Review of Ondine (2010) by Zarinah H — 21 Oct 2010

âOndineâ? is a romantic Irish drama which stars Colin Farrell as fisherman Syracuse (or Circus as he is known by acquaintances). Syracuse is a recovering alcoholic who goes to confession and unloads his burdens to the resident priest; he is also a divorced father with a young child, Annie (Alison Barry) who is a very sick child.

Syracuseâ(TM)s life changes in an unexpected manner when he finds an unconscious young woman in his fishing nets one day. The beautiful young lady is very evasive about her true identity, and is adamant that she does not want to be taken to the hospital or be seen by anyone, so Syracuse takes her to his home. He calls her Ondine (played by Polish actress Alicja Bachleda), and Syracuseâ(TM)s daughter Annie is convinced that Ondine is a selkie (a seal that can shed its skin to become human). Syracuse himself begins to believe that Ondine might be an otherworldly person when her beautiful singing nets him bountiful amounts of fish on each fishing trip. But is Ondine truly a magical creature from another world, or is she harboring some dark secret that prevents her from revealing her true identity? This forms the core of the story.

The romance that develops between Syracuse and Ondine is credibly woven into the story, and is a gentle, unfolding romance. This is a movie that moves at a leisurely pace, yet does impede the momentum of the plot. It is a gentle, ethereal story of two people â" a lonely, ridiculed man fighting his own inner demons, and a lost young woman searching for a place to call home. It is also a story of an amazing young girl who retains a fierce spirit and positive outlook on life despite her physical limitations.

Watching this mesmerizing Irish drama with its entrancing plot, gorgeous cinematography, and haunting soundtrack reminded me of another movie also centered on the selkie mythology, the Hallmark drama The Seventh Stream starring Saffron Burrows. Oh, and I also loved the Irish animated feature The Secret of Kells, which features Celtic mythology. Final verdict â" engaging romantic drama with elements of suspense.