The Salt Path

Based on the true story of Moth (Jason Isaacs) and Ray (Gillian Anderson) Winn, who after losing their house in an unspecified court procedure, discover that Moth has an incurable illness. Homeless, they decide to walk from Minehead to Land's End. After many difficulties and adventures they arrive, but with a brand new existential mindset based around 'home' being not their old farmhouse, but wherever they happen to be.

It's a lovely story written from Ray's 600 pages of notes she wrote during their journey, and in a nutshell sends a message of never give up, always keep hope, recognise what you have instead of what you haven't.

Isaacs plays an excellent part, Anderson is good, but lacks the depth of acting needed to make the role great. There's some beautiful countryside and great editing and all in all I give it a solid 7.

As Ray and Moth are on the cusp of retirement, they lose their home and savings in one unlucky swoop. To make things worse Moth is diagnosed with a rare and terminal neurodegenerative disease. In a "glory before death" type of decision, the distraught couple begins a journey on the Salt Path. The 630-mile trail runs along the English coast from Dorset to Somerset. Through good and bad moments including rainstorms, rude people, snoring, physical exhaustion, limping, humor, beautiful scenery, unexpectedly profound moments of insight, deep realizations about each other, and natural wonders, Moth and Ray discover a new definition of "home."

I believe deeply in the healing power of nature for body, heart, mind, and soul. When I go into the natural world, whether in joy or pain, I exit renewed and hopeful. All my life this has been true. This inspiring true story backs up this cherished belief. Along the Salt Path the wonders of nature are experienced in the bird songs, ocean swells, curious seals, sunsets, resplendent forests, and more.

The Salt Path is based on a 2018 memoir of the same name. Director Marianne Elliott relies less on the words of the book, and more on the actual experience of the trail. At this world premiere screening of the film at the Toronto International Film Festival, Elliott said it was challenging to film on location, but the results were worth the cost. Agreed, for the trail is stunningly serene and it speaks for itself.

I' will confess that I was slightly underwhelmed by this film but nonetheless I still enjoyed it. Although the basis is based on real events there are no great surprises and this kind of thing has been seen before in other films in recent years such as A Walk In the Woods or The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry.but

That being said, Jason Isaacs and Gillian Anderson are both excellent and hold the slight story together very well. Anderson has never looked less glamorous as she does here and is almost unrecognisable putting in an understated but believable performance. Isaac's similarly looked different to what we've seen him in before and shows us all that given a good script he is actually a surprisingly deep actor. The two of them work very well together and you really do feel their despair and believe their love for each other keeps them strangely optimistic, dignified and grateful for small mercies.

The film does sag a little bit in places and doesn't really expand much on what led to their bankruptcy. That said though the film is a small scale effort held together by some big performances. Perhaps not essential viewing but a rewarding one nonetheless.

My Review - The Salt Path- in cinemas now My Rating 8/10

It may sound odd to compare the teaming of superb British actors Jason Isaacs and Gillian Anderson in The Salt Path to Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn in the classic 1951 movie The African Queen however that's the quality of their performances.

I'm not saying The Salt Path is the same calibre movie as The African Queen or that the subject matter is similar it's the rapport and chemistry of its two main characters.

The Salt Path is beautifully directed by Marianne Elliott with a screenplay by Rebecca Lenkiewicz. It's based on the 2018 memoir of the same name by Raynor Winn.

Gillian Anderson can play any role ranging from the Grand Duchess Joanna in The Great , a superb Margaret Thatcher in The Crown to DSU Stella Gibson in The Fall.

In The Salt Path she plays Raynor Winn married to Moth Winn who lose their home a farm in Staffordshire after being sued by a friend who they had guaranteed a business.

A week after being evicted from their farm and now homeless Moth is diagnosed with a rare incurable painful life threatening disease named corticobasal degeneration.

Then to top of the bitter taste of poverty they are told when they consult social security that there is a two-year waiting list for non-emergency housing.

What can they do ? When Raynor suggests they just walk Moth replies "oh well we've got nothing better to do " So they set off on a long and arduous 630 mile walk known as The South West Coast Path with a guide book by Paddy Dillon.

On the walk they come to terms with the shame of homelessless and the scorn of some people they meet. Others offer sympathy and assistance. As they walk, Moth slowly grows in strength.

There's a hilarious scene when Moth is mistaken for the poet laureate, Simon Armitage, who is also walking the path somewhere, and treated with humour when he denies it.

Moth's declining health starts to improve as their walk proceeds and the love and dedication of their relationship is obviously a great reason for that as they both face being stripped of every material asset and just rely on hope and faith in each other.

I found The Salt Path a very moving and interesting experience that's beautifully filmed by cinematographer Hélène Louvart.

Thoroughly enjoyed the movie, because of the nature shots, intimate scènes between Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs and I just wanted to stay in that world a little longer. They are showing their real faces, wrinkles and spots and all, and I loved them for it.

I've read the book and I feel they followed it quite strictly. Seeing the movie gave me that extra time I would have liked after I finished the book.

The way the movie is written, it solves for 'endless walking scenes' by shocking you to life every 10m or so. Either by an event, the light, or music, or something. That was well thought through, so it's not just forever walking till boredom. At all.

The connection between Anderson and Isaacs feels genuine.

It's hopeful, adventurous, reinvigorating, and touches upon loss and homelessness in a not all-consuming way.