Wayward

Wayward is a feature-length documentary charting one man’s desire to restore and motor ‘his wreck of a boat’ from London to Ireland. The documentary tackles a very heavy subject matter, dealing with themes of addiction and mental health issues. It's a brutally honest depiction of the toll addiction can have on an individual and the impact of a mental health spiral.

What is perhaps most surprising about the documentary is the emotionally resonant and topical themes it suggests in its opening; the piece uses social realism and focuses entirely on the central figure, Mick, which can make for uncomfortable viewing at times. The documentary has a prolonged runtime, which serves as a positive and should give the piece breathing room to explore and delve into Mick’s personality. However, to its detriment, it rarely delves into much beyond his fascination with his boat, and does not allow the audience to learn much about Mick. There are rarely any other figures present, which can also make the piece quite isolating.

Mick is a likeable and down-to-earth central figure, and this is ultimately the driving force of the documentary, keeping it engaging despite its pitfalls. The documentary relies entirely on his screen presence, and despite never truly delving into his struggle with addiction beyond the surface, the experience wouldn't work without his thoughtful, natural presence throughout. That said, the methodical pacing is detrimental to the experience, as the documentary unfortunately lacks enough engaging material to sustain its 64-minute runtime, and its meandering approach can become grating towards its conclusion.

One of the documentary's greatest strengths is its camerawork throughout. The piece primarily consists of wide shots to give the audience a sense of the harbour surrounding Mick’s boat. The shift to extreme close-ups on Mick’s face is harrowing and disorienting to endure, allowing the viewer to be in his shoes as he explains his struggles with alcoholism. It may instantly hook the viewer in with its incredibly audacious camerawork. That said, the piece struggles to maintain its formal prowess throughout the runtime. It's sadly repetitive and dull, failing to remain engaging throughout.

The lack of music is apt throughout, lending to the visceral and brutally honest depiction of what a mental health spiral may look like. That said, the brief inclusion of music is haunting and feels apt within the narrative. Laurence Saywood and Louis Souyave, serving as the film's composers, do a phenomenal job of delivering a powerful musical score which may linger in viewers’ minds after the credits roll.

Unfortunately, the documentary loses momentum in its final stretch and meaningfully engages with its central themes only at the beginning and end of the runtime. Despite its flaws, the documentary finds its footing in the middle section; however, its meandering approach ultimately prevents it from reaching its full potential.

Wayward is a deeply frustrating experience, as the themes presented are truly engaging; however, the documentary tackles these ideas in such a sanitised manner. While the central figure's personality is fairly engaging, you rarely learn anything about him beyond his ambition for boats and his struggles with alcoholism.