Review
The Salt Path (Drama) [Based on Memoir] (2024)
Director: Marianne Elliott
Writer: Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Raynor Winn (Based on Memoir by)
Stars: Gillian Anderson, Jason Isaacs, Hermione Norris, Olivia Edwards
After losing their home and one of them being diagnosed with a serious illness, a married couple set out on a coastal hike on the south-western English coast.
Adapting the memoir of the same name by Raynor Winn, a relatively untested director in Marianne Elliott takes a journey all her own to cinematically showcase the wondrous sights of this part of the English coast. It was produced by Number 9 Films, Elliott & Harper Productions and Shadowplay Features, originally premiering at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival before being distributed by Black Bear UK.
Determined to walk down the South West Coast Path after several setbacks, Raynor (Gillian Anderson) and her husband, Moth (Jason Isaacs), discover their strengths despite Moth’s CBD diagnosis and are tested by the harsh weather and trying circumstances of the coast.
Uncovering the cemented relationship between Isaacs Moth and Anderson’s Raynor, we are shown the stunning sights of the English coasts as this journey isn’t just about overcoming obstacles; it’s about the rarity of human kindness and the fight within us all.
Appearing initially as a last journey past the sea, ‘’The Salt Path’’ delivers a broader perspective, a tug-of-war between strife and hope. This rugged coast is far from simply a wondrous sight — it’s a character in and of itself, an entity whose existence you feel. Sauntering the sandy shores and cobbled paths, it is nature, through its harshest winds and pouring rain, that gives comfort, an honest brutality given easily, while society and its people exude a mirage of kindness that is predominantly deceptive.
From the sights, sounds, and backstory to this inspiring journey, it is the chemistry between Anderson and Isaacs that makes it a believable feature. An unordinary bond lightened by scintillatingly witty quips and determination in every step. Taking advantage of flashbacks early in the film explains the situation, a diagnosis, an eviction, and a future presumed to be short-lived. These felt worst, but were luckily counteracted by a focus on regrowth and hope.
With a shortage of experience in its director, ‘’The Salt Path’’ should be considered a success. Holding a mirror to our pre-conceived notions and showing the power of perseverance. Isaacs and Anderson truly deliver on a noteworthy experience despite it being quite a trek, even for the audience not actively yet mentally hiking along. Relying on interpersonal dialogue and usually skimping on setting in the scene, with sights that should’ve been allowed the time to breathe and develop themselves. With time, I’m certain Elliott could be an incredible talent, as this, her latest film, proves.
Verdict
A coarse grind towards the end of the path.
7,0
