The first thing Robert-Lee does after he is released from the fine is to get a fuck with the always-waiting mistress. Only after that does he go to his old mother who took care of his two young children during the year he was sitting inside. He super, ignores his children, refuses to take responsibility and has only one goal in mind: to leave Glasgow for Nashville and be acclaimed country star.
So a very funny film cliché, a role type that feels as fresh as a rejected beer - but his charming smile and crazy whimsy should nevertheless arouse our sympathy.
Would not believe it.
Well, the above had not worked today. This is known by Tom Harper (director) and Nicole Taylor (script) who have instead let a woman shoulder this typically male role, which makes it all the more interesting, but ... well, Rose-Lynn (as she is called) is still stressful egocentric, a lousy mom / friend / employee who should cut and get a job - as her mom and the rest of the neighborhood say.
It is with great effort that I write on the mental agreement that she is worthy of my commitment.
Which in itself is absolutely excellent; After all, record-keeping roles are not something you are looking for. And she wins in the long run.
Still, Rose-Lynn reluctantly grabs her life, starts working as a housekeeper with a wealthy family where the mother soon catches her eye on her musical ability and suddenly doors that were previously closed open. But the road is not nail-biting, there is something in between, that tricky thing called life.
Wild Rose is Ken Loach with a sentimental steel guitar. A feel good drama from countertop country, with aspiration to be something more: comedy and engaging social drama at the same time. A tanning face with sad eyes.
This in itself is not an unusual combination, but it requires psychological fingertip to get the right mix, and you can safely say that Harper and Taylor are out and about a little here and there, but the last act means that a lot can be forgiven. However, not the fact that the script ignores the children as much as their mother does; they become here in difficult props rather than living people. This is clearly Rose-Lynn's story, not theirs.
Much worse, in other words, but the ensemble gets the last word. Dame Julie Walters establishes the role of a grandmother with usual safety and Jessie Buckley (Chernobyl, Beast) loads the lead role with an almost unstoppable force, which allows her to finally break out of the top of the cliché.