WILD MOUNTAIN THYME
Released by Bleecker Street
Review by Aimee Sanders
Will ye go, Lassie, go… To see Wild Mountain Thyme?
This quirky, and at times odd, Irish romance/drama has garnered unimpressed reviews and a measly 28% Rotten Tomatoes score. Normally, such information would have sent me step dancing away from this Irish stew. However, knowing next to nothing, save for a brief film description. I impartially masked up and took myself to the movies, where a socially distanced group (of mostly women) and I smiled and laughed at the whimsical writing of John Patrick Shanley’s newest film, WILD MOUNTAIN THYME.
Set in the gorgeous rural countryside of Ireland, we join a cast of eccentric characters, one more quirky than the next. Leading the story is Anthony Reilly (Jamie Dornan) and Rosemary Muldoon (Emily Blunt), both as pretty as the lush scenery that surrounds them. Two single farmers pushing 40, living mirrored lives. He, with his aged father, Tony (Christopher Walken), and, she with her equally sickly mother, Aoife (Dearbhla Molloy).
Owning neighboring cattle and sheep farms, the Reillys and Muldoons are caught between shared history and a land feud. A small piece of ground containing gated access from their farms to the road. Threatening to disinherit his son, Tony entertains selling his idyllic homestead to his American nephew, Adam (Jon Hamm); The capitalistic cousin of Anthony, who is fixed on acquiring the farmland, as well as the little piece of disputed property.
Co-stars Jamie Dornan and Emily Blunt are more than adequate as the delightful misfits. Bickering like an old Irish couple from the start, they’re the perfect match that haven’t quite come together. Like a comedy of errors, unreturned moments of vulnerability open and close between the star crossed lovers, much like the swinging gates standing between their homes. Holding them back from romance is Anthony’s insecurity. Inhibited by his own endearing shyness, Anthony hides himself in the duties of the family farm, much to the dismay of the determined Rosemary, who is set to have his heart.
Witty and playful dialogue sweeps the entire runtime, the best of which is found at the movie’s pivotal climax; A storming scene where a resolute Rosemary (Blunt) confronts a dodging Anthony (Dornan). With time knocking on their farmhouse doors, a strange turn of events reveals a bizarre conflict. Blunt and Dornan do their best with the source material and their charming chemistry alleviates the absurdity.
Shanley takes a refreshingly un-cynical approach to his storytelling. He offers a simple solution of compassion. The sentiment is shown in a touching scene between father Reilly and his caregiving son. Dornan’s ‘Anthony’ and Walken’s ‘Tony’ shine in moments like these. Where accents falter (on Walken’s part) sincerity abounds.
Adapted from his play, “Outside Mullingar,” director John Patrick Shanley (whose much beloved MOONSTRUCK won multiple Oscars back in the 80s), leans heavily into wily Irish stereotypes and sentimentality. The results are a bit corny, but enjoyable nonetheless. WILD MOUNTAIN THYME is currently playing in theaters and On Demand.
