Once upon a time, a fisherman in Ireland pulled a beautiful blonde out of the ocean. This is how writer-director Neil Jordan’s (The Brave One) Ondine begins, but the characters have a long way to go until they reach their happily ever after.
The fisherman, played by Colin Farrell (The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus), is very reclusive and a joke to the townspeople, who call him Circus instead of his real name, Syracuse. The little human interaction he has is with his handicapped daughter, who lives with her mother.
Syracuse’s simple life takes a turn for the mysterious when he finds a lifeless body in his fishing net. To his surprise, the woman awakens, and a string of peculiarities ensues.
The two instantly connect when Syracuse learns that the woman does not like being around other people. But she does not stay sheltered for long — she is discovered by Syracuse’s daughter, Annie (newcomer Alison Barry).
Annie questions the woman, Ondine (Alicja Bachleda, The Beheaded Rooster), relentlessly. Ondine is enchantingly beautiful and vague about her past, leading Annie to believe she is a selkie, a part-seal, part-woman creature from Celtic mythology.
Syracuse lets his wheelchair-bound daughter have her fun, but somewhere in the back of his mind, he starts to wonder where Ondine truly comes from. Whenever Ondine accompanies him on his fishing trips, she sings in an unrecognizable tongue that makes fish come swimming into his traps. Syracuse cannot help but wonder whether this is not a coincidence.
But Jordan’s story does not end with a wealthy fisherman and his ethereal fairy-tale bride. Just as the fantasy world takes over, reality rears its ugly head.
Annie, a sharp-tongued pre-teen, suffers from kidney failure. She is forced to live with her alcoholic mother. Despite the adversity, Barry portrays Annie as a charming, witty girl who does not let her deteriorating health affect her ability to outsmart anyone on the playground. She is adorable and her smile is contagious. She speaks with such innocence and hope that the audience will surely believe in the tale of the selkie whenever Annie tells it. Barry comes out the real star of the movie.
Neither Annie nor Syracuse fits in their respective communities. They accept Ondine into their lives quickly and allow her mystery to consume them. The father-daughter duo is looking for something more in their lives.
Syracuse seeks something to live for besides his dying daughter, whom he knows he will lose someday, leaving him completely alone. Annie is in pursuit of an escape from the life she will leave too early.
Farrell and Bachleda have great on-screen chemistry, visible in even their nonverbal interactions. The pair is subtle and understated. Their relationship is a reminder that love is never easy or pain-free.
Ondine is a fairy tale for adults. It explores what happens in between the “once upon a time” and “happily ever after.” It explores both the harsh realities of life and the childish belief that hope and happiness go hand-in-hand.
The setting — dark and rainy — reflects a heaviness that is found in all of the characters. Ondine is not a happy film. But the dynamic characters, each with a unique back story, are relatable and engaging. They are luminous despite the darkness surrounding them.
RATING: 4 stars out of 5
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