SnoReptilePlenty
Memorable, crazy movie
Reptileenbu
Did you people see the same film I saw?
Staci Frederick
Blistering performances.
pcrprimer
I think that this movie started to lose steam in the final 20 minutes. This part of the movie also coincides with the big reveal about Ondine and her back story. Its interesting how the movie quickly shifts from the fairy tale feeling to a real-life atmosphere for this final 20 minutes. On second thought, the director accomplished exactly what he set out to do with this tonal shift. I guess I fall into the category of fans that wish that (Spoiler!!!) Ondine was truly a selkie rather than a drug mule escaping her abusive past life. When she was on the boat, helping Syracuse, I was thinking that she may just have been a selkie. The Irish landscape also provides a great backdrop between the fantasy like cabin area and the bleak aspects of reality of the village The performances were all on point by the cast. Colin Farrell truly looked and acted the part of a hard-working fisherman. The precocious daughter was excellent in her role, and I loved the delivery of "Curious and curiouser". Alicja Bachleda was also mysterious and enchanting in her portrayal of Ondine.
renis goreng
Blech. I wanted to like this, and I love a good romance, and atmospheric stuff and whatnot. But omg, so clichéd. The mermaid is a hot sexy mermaid (but in a "subtle," art house movie way) who wears lingerie (which is frequently on view), loves cleaning house, doesn't talk very much, has a mysterious eastern block accent, a great body and great legs, swims in see-through dresses, wears boots, a short wet dress and a raincoat everywhere, is kind to children, slings her long tangled hair all over everything...blech. I really wanted to like this, but the mermaid was such a stereotyped male fantasy it was really hard to enjoy. If you want to watch something similar but better try Til Human Voices Wake Us. Splash was a better mermaid movie that was actually less sexist.
Desertman84
A man makes a startling discovery that may or may not be magical in this drama from writer and director Neil Jordan entitled,Ondine.The film stars Colin Farrell and Alicja Bachleda together with Stephen Rea,Dervla Kirwan,Don Wycherley,Carrie Crowley and Alison Barry. In Ondine's storyline,Syracuse, called "Circus", is an Irish fisherman and former drunk, with a daughter named Annie, who is suffering kidney failure and uses a motorized wheelchair, and an ex-wife named Maura. One day, he finds a young woman called Ondine in his net, whom he resuscitates. The woman is disoriented, but refuses hospitalization and doesn't want to be seen by people, so Syracuse takes her to his deceased mother's house. Later, at dialysis, he tells Annie a story about a fisherman who pulled in his nets and discovered a woman. Annie believes the woman in the net is a selkie - a creature that are able to become human by taking off their seal skins, and can return to seal form by putting it back on. A man is seen lurking around the docks seemly looking for someone or something. It is later revealed that Ondine is actually a Romainian drug mule and the man lurking around the docks is the man Ondine works for. The man finds Ondine and wants the backpack (full of drugs) she lost at sea while trying to evade the Coast Guard (which is why Syracuse found Ondine in the ocean)The backpack is in the ocean inside a lobster trap; as the Romainians are trying to get the trap, Ondine makes them trip over a rope and fall overboard. They cannot swim so they both drown. In the end Syracuse marries Ondine so she can stay in Ireland, but mostly because he and Annie love her.This is a charming movie from Neil Jordan.Obviously,he made something magical out of a fairy tale. He makes us believe in the possibility of something we know to be impossible.Also,it is very romantic.The performance of Colin Farrell and Alicja Bachleda makes their love story convincing and compelling.This is a must-see for people who love fairy tales that is made for adults.
moonrocks152
Ondine brought together some sweet stuff - the beautiful Irish coastline, a mythological Selkie sea creature, a struggling fisherman whose life wasn't quite on track. At least two or three original, refreshing films could have taken off from there.But no luck. Less than half way through, I felt stuck in a contrived, overwrought plot that lost all touch with its unique starting point. A creative opportunity missed.Granted, Ondine has magnificent scenery and music. An interesting premise. Fine actors. But the film wastes all of these and hurries itself into just another Hollywood play by the numbers script. By the end of the movie I was completely bored, not caring how any of it worked out.I second the complaints about the lack of English subtitles. Yes, if you focus you'll get most of what's said. But when native English speakers are losing 10-15% of the dialogue then there's no excuse for not including English subtitles on the DVD.
