Wild Mountain Thyme is a 2020 romantic comedy film written and directed by John Patrick Shanley, adapted from his stage play Outside Mullingar. The picture stars Emily Blunt, Jamie Dornan, Jon Hamm, Dearbhla Molloy and Christopher Walken and is set in the rural Midlands of County Mayo, Ireland.
Plot
The story follows neighboring farmers Rosemary Muldoon (Blunt) and Anthony Reilly (Dornan), both in their late thirties and lifelong acquaintances. Rosemary has long harboured romantic feelings for Anthony, who remains emotionally distant. Their families are entangled in a dispute over the future of the farm, with Anthony’s father Tony (Walken) considering selling the property to Adam Kelly (Hamm), a New York‑based banker and distant relative. As the narrative unfolds, Anthony grapples with personal insecurities—most notably a belief that he is a honeybee—while Rosemary confronts the prospect of leaving Ireland for a new life with Adam. After a series of misunderstandings, revelations, and a symbolic voice urging him forward, Anthony finally proposes to Rosemary, culminating in a communal rendition of the folk song “Wild Mountain Thyme”.
Cast
- Emily Blunt as Rosemary Muldoon
- Jamie Dornan as Anthony Reilly
- Jon Hamm as Adam Kelly
- Christopher Walken as Tony Reilly
- Dearbhla Molloy as Aoife Muldoon
- Supporting roles include Abigail Coburn, Darragh O'Kane, Don Wycherley, Danielle Ryan, Barry McGovern, and Lydia McGuinness.
Production
The film was announced in May 2019, with Shanley attached as writer‑director and initial casting of Dornan and Holliday Grainger. By August, Blunt, Hamm, Walken and Molloy had joined, with Blunt replacing Grainger. Principal photography began on 30 September 2019 in Crossmolina, County Mayo, and continued in nearby Ballina for approximately five weeks. The cinematography was led by Stephen Goldblatt, and Amelia Warner composed the score, which includes an original song performed by Sinéad O'Connor.
Release
Wild Mountain Thyme premiered in the United States on 11 December 2020, distributed by Bleecker Street, and later opened in the United Kingdom on 30 April 2021 via Lionsgate’s PVOD service. The film was released on DVD on 2 February 2021; no Blu‑ray or 4K edition has been issued.
Reception
Critical response was mixed to negative. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 25 % approval rating based on 130 reviews, with an average rating of 4.6/10. The consensus notes that the film is “fatally undermined by dodgy accents and a questionable story.” Metacritic reports a weighted average score of 45 out of 100 from 24 critics, indicating “mixed or average reviews.” Reviewers criticized the inauthentic Irish accents and perceived reliance on stereotypes, though some praised the performances of the lead actors and the film’s gentle tone. The movie performed modestly at the box office, grossing approximately $1.3 million against a production budget of $5.5 million.