The Salt Path ★★★

Released: 30 May 2025

Director: Marianne Elliott

Starring: Gillian Anderson, Jason Isaacs

The first few scenes of The Salt Path show a middle-aged couple getting swept up by the ocean, but as the film steadies on, its beginning acts as an inaccurate representation of their coastal journey. Gillian Anderson and Jason Issacs take on the roles of real life homeless couple, Raynor and Moth Winn in director Marianne Elliott’s debut feature. It’s an exploration of life’s hardships, and how while some can be cruel, they can act as awakenings.

Based on Raynor’s best-selling memoir of the same name, the film follows the couple as they navigate losing their home following a legal ruling. To cope with their loss, instead of staying in their hometown that is plagued with negativity, they seek to walk 630 miles across the South West Coast Path, from Somerset to Dorset. While dealing with the unexpectedness of both Moth’s terminal illness diagnosis and their money issues, their journey is full of ups and downs.

Their walk consists of new found freedom for the pair, but also highlights the difficulties that walking can have as they pass clifftops and fight off stormy conditions. Moth is often in pain, and they both fight off the cold by sleeping closely in their tent. Living off £40 a week and the decency of other humans who help along the way, the pair hit a roadblock when Raynor accidentally forgot to cancel a bill – leaving them with a mere £1 something for the week. It’s harrowing and real. Arguably, one of the more realist scenes in a film you will see this year. But through all the tough times, they remain united full of love for one another.

It’s a beautifully directed journey by Elliot, whose focus is on the landscape but this alone doesn’t automatically help the film unlock its full potential. The Salt Path’s biggest issues lie within the narrative and the lack of backstory. At 1 hour 55 minutes, there is not a lot of structure to its story compared to how much walking we see. Filmed in Wales, the cinematography is breathtaking and really highlights the benefits of the nature that surrounds us. While we see flickers of their backstory, unless you have read Rayor’s book then the film will have you feeling half-full. How did they get into their position? What did they do prior to this? How did their children cope? The film could have benefitted by going that extra mile to provide audiences with a better understanding of what type of people the couple were prior to their struggles.

Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs’ performances are solid and emotionally captivating through a somewhat frustrating narrative. The Salt Path isn’t a bad film, but perhaps misunderstood. If you take away the plot holes, the film is really a reflection of Raynor and Moth’s transformative journey through the loneliness of it all. It’s not for everyone, but for those who need a film for a Sunday afternoon and a couple of biscuits, this one could be for you.