The Salt Path (The Film)

I imagine they are rich beyond their wildest dreams, with the books and the film rights.

Saw the film yesterday. Found it a bit dull & drawn out. However I did enjoy the scenery! Jason Isaacs was brilliant and so physically like the real Moth. Gillian Anderson’s accent grated after a while. I don’t think I’d recommend it. Wait till it’s on the telly so it can be turned off if required 😉

totally agree. I found the book preachy and annoying, and the two of them grabby, thieving and entitled. They lost their home. Well, bad stuff happens. They weren't entitled to a nice house and lifestyle. But I found the film much better - a subtle exploration of a long marriage, and of having nothing, with great performances from Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs.

The only thing I couldn’t understand in the book is why they never used a food bank. There are lots of those in towns along the Sw coast path. I really enjoyed the book and finished the subsequent two books. I found the film ok but not riveting. I would be more interested in the full details of how they lost the farm in the first place. Seems very stupid as they explain it.

I agree with Primrose.

Enjoyed the book
I thought she was an excellent writer but the liberal use of the f word I found totally un-necessary

Wow! I’m quite staggered by the depth of feeling against them and their decision to walk. I suppose none of us know what we would do in sudden and life changing circumstances (and they had two!) but I think they were very brave and their decision had massive positive implications for Moth’s health. I found the book inspiring and honest- would you really begrudge them, in such circumstances, a free nights camping/shower and a couple of chocolate bars which were stolen in the heat of the moment? The book is stripped back to not hide things done out of desperation and which they were probably not proud of and also how they felt at times - raw misery, hunger and exhaustion. Nope - you’re right. No one forced them to take on the walk - but what a life affirming decision it was.
I too was a little disappointed on the film as it couldn’t possibly tell the whole story in the depth of the book and it was a bit frustrating knowing there was far more in the story to tell. Just my opinion of course!

I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and certainly didn't see them as scroungers or middle class hikers. They set off in desperation, with bailiffs banging on the door and lived on very meagre rations. In the same week that they were evicted, Moth was told that he had a life limiting illness for which there is no cure and no treatment. He was advised to take it easy and be careful on the stairs. After about 200 miles of wild camping his health actually improved. So I found both the book and the film uplifting, but I'm glad I listened to the book first.

Not read the book or seen tye film but I am lucky enough to live in one of the places it was filmed. We do live in a beautiful place.

I rarely go to the cinema as I don't enjoy it. I find the sound is far too loud so I always leave with a headache. So I shall probably wait till it's on TV too. This film is certainly one to look out for though, I think I'll love it.

Marmight

Saw the film yesterday. Found it a bit dull & drawn out. However I did enjoy the scenery! Jason Isaacs was brilliant and so physically like the real Moth. Gillian Anderson’s accent grated after a while. I don’t think I’d recommend it. Wait till it’s on the telly so it can be turned off if required 😉

I have to be honest here ( and this is the bit I feel guilty about). I assume that Gillian Anderson is speaking in the way that the author does? And imo she doesn’t have a pleasant speaking voice. It’s why I found her collaboration with Gigspanner ( a favourite group of mine). Her writing is beautiful but her speaking voice grates on me.

I was disappointed, and thought GA's acting was awful

I won’t be seeing the film as I didn’t like the book for the reasons others have already mentioned.
I’ll just add that they lost their home because of Raynor Winn’s stupid decision to represent herself in court over a family property dispute. She missed some deadline which meant that the judge had no option but to throw the case out.
It reminded me of Red Adair’s quote: “If you think it’s expensive to hire a professional, just see what it costs you when you let an amateur do the job.”

Oh dear! We've booked to see the film next week having persuaded my daughter that the book was lovely and she'll really enjoy the film. Hope we're not disappointed!

I really enjoyed the book but in hindsight, one or both of them have business brains (and it was business that undid them). So it’s this business acumen (and her writing talent) that has now made them lots of money. Fair enough, I guess . (From someone with not a single business bone in their body!)

A friend lent me the book and told me it was a wonderful story. Unfortunately I did not enjoy the book and won't be going to see the film. Will be going to see the final Mission Impossible instead (obviously I lack good taste!).

SpringsEternal

I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and certainly didn't see them as scroungers or middle class hikers. They set off in desperation, with bailiffs banging on the door and lived on very meagre rations. In the same week that they were evicted, Moth was told that he had a life limiting illness for which there is no cure and no treatment. He was advised to take it easy and be careful on the stairs. After about 200 miles of wild camping his health actually improved. So I found both the book and the film uplifting, but I'm glad I listened to the book first.

The “free nights camping and a couple of chocolate bars “ weren’t free.

They were taken from ordinary people trying to make a living by workng hard to make a living, They had to pay to keep the campsite and stock the shop with the chocolate that you seem to think was “free”.

DH and I saw the film last week. I had read the book and enjoyed it very much. I didn’t question their decision to set off on a long distance walk despite Moths obviously poor health. I enjoyed the film though I didn’t like how Ray was portrayed by Gillian Anderson, she was moany and not at all like the stoic character I pictured! Moths portrayal was excellent. DH probably enjoyed it more than I did as he had no preconceived ideas. The one fact from the book that didn’t come over accurately at all in the film was that Moths condition really did improve as he kept walking - continuous movement is central to that disease, and thus is the reason that they set off again and again on subsequent long distance walks.

I enjoyed the fact that the book covered the bit after the usual happy ever after ending in other books. The long marriage, the difficulties and the who knows what any of us would do if the rug (for whatever reason) was pulled from under our life.

I'm seeing the film next week. A matinee showing at our local independent cinema in a town where part of the film was made.

I saw the film this afternoon and loved it. I read the book when it was first published and found it inspirational, I've read her other two books too. I actually thought they'd done a good job on the film, my husband enjoyed it too and he hasn't read the book.

Labadi0747

I’m heartened to read all these comments as I felt quite curmudgeonly after reading the book . All this poor me stuff / we ve got no money but others do. It annoyed me but felt bad thinking that ! Anyways she’s ok now isn’t she ~ didn’t someone “ lend “ them a home 😡

Yes and as far as I remember that didn’t work out well either.

I loved the book, also read the two subsequent books (found them less enjoyable).

The film was absolutely top of my wish-list, but I feel hugely disappointed, watched yesterday and I would have left early - had I not been centrally seated and been disrupting people.

I feel a bit cheated with the film, although love both the lead actors.

The thing I most want to know is more history of the previous friends and business partners, the way in which they were cheated, who are those people, what are rheir names, what are they doing now, what is their version of events…

I was very disappointed yesterday by the film.
I described it as tedious, then found many of the reviews described it as tedious too !

Gosh how nasty some people are. Losing the farm and home they'd put so much into, husband so ill, homeless, penniless - who dares to judge? And who would like to make a best selling novel from it? Gransnet teaches me how lacking in kindness people can be

undines
It isn’t ‘judging’ to say they made a very foolish investment (in a ‘friend’s’ business), took the decision to represent themselves in court and lost their money, undertook an extremely arduous project when one of them was seriously ill, and stole from people along the way. They had a choice to adopt that lifestyle.
Those are all facts as stated in the book.
The question is whether one is a nasty person to not have any sympathy for them.
I’m definitely nasty, by your definition.