I don't know how much you've heard about this Irish movie - it seems to me that it's had quite big introduction in the media but it's hard to get to see it. At least here in Czech Republic: I saw an Ondine poster about three weeks ago and thought it could be interesting, then read a review and I decided to go and watch it. I've seen great reviews on the movie in a lot of magazines and websites and I was becoming more and more eager to see it. All my hopes broke down when I found out that it's almost impossible to find a cinema to see it. Finally I found ONE SINGLE CINEMA IN WHOLE PRAGUE with Ondine in the programm and there were only two presentations! It's a shame, really, because it's a wonderful movie!
The story is about an ex-alcoholic, fisherman called Syracuse (Colin Farrell). He lives alone in a small Irish seaport town, he's divorced and has a daughter who lives with her still drinking mother. One day he catches a beautiful woman (Aicja Bachleda Curus) in his net, seemingly drowned. When she starts to breathe and choke he wants to take her to the doctor but she refuses. For some reason she doesn't want anybody to see her or even know about her and when Syracuse asks her about her name, she says 'You can call me Ondine. That means "She came from the sea"'. He shows her a deserted cottage and there she lives in secret.
Later, Syracuse tells his daughter Annie a story about a fisherman who caught a mysterious woman instead of fish and she recognizes that the story is true. Short after that Annie follows her father to the cottage and meets Ondine. Annie is under the impression that Ondine is a
selkie, a seal woman who came to live on land and who can stay for seven years if she finds her seal coat and buries it. It's really hard not to believe it when Ondine swims like a mermaid, sings above the sea and the usually empty nets are full of fish. Whether she is or isn't a selkie, I won't tell you. The end might be shocking in a bit unexpected and strange way but that doesn't change my opinion. If you still have the possibility, watch Ondine. You won't regret!
My rating: 90 %
