Ondine – Das Mädchen aus dem Meer (2009)

Ondine – Das Mädchen aus dem Meer: Directed by Neil Jordan. With Colin Farrell, Alicja Bachleda, Dervla Kirwan, Alison Barry. An Irish fisherman discovers a woman in his fishing net whom his precocious daughter believes to be a selkie.

“I respond well to movies with honesty and heart, and Ondine has plenty of both. Set in an Irish fishing town, you can also feel the love and respect of the filmmaker for the rugged and beautiful setting. The performances are excellent, with especially good work by the the young Alison Barry playing the part of Colin Farrellu0026#39;s daughter, who suffers from kidney failure and must undergo regular dialysis (reminded me of the early work of Dakota Fanning).u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe filmu0026#39;s u0026quot;feelu0026quot; is a bit darker than I expected, making the injections of wry Irish humor in Colinu0026#39;s confessions to the priest (played by Stephen Rea) even more enjoyable. The script keeps you wondering until very near the end, u0026quot;Is this really a modern fairy tale, or is there a more earthly explanation?u0026quot; The soundtrack is appropriately plaintive, with songs by Lisa Hannigan and others. I definitely plan to buy the soundtrack. Because this film is low-key and thoughtful, it probably will not receive the attention from audiences it deserves. But serious moviegoers should take the time to watch, enjoy and appreciate.”