Movie Review Rewind: Ondine (2009)

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Where fantasy and reality combine with each other, Ondine is a mysterious, charming film that makes you follow the story to the end before you know the absolute truth. With a great cast lead by Colin Farrell, this fairytale film is about coincidence or just meant to be. That is up to you to decide, but Ondine is a pleasant surprise and for everyone to enjoy.

Farrell plays Syracuse, an Irish fishermen who has not caught much in a long time. Until one day he catches Ondine (Alicja Bachleda), an enchanting woman who came from the sea. The mystery of who she is or what she is and where she came from begins to take a toll on Syracuse and his sanity.

He uses Ondine as a fairytale story to tell his daughter Annie (Alison Barry) and she carries that fairytale with her throughout the rest of the film. And whether she thinks Ondine and the story is real or she is just letting her imagination run wild remains questionable. Syracuse does not have any idea either. He is taking everything in stride and seems to be very confused.

Ondine herself is a beautiful woman who appears to be a mermaid. She encounters Syracuse and trusts him. But she does not want anyone else to see her. And soon she starts to bring him luck in catching fish and making a profit, and more importantly with his daughter and her sickness.

Of course, there is a romance between Ondine and Syracuse but is it real? Syracuse battles with the attraction between himself and Ondine and it is a constant struggle. Then things really get crazy once someone from Ondine’s past comes looking for her. It is safe to say that Syracuse is in a messy situation.

Farrell has really made some smart choices as far as the films he chooses to be in and the roles he takes on. He has made a career as of late to be in small, independent films instead of any big-budget, mainstream movies. And his performances in them are fantastic.

Whether it is in a supporting role in films such as Crazy Heart and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus or headlining in films like In Bruges and Triage, Farrell makes the characters different while making them his own. As the Irish fisherman, Farrell’s Syracuse fights being sober, being a good father, and now trying to have a believable relationship with an unbelievable woman. It may be too much to handle.

Neil Jordan directed Ondine and does a nice job setting the mood creating the environment for this film. There are great landscapes and scenery in the film that makes it seem magical from the very beginning. I enjoyed how Jordan really blurs the line between fact and fiction. And he keeps the audience guessing through the whole film.

Ondine captures something magical. Whether it is because of the director or the cast, this film keeps you enthralled and interested. It makes your mind wonder.

“Nature Boy” Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of Brandon’s Box Office In Your Mouth. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.

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