Ondine
New Irish drama starring Colin Farrell
Ondine is the story of Syracuse (Colin Farrell), a rural Irish fisherman and struggling alcoholic, who finds a beautiful and mysterious woman in his fishing net while at sea. The woman introduces herself only as Ondine, and does not want anyone except Syracuse to see her. Syracuse helps her by letting her stay in his late mother’s house. Nevertheless, his sick daughter Annie discovers her, and believes her mysteriousness to be because she is a selkie, a seal that can take on human form. Annie and Ondine form a close bond, until Ondine’s past comes back and shakes up their idyll.
Ondine juxtaposes ethereal cinematography with hard issues from childhood illness and alcoholism. There’s some comic relief too, in the form of Syracuse’s visits to the church confessional, a trip he makes not due to any belief in organised religion but because there is no meeting of alcoholics anonymous in the town. The film has the feeling of a fairy tale and showcases Colin Farrell’s great versatility as an actor. Overall, it’s quaint and allows us to suspend our disbelief in magic for its duration of the film. This film is well worth a look, with the only disappointment being that Colin Farrell stays in those big woollen gansey-type jumpers for the entire film.
