This artsy independent film centers on a fisherman from southern Ireland’s Cork region (Colin Farrell) who discovers an unusual woman (Alicja Bachleda) in the water. His disabled daughter (Alison Barry) is convinced she's a selkie, a creature that can transform between seal and human by removing its skin. The question becomes: what’s really going on? Dervla Kirwan portrays the former wife, Tony Curran plays the "stepdad," and Stephen Rea takes on the role of a guiding priest. Neil Jordan wrote and directed “Ondine” (2009), creating a poetic coastal drama/mystery that brings to mind films like “The Seventh Stream” (2001) and “The Secret of Roan Inish” (1994). It combines the atmospheric seaside setting of "Orca" (1977) with the mysterious feel of “Half Light” (2006), the romantic elements of “Message in a Bottle” (1999), and the somber folk music style found in “McCabe & Mrs. Miller” (1971). The film’s presentation is artistic, featuring apparent ambiguities that some viewers might find frustrating. It deals with the idea of longing for something better when facing difficult circumstances. Bachleda's appearance is presented without being overly suggestive. The actors speak with an Irish/Scottish accent, and the dialogue frequently feels naturalistic and mumbled, which can make it hard to follow if you’re not familiar with those accents. It's a shame there aren't English subtitles on the disc; watching it through streaming would be better with subtitles enabled. The folk-inspired soundtrack occasionally introduces unexpected tracks like “Bathe in Blood” by Evile and "Then Comes Dudley" by The Jesus Lizard. The movie has a runtime of 1 hour, 42 minutes and was filmed in Beara, County Cork, Ireland. GRADE: B

Source on TMDB