Kritiken

Both [Jason Isaacs and Gillian Anderson] work wonders... The film’s soupy, ambient score tries a little too hard for transcendence and there are one too many inspirational strangers imparting pearls of wisdom... but the Winns’ story goes beyond fridge magnet slogans.

The dialogue doesn’t shine, sentimentality is dangerously near the surface and Moth’s character, in particular, seems one-dimensional, although Isaacs and Anderson are both impressive and locations, from Wales to Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, are beautifully shot by Hélène Louvart.

Director Marianne Elliott is a theatre pro, rather than a seasoned film-maker, and it shows in a certain loss of immediacy that occurs more naturally on stage than screen... [The Salt Path is] a film that could do with a little more feeling overall – and more fury, too.

Predictable to a fault and rather draggy as extraneous characters come and go with little effect, the creeping dullness is offset by the glorious landscapes and the hard-won, uplifting finale that highlights courage, resilience and discovering the true meaning of life.

[The Salt Path] is a movie that’s immediately one of the great British films about resilient marriages, up there with Another Year, Le Week-End and Ethel & Ernest. Marriage is made from struggle and grit and is fundamentally unglamorous yet the emotional rewards can be profoundly sustainable is the message.

The Salt Path is both beautiful and emotional, while avoiding being syrupy sweet. And England’s rugged coast couldn’t have asked for a better advert.

Too rare are the moments that anchor us into the quotidian reality of the Winns’ experiences... Without these touches, we’re regrettably left with yet another pat story about how reconnecting with nature is good for the soul.

[The Salt Path] makes genuinely important points about homelessness, and the middle-class horror of ever crossing that line. But the script... is a surprising letdown. It strikes the ear as a Cliffs Notes version (pun intended) of Raynor and Moth’s coastal trek, with too many exchanges milked for nudging significance.

[An] impressive, intelligent drama... [The Salt Path] stars two fancy actors – Anderson and Jason Isaacs – both giving lovely, emotional, low-key performances... Making her feature-film debut, Elliott handles their story gently, with patience – though it might feel a bit slow for some.

Screenwriter Rebecca Lenkiewicz is able to avoid some if not all of the clichés of the long-walk-to-self-discovery subgenre and includes some light commentary à la Bait on Cornwall’s split identity as both a holiday destination for the rich and one of the poorest regions of the UK. But the story here is too unfocused to land a point.

With understated performances from Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs, as well as immersive land and soundscapes that enhance the thematic pull, this portrait of loss, humanity and rebirth makes it worth the emotional investment.

Exquisitely directed by four-time Tony Award winner Marianne Elliott... [and] with Helene Louvart’s excellent cinematography a real plus, The Salt Path is a cinematic journey worth taking.