The Secret of Roan Inish (1994)

The Secret of Roan Inish Review
This is a charming movie. Beautiful to look at and the little girl is captivating. A real find.

what a wonderful movie
I checked out this movie at my local library and watched it with my 2 daughters and then bought it. It is a wonderful movie and my girls loved it. There is just something so heart touching about this irish story. My girls and I highly recommend it.

A modern-day Celtic folktale lovingly brought to life
John Sayles's Secret of Roan Inish is based upon the short story [[ASIN:0786810637 The Secret of Roan Inish/Movie Tie-In]] by Rosalie K. Fry, which explored the Celtic legend of the selkie, seals that can turn into humans. Ten-year-old Fiona has been living in the city, but is sent to live with her grandparents on a remote island in Donegal, Ireland. She plunges into the mystery of the disappearance of her younger brother Jamie, and along the way meets her strange cousin Tadhg (John Lynch), who tells her the story of her selkie ancestor. Fiona is consumed with her quest to find her brother, whom she's seen swimming with the seals, and to convince her grandparents that she's telling the truth.

The cinematography of craggy Donegal is beautifully shot, bringing to life the small fishing community where Fiona's family lives. Flashbacks capably illustrate the unusual pedigree of Fiona's ancestors, and it's telling that child Fiona has no trouble in understanding Tadhg, while adults write him off as odd. There are excellent performances all around, including the perhaps-familiar-to-American-audiences brother-and-sister team of John and Susan Lynch ([[ASIN:6304698690 The Secret Garden]], [[ASIN:6305210411 Sliding Doors]], [[ASIN:B000ZOXDFA Elizabeth - The Golden Age (Widescreen Edition)]]) and Mick Lally ([[ASIN:6304884389 Circle of Friends]], [[ASIN:B0009PLLN6 Alexander - Director's Cut (Full Screen Edition)]]) as Fiona's grandfather.

The film's soundtrack by Mason Daring also deserves special mention. A unique blend of haunting original score, Celtic jigs, and Irish-language vocals, it captures the maritime feel of rural Ireland as well as moves the movie along through some of the more haunting dream sequences.

This is a gentle film that is slow to unfold, but one that is ultimately rewarding and perfect for family viewing.