Wild Rose (2019)

Film: Wild Rose (2019)
Stars: Jessie Buckley, Julie Walters, Sophie Okonedo
Director: Tom Harper
Oscar History: No nominations
Snap Judgment Ranking: 2/5 stars

One of the more common questions I'm asked is "what kinds of movies do you like?"  While I have stock answers, either the truthful "I like all kinds of movies" or the less obnoxious "film noir, westerns, and caper films," in all honesty there are a couple of genres I'd be fine never seeing another movie of again.  This is not because they aren't enjoyable (I mean it when I say that all genres are capable of greatness), but because filmmakers seem incapable of finding something original to say about them anymore.  Perhaps the biggest culprit in the "I'm over this" cinematic genre Olympics is the "struggling musician achieves greatness" trope.  This has been seen recently in both biopic (Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman) as well as fictional (A Star is Born), but it's always the same story. With Wild Rose, which felt like its reviews might give me something unique & different, I was hoping for something that wasn't just a rags-to-riches tale.  While it wasn't quite that, I still leave thinking this isn't the "genre-saver" that this cliche clearly needs.

(Spoilers Ahead) The movie focuses on Rose-Lynn (Buckley) a recent parolee who was arrested for drug smuggling, and who dreams of stardom in Nashville, despite being a Scottish country singer.  Her mother Marion (Walters) takes care of her children for the most part, while Rose-Lynn eschews responsibility for her family whenever it means that she can pursue her dream.  She gets a chance to do just that when her employer, Susannah (Okonedo) arranges for her to meet with a famed disc jockey for the BBC.  He encourages her to start writing her own music, as she can sing but hasn't found her niche yet.  Susannah also finds a way to send Rose-Lynn to Nashville after a fundraiser, but Rose-Lynn backs out, realizing that her mother was right-she doesn't understand the responsibility she has to her children.  Eventually Marion gives Rose-Lynn the money to go to Nashville to pursue her dream, but once she's there, she understands that her future, both in her musical career and with her children, is still in Scotland, and comes back, eventually getting to perform at a famed Scottish musical festival her original song of "Glasgow" to an uproarious crowd.

The movie, as you can tell from the plot description, is not treading new ground.  The idea of someone eventually realizing the greatest gift is their children and that they should dream a little closer to home is something that has permeated throughout cinematic history.  The film is filled with solid performances.  Buckley has a helluva voice, and hopefully with the surprise BAFTA nomination she got for this (putting her up against the likes of Charlize Theron and Renee Zellweger), she'll be able to translate this into other work, and Okonedo & Walters are both solid supporting players always.  But the script is tired and predictable, and other than perhaps our glimpse into the life of a wealthy, privileged housewife (Okonedo's Susannah) doesn't give us much to chew on in terms of new fodder from an exhausted genre.

That said, the music is excellent.  Buckley tackles covers of country legends ranging from Wynonna Judd to Patty Griffin to Emmylou Harris with aplomb, making them sound like you've heard them for the first time even if you know the lyrics by heart.  The original song "Glasgow" is a showstopper in the best way, and as it's near the end, will almost convince you its a better movie than you actually had just seen.  I don't like discussing Oscar chances within the bodies of reviews as it makes them age horribly, but I'm going to take an exception since tomorrow is nominations day-considering what's on the shortlist, it would be a crime if "Glasgow" got bounced for some considerably more banal entries, though I have to wonder if a movie this small will be able to get in against major pop stars like Beyonce and Elton John.  If it does get the surprise nomination, it may be giving light to a relatively routine movie, but a soundtrack you need to download immediately.