The Salt Path (2024) - A Guest Review by Chad Dixon

The Salt Path (12a) is the film adaptation of the international best selling memoir of the same name by Raynor Winn. It covers a transformative period in her and her husband, Moth's, life after being swindled out of their home and farm in Staffordshire - and at the same time, Moth getting a devastating diagnosis of CBD or Corticobasal Degeneration Disease. A rare and progressive neurodegenerative condition which is characterized by gradually worsening problems with movement, speech, and memory.

As they are finally evicted from their beloved home, they decide the best antidote to all this terrible circumstance is to go walking. With the small amount of money they have remaining, Raynor (Gillian Anderson) and Moth (Jason Isaacs) buy a decent quality tent, a pair of sleeping bags, a few other camping essentials and head off to the South West Coast Path starting in Minehead, Somerset.

The core of this incredible story is the bond of this couple who, "For richer, for poorer. In sickness and in health" truly live up to those traditional marriage vows and they are a strength greater than the sum of their union. Anderson and Isaac's performances are spellbinding as the intrepid couple, as we see them tackling the beautiful and varied topography of Britain's South West coastline. Slowly traversing down steep hills, along rocky beaches and climbing endless steps hewn into the cliff sides - camping wherever they can (as Moth's condition occasionally flares up) and sometimes encountering the wrath of locals walking their dogs - "You Can't Camp Here!" they cry!

The long walk is punctuated with short flashbacks to events that led to their homelessness. The only slightly fortunate coincidence was that their son and daughter were both of the age that university and a gap year, funded by their own meagre savings, were just on the horizon as they packed up their family house. Otherwise the couple received a weekly benefit of £48 provided by a government tax credit due to Moth's inability to work. This was supplemented by the kindness of strangers along the path and some timely public performance speaking in towns.

The rugged landscape combined with the ever-changing British weather could be thought of as a character in its own right here - and on occasion, seemed to be tormenting our main protagonists. At other times, different natural elements uplifted their entire outlook. Most of all, this is a tale of love, courage, togetherness and the triumph of the human spirit over adversity. As the credits rolled on the 1h 55m film, it left me with a feeling of pure joy!