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During wartime, the families of soldiers often spend their days worrying about their loved ones—hoping for the best but fearing the worst. But in The Road Dance a young woman from a small village endures her own tragedies while the town waits for their young soldiers to return.
The Road Dance takes place at the beginning of WWI, in the Western Isles of Scotland, where Kirsty Macleod (Hermione Corfield) lives with her mother and younger sister. Her dream is to marry Murdo MacAulay (Will Fletcher) and move to America—but their plans are interrupted when the village’s young men are sent into battle. The night before they’re supposed to leave, the village holds a road dance. When Kirsty wanders away from the crowd, she’s attacked. And while Murdo is away fighting in the war, Kirsty secretly fights her own battle at home.
As all of the people in the village remain focused on the war and the young men who are fighting, Kirsty quietly helps with the war effort, keeping the secret of what really happened on the night of the road dance—even from her family—fearing what would happen if the truth came out. And as one painful turn of events after another changes everything for Kirsty and the other people in this small coastal town, the story becomes grimmer and more tragic.
Kirsty’s story is definitely an emotional one—and Hermione Corfield gives a powerful performance as this brave young woman who’s just trying to carry the weight of all of these hardships on her own. At times, though, it can all be just a little too much—too much heartbreak and sorrow. And admittedly, it can be difficult to watch as this character is forced to endure tragedy after tragedy.
Fortunately, though, there’s still plenty to enjoy here when the story gets to be a little too much. The filmmaking is absolutely stunning—taking full advantage of this beautiful seaside location, with its grassy hills and rocky cliffs and stone buildings. It’s a visually striking film, which just adds to the drama and tension of this emotional story of love and hardship during wartime.
With its tale of romance and tragedy during wartime, The Road Dance is certainly an emotional period drama. At times, the pace slows—and it can feel just a little too heavy to bear. But some strong performances and the striking setting make it a beautiful and moving film.
You can travel to Scotland for this wartime drama when The Road Dance arrives in select theaters and on demand on October 13, 2023.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
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