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Wild Rose
By Sandie Angulo Chen,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Star performance elevates music-focused Scottish drama.

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Wild Rose
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Okay Film for Teens
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What's the Story?
WILD ROSE follows fiery Scotswoman Rose-Lynn Harlan (Jessie Buckley), who -- upon release from a year-long prison stint -- returns to her council estate home with one dream in her heart: to travel to the U.S. and becoming a country singer. Before facing her mother, Marion (Julie Walters), who's been raising Rose-Lynn's two young children in her absence, Rose-Lynn stops by the home of her friend-with-benefits for an outdoor quickie. The reunion with her mom and kids is awkward, because Rose-Lynn isn't as intuitive with motherhood as she is with singing country (something she used to do at a Scottish pub dedicated to it). Rose-Lynn gets a job house-cleaning for Susannah (Sophie Okonedo), a wealthy mother of two. After Susannah's kids catch Rose-Lynn singing a country ballad while doing the housework, Susannah becomes enchanted with Rose-Lynn's talent and uses her connections to set up a meeting in London with BBC Radio's country music expert. As Rose-Lynn grows closer to her goal of a trip to Nashville to visit the Grand Ole Opry and pursue a professional career, she must come to terms with her shortcomings as a mother and daughter.
Is It Any Good?
Buckley's standout performance -- including impressive vocals -- makes this British dramedy worth seeing. Lauded for her unforgettable supporting role on HBO's Chernobyl, Buckley is riveting as the larger-than-life Rose-Lynn, who's not always likable (her skills as a mother and a daughter aren't nearly on par with her skills as a country singer) but who audiences will root for nonetheless. She can be self-absorbed and doesn't always think before speaking (as in a cringeworthy but funny scene where she flat-out asks her boss to lend her $5,000), but her voice is so soulful and beautiful -- in the folk/Americana style of Emmylou Harris or Patty Griffin -- that it's clear everyone should be listening to her. Okonedo is well cast as a wealthy but somewhat bored lady of the house who's almost overly eager to help Rose-Lynn, and Walters is subtle but strong as Rose-Lynn's long-suffering mother who's had to step up and raise her two grandchildren. Some of the film's best scenes are soul-baring conversations between mother and daughter.
Director Tom Harper, working off a script by Nicole Taylor, manages to subvert some of the expectations for "a star is born" storylines. The ending isn't the stadium-filled concert or awards-ceremony win viewers might expect from the genre, but it's still satisfying and hopeful -- and, naturally, it showcases Buckley's powerful voice. The soundtrack's beautiful original song, "Glasgow," was written by Oscar-winning actress/singer Mary Steenburgen and is an emotional tribute to the idea that "there's no place like home."
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Wild Rose portrays country music. Why is that type of music so important to the main character? What do you think of it?
Discuss the substance use in the movie. Is it necessary to Rose-Lynn's story? What, if any, consequences are there for drinking?
Is anyone a role model in the movie? Which character strengths do they display? What role does gratitude play in the story?
Movie Details
- In theaters: June 21, 2019
- On DVD or streaming: September 17, 2019
- Cast: Jessie Buckley , Julie Walters , Sophie Okonedo
- Director: Tom Harper
- Inclusion Information: Female actors, Black actors
- Studio: Neon
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Music and Sing-Along
- Character Strengths: Gratitude
- Run time: 100 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: language throughout, some sexuality and brief drug material
- Last updated: January 2, 2023
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