Went to the cinema last weekend expecting to see some mindless action flick with the missus. Instead, she dragged me to see The Salt Path starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs. “It’s about walking,” she said. Walking!

I thought it would be the most boring two hours of my life. Turned out to be completely wrong about that.

What’s All The Fuss About?

The Salt Path is adapted from Raynor Winn’s best-seller, based on her own remarkable memoir of facing homelessness and walking the 630-mile South West Coast Path with her husband, Moth. Sounds simple enough, right? A couple goes for a long walk.

But there is much more to it. The movie tells the story of how Raynor and Moth were kicked out of their home over a shady business deal. It was then they learned Moth had corticobasal degeneration, a terminal brain disease. So they decided to walk. From Cornwall to Dorset. Roughly $50 bucks and a small set of camping equipment

It makes one mad to contemplate. But also brilliant.

Anderson and Isaacs Nail It

Gillian Anderson as Raynor is perfect. None of that polished X-Files glamour here. She often looks knackered and windswept, sometimes genuinely desperate. Just as someone would look if they had spent 3 or 4 months sleeping out in the open on clifftops.

And Jason Isaacs does equally well as Moth. He gets to be a good guy! Instead, he’s a man who watches his body gradually breaking down. The memory loss and physical confusion he experiences are heart-wrenching without being soppy.

You can tell both actors actually understand what these characters went through. No Hollywood fakery here.

Every time Anderson would weave his magic, my wife would nudge me with her elbow. Gosh, it did get on my nerves, but she was right. The performance is spot on.

The Walking Bit Actually Works

I was dreading endless shots of people trudging along footpaths. Surprisingly, the walking scenes are the best parts. The cinematography is gorgeous. The dramatic sweeps of Cornwall’s coast. The wild weather. Tiny figures against massive landscapes.

But it’s not just pretty pictures. Each day of walking shows how the couple changes. Physically, mentally, and emotionally. You see them getting stronger even as Moth’s condition gets worse.

It’s clever filmmaking that doesn’t hit you over the head with obvious symbolism. The tent scenes are brilliant too. Cramped, uncomfortable, real. No romantic camping nonsense here.

More Than Just A Walking Film

What makes The Salt Path work is it’s not really about walking at all. It’s about what happens when life completely falls apart. Most of us would probably crawl into bed and stay there. Raynor and Moth chose to walk instead.

The film shows how being outdoors, even in terrible conditions, can heal people in ways that medicine can’t. Not in some mystical way, but practically. The routine, the physical exercise, the simple goals. The constant change of scenery. It all helps.

There’s also the kindness of strangers. People they meet along the way who offer food, shelter, or just a friendly word. Restores your faith in humanity, that does.

Had a similar experience myself when I got lost hiking in the Lake District few years back. Random bloke with a dog pointed me in the right direction and gave me half his sandwich. Sometimes people are just decent.

Where It Goes Wrong

The Salt Path itself is far from perfect. A few of the flashback scenes describing how they came to lose their home come off rough. The pace is a bit of a struggle at times, especially in that middle part.

Oh, and yes, it gets a little sentimental also. You can smell the emotional manipulation all over it from miles away. But honestly, it works anyway. I definitely got something in my eye during the final scenes.

Script could use some refinement as well. Some of the dialogue feels written rather than spoken. But the performances carry it through.

My mate Dave would probably hate this film. He’s got no patience for anything slow or emotional. Different strokes for different folks, I suppose.

The Real Story Behind It

The clever thing about The Salt Path is that it’s based on a true story that actually happened. Raynor Winn really did write this bestselling memoir about their walk. It won prizes and everything. The book was apparently brilliant, which explains why they turned it into a film.

What’s interesting is how the walk actually helped Moth’s condition. The constant exercise and outdoor living seemed to slow down his symptoms. Doctors couldn’t explain it properly, but it worked. That’s the kind of detail that makes you believe in the story.

Raynor wrote more books after this one became successful. She’s become quite the walking expert. Good for her, I say.

Why It Matters Now

Released this year, The Salt Path feels particularly relevant. After all the stress and worry of recent times, many people are looking for ways to cope with life’s pressures. The film suggests that sometimes the answer is simpler than we think.

Just put one foot in front of the other.

It’s also refreshingly honest about getting older and dealing with serious illness. Most films either ignore these topics or handle them badly. The Salt Path shows an older couple facing real problems without sugar-coating anything.

Plus, it’s a love story that doesn’t rely on young, perfect people. Raynor and Moth have been married for years. They know each other’s faults. But they stick together when everything goes wrong. That’s proper romantic.

Should You Bother Watching?

Stay off The Salt Path. if you’re in the mood for action, explosions or an easy laugh, it is a quiet reflection of life where life has been terribly unfair. Some might find it boring.

It is a real and well-acted movie, a truthful movie — even if few adults will be eager to see it. Just bring tissues. And remember, this isn’t something to necessarily watch if you’re not in the best frame of mind already.

The walking scenes might even inspire you to get outside more. Can’t be bad for anyone, that. Though I draw the line at sleeping in a tent on a clifftop. I’m not completely mental.

Final Thoughts

The Salt Path surprised me. Went in thinking it would be boring, came out contemplating my life and relationships. Isn’t that what good movies are supposed to do?

Not quite perfect, but real. That counts for something in a world full of fake nonsense. Anderson and Isaacs have given fine performances. The scenery’s stunning. The story’s genuinely moving.

Worth watching if you want something different. Just don’t expect car chases. And definitely don’t go if your other half’s already picked the popcorn flavour. You’ll end up watching it whether you want to or not.

Ah, yes, that was a tough lesson to learn.