WILD ROSE

UK, 2018, 100 minutes, Colour.
Jessie Buckley, Julie Waters, Sophie Okonedo, Daisy Littlefield, Adam Mitchell, James Harkness, Jamie Sives, Bob Harris.
Directed by Tom Harper.

This is a film with a lot, even more than a lot, of Country music and songs. Somebody remarked that, if an audience was not familiar with Country music, by the end of Wild Rose, they certainly would be. And, possibly, converts! When we realise that the setting is the UK, a long way from Tennessee, that the setting is, in fact, Glasgow, that is something of an achievement.

This is the story of Rose- Lynn, Right from the start, we know that Rose -Lynn is going to make good by the end of the film. That’s not a spoiler, it’s a proper expectation. However, as she emerges from prison, pretty cocksure of herself, she is certainly not a character who engages her audience – rather, she does engage the audience but our response is a strong dislike.

Because she is a strong screen presence, Jessie Buckley makes Rose -Lynn something of a demanding character. She challenges us. But, as we watch her get out of prison and immediately go to visit her boyfriend, and get round to going to her mother’s house where we discover that she has two children, eight and five, we realise that she is going to be challenged herself. And, on first evidence, it looks as though she is going to fail.

As it emerges that from the age of 14 she has been a star down at the local Glasgow Grand Ole Oprey and other clubs, her inborn talent for singing is energised by audience response (which is always loud and enthusiastic, energetic line-dancing, rollicking applause).

Life’s agenda? Plans and decisions – no, except that she has an overall vision that she should have been born in America and that her natural place in life is Nashville, Tennessee. Her life is in the here and now, but focused on her singing rather than on her children and responsibilities. In terms of decisions for life, she is almost completely self-absorbed. Which, in the early part of the film, makes her even less likeable.

She is in her mid-20s, having had her two children before she turned 18, has had a drug-life and been imprisoned for throwing heroin packets over prison walls for inmates. She seems to know nothing about responsibility.

There are two older women in her life and these are the catalysts for, at a later age than might be expected, she begins to be at home in her type and can move on, two steps forward, one step backward, to her appreciation of herself and for some self-acceptance. But, becoming more confident with that good word, quoted in the film, gumption!

Her mother, played by Julie Waters, is very much old-school principles, overcoming her disappointment in not being able to achieve her hopes, but drawing on her strength to get through life. She challenges her daughter to get a job, which she does, but to face up to responsibilities, to show some care for her children, her little daughter not even speaking to her for some time after Rose- Lynn gets out of prison.

The other woman is her employer, played by Sophie Okonedo, a woman whose life in Glasgow was initially hard but who has found love with her husband, achieved a comfortable way of life, is devoted to her children. When she hears Rose- Lynn in singing, she is charmed, enthused, delighted to go out of her way to find opportunities to promote Rose-Lynn?. In fact, she is a kindness personified person.

So, buoyed by opportunities and having to face the demands of responsibilities, Rose-Lynn? begins to be her true self.

The good thing about the film is that it does not simply run along the tracks of showing a self-centred woman who is given opportunities and moves along paths to ultimate success. Rather, she has to test out the reality of her dream (and discover the myriad of similar dreamers who flock to Nashville) and face the reality of her talent and abilities. So, the happy ending, but a realistic one that can be shared by her mother and children and by her kind sponsor.

In fact, Rose- Lynn, performing her final country song, proves to be a good example of potential made good.

1. The title? Rose- Lynn and her name? The image of the Rose, wild? Growing wild? Beauty?

2. The Scots story, the Glasgow settings, the different areas, in the past, the new high-rise buildings? Homes of the wealthy, poor neighbourhoods, the middle class? Clubs, the Grand Ole Oprey, the shops and supermarkets, the prison?

3. The musical score, the range of Country songs, the performance throughout the film? Style of music, themes and lyrics, performance? The country response, the clubs, line dancing, the enthusiasm?

4. The introduction to Rose- Lynn, getting out of prison, her age, self-absorption, her going immediately to her boyfriend, the sexual encounter, then going to her mother and children, the little boy and his not responding, the little girl and her refusing to speak to her mother? Rose- Lynn and her own mother, the reprimands and judgement? Yet her capacity to sing, the reputation from 14, audiences, yet the drugs, the children before she was 18? Her dream of Nashville, saying that she should have been an American?

5. The range of contacts, friends, the boyfriend and the sexual encounter, his presence at the clubs? The not strong bonding with him? The people in the clubs, the owners, customers, bartenders? Her reputation because she was in prison? The past with drugs? Her being sentenced for supplying drugs?

6. Her mother, hard-working, caring for the children, strict, her life’s dreams, not achieving them, working in the bakery at the supermarket, helping with the children, providing meals? Challenging her daughter, accusing her of selfishness and not looking after her children?

7. Rose- Lynn, the drugs background, the children and her inability to cope, the reputation for singing, not made for housekeeping, yet getting her job and cleaning house for Susanna? The moment of change of heart when she tidied up the house – to everyone’s surprise? The gradual softening of the children?

8. Susanna and her family, husband and the children, Rose- Lynn and her admiration of the house, the music, the children’s response, Susanna listening? Susanna and her kindness, encouraging Rose- Lynn, the contact with the BBC, sending her to London? The possibilities? The idea of the party and the guests, for Rose- Lynn to perform with her band, to crowd-fund a ticket to Nashville?

9. Beginning of hopes? But her drinking on the way in the train to London, losing her purse, having to run to the BBC, yet well received by Bob Ross? Prospects?

10. The week of school, the promise to take the children to the beach? The need for rehearsals, her offloading the children to friends and neighbours? Her mother’s reprimand? The children saying they hated her? Yet her taking them to the beach, a happy day?

11. Susanna’s husband, telling her that he saw through her, the warnings? The effect on Rose-Lynn?, drinking, arriving for the party, the welcome, Susanna and her happiness? Her walking off, explaining and giving the truth to Susanna?

12. The response of her mother, their frank talk, her mother giving her the money, the ticket to Nashville?

13. The visit to Nashville, the atmosphere, aura of country music? Her stay, walking the streets, observing? The tour, her going onto the stage, her singing, the violinist? The conversation with the security guard? Her realising there were many girls with dreams arriving in Nashville?

14. Going home, welcomed home?

15. Yet success, growing up, acting within gumption as her mother encouraged her? Writing her own songs, as advised? Going to the club, everybody there, the joy of the family, Susanna and her children present? Rose- Lynn becoming her true self?