Jessie Buckley wowed audiences in last year’s chilling thriller Beast. She gave an outstanding performance as a young woman who tries to protect her new lover who may or may not be a murderer. Buckley has a way of dominating the screen with her presence.
And she continues to dominate with her latest film, Wild Rose. Picture Billy Elliot (2000) crossed with Coal Miner’s Daughter (1980) and you’re on the right track to describing Wild Rose. This a working-class musical which is set in the very unglamourous world of Glasgow’s council estates. And has at its core, a very realistic and believable protagonist.
Wild Rose follows Buckley’s Rose-Lynn Harlan, a 23-year-old wannabe country singer. She is fresh out of jail after committing a rather stupid crime, and wears an electronic tag beneath white cowgirl boots. Her mother Marion (Julie Walters), wants Rose-Lynn to settle down and take care of the kids that Marion has been caring for while her daughter was in prison.
However, Rose-Lynn is hardly the type of person that just stays in on a Friday night. She wants to be out there, singing her heart out. And she’s planning on making it as a star by going to Nashville, USA.
Rose-Lynn becomes employed by Susannah (Sophie Okonedo), a wealthy and empathetic woman. She sees Rose-Lynn as this free, independent woman with the whole world ahead of her. Unbeknownst to Susannah is the fact that Rose-Lynn is a mother of two. They become friends, and Susannah becomes a somewhat surrogate fairy godmother. Determined to enable Rose-Lynn’s talent.
“Wild Rose feels like a fairy tale if told by Ken Loach… Harper captures a city that is divided, but he also captures the soul of Glasgow and the eccentricity of its people.”
Rose-Lynn passes the time doing chores by belting out the tunes, until Susannah pushes her to take the next big step. They create a webcam video which makes its way to Radio 2, and is seen by Bob Harris. Suddenly Rose-Lynn is making her way to London. And with Susannah’s fundraising party around the corner, Rose-Lynn’s dream looks like it’s about to come true. Will Rose-Lynn choose to follow her dream or will she finally accept her responsibility as a mother?
Director Tom Harper manages to make the film feel very grounded, but at the same time he doesn’t let the material become too heavy and deary. Wild Rose feels like a fairy tale if told by Ken Loach. There’s a social underpinning to Wild Rose with two social classes colliding with each other.
Ultimately, the two main women (Rose-Lynne and Susannah) are brought together by their love for music, and their admiration for each other. Harper captures a city that is divided, but he also captures the soul of Glasgow and the eccentricity of its people.
Nicole Taylor’s script has Dickensian quality to it, but it never becomes too cliched. Wild Rose has its heart in the right places and its message of following your dreams is universal. Rose-Lynn may not be easy to warm to at first, she’s a flawed individual who shies away from her duty as a mother. It’s refreshing to see a female character who is complex and dealing with an existential crisis. Rose-Lynn is a young woman who believes that all she has is her dream, but of course there’s more to life than dreams.
“Nicole Taylor’s script has Dickensian quality to it, but it never becomes too cliched. Wild Rose has its heart in the right places and its message of following your dreams is universal.”
Buckley gives a powerhouse of a performance. Her singing sends chills down your spine and the hairs on the back of your neck stands out. Rose-Lynn lives by the motto, ‘three cords and the truth’ and we can certainly see the truth shine through in Buckley’s performance. She well and truly connects with this material.
Walters’ performance is just as impressive, and her scenes with Buckley towards the end of the film deliver an emotional punch. This is one of most tender, and heartwarming depictions of the bond between a mother and daughter. One that has not been seen on screen as affecting since Lady Bird (2017).
There are moments of corniness in the film, and some may find the material too sentimental. Still the film has such charm and Buckley is truly captivating that it’s hard not to be impressed by Wild Rose. It is a good sign when your first action after the second the film has finished, is to download the soundtrack.
