Wild Mountain Thyme is a 2020 Irish film starring Jamie Dornan, Emily Blunt and Christopher Walken. Shot in County Mayo and directed by John Patrick Shanley, this is an intimate romantic comedy, adapted from a play called “Outside Mullingar”, performed on Broadway in 2014. A film that celebrates rural Ireland in all its authenticity!
Irish countryside. Rosemary and Anthony Reilly have been neighbors since childhood. Each occupies a farm and works alongside the other on a daily basis, in a unique, unspoilt setting.
Anthony, an atypical, borrowed dreamer, seems to be plagued by existential questions… while Rosemary, a bold, go-getter, has been secretly in love with Anthony since childhood.
Despite his attentions to the young man, Anthony seems deaf to the young woman’s many gestures… Until the day Adam, a wealthy nephew from New York, arrives and falls for the Irish girl…
Forget American-style romantic comedies. The film “Wild Mountain Thyme” is far from the usual clichés, and offers a gentle, authentic story, full of sensitivity and fun.
Carried by a brilliant cast, including Ireland “s Jamie Dornan, Emily Bluny and Christopher Walken, the film is particularly well-written, with dialogue of great depth, adopting an Irish form of wisdom.
The actors are superb, delivering a performance of great humility. We discover a sensitive and lost Jamie Dornan, searching for his place on a farm where his own father has always questioned his legitimacy as a farmer.
Under pressure to take over the family farm and marry, Jamie Dornan seems torn by responsibility and the fear of declaring himself to Rosemary.
As for Christopher Walken, this monument to Hollywood cinema is simply magnificent! Gruff, endearing and full of philosophy, he’s a colorful character!
Finally, Emily Blunt is perfect: in pain, she keeps her feelings to herself to preserve Anthony. An incredibly patient character, but one who seems to be boiling on the inside!
All set in a beautiful, authentic, no-frills environment. You’ll discover an Ireland of almost poetic natural beauty, between mountains, rivers and green fields. Not forgetting the charm of the local Irish pubs, where the traditional song “The
Wild Mountain Thyme
“sung by Emily Blunt and Jamie Dornan!
Irish people sip their pints of Guinness, the music is soft and traditional…
In short, the picture is perfect for feeling transported to Ireland!
But beware: “Wild Mountain Thyme” is a film that could also disappoint its audience, as it has the defects of its qualities.
Slow, light and strong at the same time, the feature film sometimes loses itself in ponderous considerations flirting with heaviness. The scenes are long and tend to be more atmospheric than rhythmic.
What’s more, the script turns out to be rather thin, making you wonder at times whether it’s necessary to see the film through to the end. Will the film start? Or are we condemned to a succession of sequences with no real evolution?
It’s enough to lose some viewers more accustomed to rom-coms than intimate auteur films.
A must-see film, if only for its “good-mood” and 100% Irish atmosphere!
Although it’s an American production, the filming was deeply Irish, taking place over 5 weeks in County Mayo, on Ireland’s west coast.
The setting is a wild, deeply rural Ireland. Forest trails, lush fields, generous rainfall, deserted mountains and moors! Places that will make you travel to Ireland without you having to move from your sofa!
4.59/5 (1,479 votes)
