Salt Path

It's hard to believe that a film about a couple walking the south west coastal path of England can be anything more than observational documentary or low budget reality TV. Context is everything! What sets this film apart is the fact that it is rooted in a real life tragedy which through many ups and downs eventually delivers a triumph. It is a story of love, commitment, victimisation, perseverance and an openness to be transformed by the experiences that life gives to you.

Many will have read the book. I am informed by a reliable source that the film is true to the spirit of the book. The story is about a couple who have been made homeless and who decide to walk the south west path from  Minehead to Lands End as they have nothing else to do. This film is so much about the journey and not the destination. It is not an action movie and proceeds at a slow plodding pace which helps the viewer to enter into the monotony and struggle of the ups and downs of the coastal path, which mirror the ups and downs of the couple's experience.

What is unclear in the film is if there is any culpability on the part of the couple, Moth (Jason Isaacs) and Raynor (Gillian Anderson), for facing the bailiffs and having their home taken away. There is mention of poor investment choices at one stage but the story is not about how they got into their predicament, but how they confront it. The scenes of the eviction catch in graphic detail the fear and anxiety such an experience generates. So, virtually penniless and with just a tent and the clothes they are wearing, they set off for Minehead.

What complicates matters is that Moth has been diagnosed with a degenerative neurological illness that has given him a left-sided weakness which makes walking difficult - especially up and down the hills and coves of a coastal path.

The couple are mostly cheerful and embrace the freedom of their situation with no deadlines or responsibilities. Moth's condition limits their speed, but Raynor never complains. They meet and are able to encourage a number of folk along the way. They both give and receive hospitality - even spending a night or two in a commune where Raynor has a mind-bending experience.

Along the path they experience a wide range of encounters. Several times, older people walking their dog yell at them telling them that they "can't camp here". There are encounters with different groups of animals which the cinematography turns into a quasi-spiritual encounter - deer, fish, rabbits, goats and seals all feature to offer a 'thin place' encounter. The couple seem to be periodically accompanied by a hawk that squawks and swoops to guide them on their way.

In one seaside town they meet a girl Sealy (Gwen Currant), who seems to be under the control of her aggressive partner. Recognising her predicament they invite her to join them but she refuses but later, for a time, accompanies Moth and Raynor along the path before turning back. I guess this encounter shows that we are not able to help everybody.

The film offers a stunning travelogue for the coasts and communities of Somerset, Devon and Cornwall. Wild, windy and sometime wet, the views are breathtaking and the sunsets mesmerise. One annoying thing that happens a couple of times is that the sea is on the wrong side if they are heading West! Much of the film shows the face of either Moth or Raynor full-frame as they drag themselves along the path and up and down the hills. A hirsute Jason Isaacs  contrasting with the natural beauty of Gillian Anderson whose accent does wander a bit throughout the film.

This is a slow and gentle film which evokes a slow and gentle response. It invites the viewer to reflect as Moth and Raynor are forced to do the same as they process what is happening to them and the reason they are on this pilgrimage. Ultimately the experience is a very positive one, but it is as much about the journey as arriving at Land's End. This is a hopeful film. I encourage you to seek it out and do your own reflecting on where your life's journey has taken you. I'll give it 8/10.