PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2026 REVIEW! From writer-director Helen Walsh, On The Sea is set in a small town in coastal North Wales. Jack (Barry Ward) and his younger brother, Dyfan (Celyn Jones), run a family fishing business. Times are tough as Jack had conquered a recent bout of cancer, but that put a strain on Dyfan and his family to keep the business afloat, which led Jack’s son Tom (Henry Lawfull) to pursue other interests, like a girl.
After losing one of their top customers, Jack and Dyfan struggle to cover expenses amid a significant loss of revenue. Jack foolishly thinks cutting staff would help, but instead decides that it might be time hire a fishing boat rather than harvesting muscles on shore. Showing him how the fishing boat works is a young deckhand, Daniel (Lorne MacFadyen). Jack and Daniel form a bond, and when Daniel is bullied at a local bar for being gay, Jack tries to stand up for him. Feeling sorry, Jack heads to Daniel’s trailer, and they have sex.
“…Jack and Dyfan struggle to cover expenses amid a significant loss of revenue.”
I’ll just say that I suppose LGBT stories outside of the U.S. haven’t progressed as they do here. I don’t mind seeing yet another coming-out/secret gay love affair movie, but I have seen more than my fair share. On The Sea is pretty typical of the stories I’ve seen. Unfortunately, my gaydar must have been down because I just didn’t see this one coming. I mean, I’m watching a story about a local fisherman struggling to pay the bills, and now he’s making out with Daniel out of nowhere. I mean, there was the jerking off scene and Jack catching Daniel doing the deed with someone else, but damn, I missed this one.
That said, there should be build up to a romance. Their relationship turns into a romance. I need to see why Jack is into Daniel rather than just a chance to jump his bones. This would also be true in a heterosexual romance. There is the build-up, then the payoff. All we have here is the payoff. The second half of the film is about Jack having to deal with the consequences of being a married businessman who is now labeled as gay by the townsfolk. The “coming around” moment just seemed too contrived and convenient.
In the end, I think I’m jaded toward On The Sea, because I’ve seen it done so much better in American cinema. I suppose if you’ve never seen a gay romance drama, this might work, but in the end, it just feels dated and done before.
On the Sea screened at the 2026 Palm Springs International Film Festival.
"…it just feels dated and done before."
