Ondine - Movie Review

As I was watching Ondine, I wasn't really sure what genre I was watching. I willingly suspended my belief as the lead character, Syracuse (Colin Farrell) fished a strange woman out of the ocean with his trolling net. After reviving her, he learns little about her past, while divulging quite a bit about his own.

It seems that Syracuse was often called Circus because his drinking made him act like a clown. He has sworn off the evils of alcohol and makes a modest living on his boat. What we learn about the woman he saved, Ondine (Alicja Bachleda), is that she was pulled from the ocean and might very well be a Mermaid-like creature called a Selkie. This line of thinking is fueled by Syracuse's daughter, Annie (Alison Barry). It seems Ondine engages in behavior indicative of a Selkie. The concept is further fueled by the abnormal catches that Syracuse hauls in when Ondine sings on his boat. As the plot unfolds, fate plays some tricks while allowing for just enough twists to make the story work. The film begs the question "who is Ondine?"

Neil Jordan wrote and directed this drama that borders on fairytale. The story itself was captivating, although seemingly geared toward a younger audience. The way events worked together to create an illusion were crafted decently, but also felt very contrived. Once the story moves beyond setting the stage, it provides enough foundation for viewers to understand where the story is going. Yet, some scenes feel a bit manipulative. The characters are developed decently, but were somewhat predictable. Jordan achieves a decent balance in his writing, but did leave me feeling a bit exploited. There were also a few slow stretches.

Alison Barry was likable, but her character annoyed me just a tad bit. It wasn't a big issue, because Barry managed the role well. Because she was personally likable, some of the traits in her character were a bit more palatable. I actually thought she came off very composed. I like Colin Farrell and have rarely found myself critical of his roles. His brogue was a bit hard to understand at times, but his performance was excellent. His relationships with Barry and Bachleda on-screen seemed natural. Bachleda sold the fairytale part of the script and was easy on the eyes. I just liked her, plain and simple. I didn't care much for a couple of the other characters, but it had little to do with the performances. The casting seemed to be one of the bright spots for this film (along with the beautiful scenery).

Ondine offers an interesting perspective on drama that blurs the lines between fact and fiction. Carefully straddling the line sometimes means compromising credibility, which this film does in order to achieve the desired affect. The manipulation was enough to put me off at times. The characters were engaging, but a bit predictable. The story was warm and included some interesting plot twists that required some stretches of the imagination. Overall, this film might be a useful way to pass a rainy day. Don't go out of your way to see it. 6.5/10.