Le secret de Roan Inish

The Secret of Roan Inish is a departure for John Sayles, in that his normal cynicism and mildly jaundiced eye is replaced by the completely credulous child's view, and his film is all the more charming because of it. In essence, this is a children's movie, and only through Sayles' brilliance are we adults allowed in.

Roan Inish is a deserted island off the coast of Donegal, where Fiona's mother died and her baby brother was lost at sea. Her father has moved to the city but Fiona is sent back to live with her grandparents for her health. Her grandparents live on the coast opposite Roan Inish, having moved off the island at the same time. In fact, the Conneelys have a very special bond with Roan Inish, as Fiona starts to discover as she talks with the local townfolk, especially to a dark and brooding relative named Tadhg. Tadhg tells her about the selkie -- a shapeshifter of Irish lore who is half-seal and half-human -- and why Roan Inish is so important to the family. From that, Fiona must unravel the mystery of what happened to her baby brother.

I don't want to spoil any of the story, so rather than recount any more of the plot, I'll just tell you that all the performances are wonderful. Mick Lally as the grandfather especially shines, as does Eileen Colgan as the grandmother. Jeni Courtney is terrific as young Fiona and Richard Sheridan as Eamonn, her young cousin, is very good too. In fact, I couldn't pick out any bad performances at all.

The Secret of Roan Inish features some beautiful Irish music, both instrumental and Irish-language, and of course features lush cinematography of the Donegal area and coast. Beautifully shot, wonderfully written and performed, and masterfully directed, The Secret of Roan Inish will delight everyone in the family. Don't hesitate to buy or rent this one.

Some people would label this a children's movie...and yet, it has all the mystery and beauty that accompanies films for adults who love poetry and traditional storytelling and classic literature. Watch this film, and you'll get a good idea of Irish tradition and life and their constant belief in legend and lore, which has made them into the wonderful and strong race that they are today. There is a deep sense of family...a truly strong family who has clearly had its ups and downs and yet has come out even stronger than before. A family that has been through generations of change, adapted, continues to change and yet still holds onto the traditions and stories along the way. Stories that others might assume are myth and faery tales. And stories that we know aren't anything but the truth woven into a magical tale.

In most Irish tales and legends I've read, there is a quest which keeps the main character(s) pushing forward through all the challenges of life. Fiona's store in this movie is no different. She's a little girl lost at the beginning when we meet her, wandering through the smog of the city to find some way to latch onto her father who is lost and sad with grief over a dead wife and a dead and missing baby boy. Her true quest begins when she is sent to live with her grandparents who still live by the sea. And the quest truly becomes a quest when she learns that her baby brother Jamie has been spotted on Roan Inish, the Island of the Seals where her family originated from.

The music weaves itself around the characters and the story to make it more complete than it would be without it. It is both peaceful and stirring, providing the background for the cultural ear. With the music and the intricate storytelling, one can become truly lost in this story. And truly a part of it.

If I had children, this is one movie I would have them watch over and over again. Like Disney's "Darby O'Gill and the Little People," this is a movie to entertain children of all ages.

The film examines a young Irish girl, Fiona Coneely, and her search for her baby brother, Jamie, in the late 1940's. Jamie disappeared a few years earlier, and hints begin to emerge that he may have been carried off by the many seals that haunt the island where he lived.

Fiona is portrayed quite well. Although she looks frail physically, she nevertheless conveys a deep strength and fearlessness as she uncovers strange elements of her family's past and begins to believe that Jamie may still be alive

The Irish setting is played up very strongly. There are lovely seascapes and good use of Irish music. The faces of the people are very evocative as well, with many rugged, homely appearances that feel very honest and comfortable. The magical elements are portrayed seriously and delicately without getting too corny -- no dancing leprechauns.

The messages of the film are done intelligently, without much dialogue, relying mostly on visuals. One thing I noticed in a second viewing is how much of the time the film shows people working. It opens up in a tough-looking laundromat or factory of some sort, and many of the key scenes are set with the main characters talking while they are busy with the work of their daily lives. There is an important scene where children labor especially hard for something that has a strong influence on the resolution of the story. At no time is there an overt quote about working, but the importance of labor comes through seeing people do it.

"Roan Inish" works well for young children as well. My younger sons were swept into it, although it is quite unlike any film they had seen before. They definitely thought it was unusual, but they seemed to enjoy the characters and situations and had a lot of interested questions about what was going on.

Some people would label this a children's movie...and yet, it has all the mystery and beauty that accompanies films for adults who love poetry and traditional storytelling and classic literature. Watch this film, and you'll get a good idea of Irish tradition and life and their constant belief in legend and lore, which has made them into the wonderful and strong race that they are today. There is a deep sense of family...a truly strong family who has clearly had its ups and downs and yet has come out even stronger than before. A family that has been through generations of change, adapted, continues to change and yet still holds onto the traditions and stories along the way. Stories that others might assume are myth and faery tales. And stories that we know aren't anything but the truth woven into a magical tale.

In most Irish tales and legends I've read, there is a quest which keeps the main character(s) pushing forward through all the challenges of life. Fiona's store in this movie is no different. She's a little girl lost at the beginning when we meet her, wandering through the smog of the city to find some way to latch onto her father who is lost and sad with grief over a dead wife and a dead and missing baby boy. Her true quest begins when she is sent to live with her grandparents who still live by the sea. And the quest truly becomes a quest when she learns that her baby brother Jamie has been spotted on Roan Inish, the Island of the Seals where her family originated from.

The music weaves itself around the characters and the story to make it more complete than it would be without it. It is both peaceful and stirring, providing the background for the cultural ear. With the music and the intricate storytelling, one can become truly lost in this story. And truly a part of it.

If I had children, this is one movie I would have them watch over and over again. Like Disney's "Darby O'Gill and the Little People," this is a movie to entertain children of all ages.

You have to suspend belief during "The Secret of Roan Inish" and accept Irish legend as fact. This shouldn't be too difficult for moviegoers weaned on Star Wars and Die Hard. Let's hope so because "The Secret of Roan Inish" is a rare movie, a fairy tale, told from a child?s perspective, but for adults as well as children.

Roan Inish is an island off the coast of western Ireland from which 10-year-old Fiona's family has recently decamped for the mainland because of hard times. Now directly across the water from their beloved island, Fiona's grandparents take her in after her city-living father can no longer care for her. And there are secrets. Unbeknownst to Fiona there is a branch of her family descended from Selkies, beings half seal and half human. Unlike mermaids though, Selkies are either all human or all seal, depending on their mood. And if you can catch a human Selkie, they're yours until they discover where you've hid their seal skin. And with a beautiful female, Fiona's grandfather did just that, married her, raised a family, but alas one day she finds her seal skin and she's off to the sea. This legend segues into a modern mystery and a challenge Fiona must face.

Slow paced, beautifully photographed, well acted and directed, this is a unique gem of a movie.