes were only trying to help author Paul Sheldon reconnect with his original passion. Creepy, but also kind of a good guy.

Tim Key also co-wrote the screenplay with Tom Basden. The two started out together, first meeting in college and later teaming up in the same comedy sketch troupe, Cowards.

As mentioned, James Griffiths directs the film. While now primarily working in television both in the U.S. and the U.K., Griffiths is also known for directing the 2014 Nick Frost dance comedy Cuban Fury.

The Ballad of Wallis Island will make its world premiere at Sundance next week but will open in theaters on March 28th. Watch the trailer, featured above.