Originally published in Cinema Knife Fight, February
8, 2011
OK, I suppose the term “DVD Review” needs a new definition.
I watched in on Netflix’s Instant Watch feature via
my Roku box on my big screen TV. But let’s save the
wonderment celebration of modern technology for another time and talk about
what I think was the most mellow, feel-good film I had the pleasure to watch in
2010. ONDINE is a modern fairy tale about an Irish fisherman
named Syracuse, struggling to right his life now that he’s sober and mend
relations with his daughter. One day Syracuse day catches a woman in his
fishing net. Until that moment, his life has been lived the same way, in quiet
solitude, trying to repair the damages he’d caused, and always waiting for
the Next Bad Thing to come his way. Syracuse is sure
his luck is only bad, and it will always be that way. Until he catches a woman
in his net. Then, of course, things begin to change.
I’ve always enjoyed watching Colin Farrell perform, since
his early years in the popular BBC series BALLYKISSANGEL (1999).
He then came to America, lost the brogue for most of his big budget films, and,
with his growing stardom, fell into the traps laid along Tinseltown’s roads for
its newcomers – he drank and partied and pretty much gained a reputations as a
Bad Boy (at least, according to the smattering of news blurbs read in the
occasional Entertainment Weekly). Who knows if it’s true. If
so, he’s come out the other end, maybe a bit beaten, but a mature, grounded
actor who’s been able to expand his talent in a number of smaller films around
the world, including this gem of a movie (plus some other critical faves,
like IN BRUGES (2008) which I have yet to see). The role as
the wayward, lonely fisherman in ONDINE seemed like such a
perfect, homecoming fit. His hair is really cool, too. He shines in this
understated – ok, yes, fine, fine… let’s just say it: I’m confident enough in
my flaming heterosexuality that I will admit to a bit of a man-crush on this
guy. Aside from being a sharp-edged, keen actor, he’s friggin’ hot, as is his
co-star, a little known Polish actor named Alicja Backela who plays Ondine,
pulled from the net, and who insists on hiding from other people. Backela’s
performance was quiet and a bit rough around the edges, but in a sweet, real
way. Of course, she also has those movie star drop-dead good looks which, along
with Farrell, makes this film easy to watch. Probably a good thing, since,
though much of the scenery is wide and expansive and as beautiful as Ireland is
without really ever trying, it’s always foggy or raining – hey, it’s Great
Britain, where the weather isn’t always as sunny and bright as the brochures make
it seem. It rains a lot, and the weather plays such a powerful role in the
movie: isolating, bleak.
ONDINE is not a bleak movie, however. The
characters have a lot of hang-ups, dealing with emotional and relationship
troubles, but the film carries throughout itself an overall sense of joy, of
family. As I was saying before I got way off track, Syracuse is a recovering
alcoholic trying to get his life back together, specifically spending time with
his young daughter, Annie, a precocious 12-something whose kidneys have been
failing. She needs regular dialysis treatments, and since her mother works a
regular day job Syracuse is the one to take her. The strongest scenes are not
between the two adult leads, Farrell and Backela, though these two are great together,
but Farrell and young Alison Barry, who plays his precocious daughter Annie.
Such love of father and daughter jumps off the screen, especially in scenes
where Annie needs to go in for dialysis treatments. To make the time pass and
distract her from the treatment, he lays with Annie in bed and makes up fairy
tale stories. There is a great chemistry both between them as actors, and also
Syracuse and Annie as characters. You sense a great love between them. He
begins to tell his daughter a story of a fisherman who pulls a mermaid from his
nets, outlining for his daughter, in make-believe story form, what was actually
happening in his life. The strange woman hiding from the world, staying in the
man’s house, his luck suddenly changing.
Annie becomes fascinated with the tale, and goes to the
library to research it, she discovers that the woman in her Da’s story is not a
mermaid, but in fact a Selke (pronounced Seek), basically seal which has shed
its seal cost, and comes to land to live for a while. According to legend, they
have to go back unless they find a husband. If this happens, they forget where
they hid their old skin and stay on land for the rest of their lives. Or
something. It’s weird, but sweet. When Annie discovers her Da’s story is
actually true, and meets the woman in the flesh (literally in the flesh…
Backela spends a lot of time only partially dressed), she takes an instant
liking to her. After all, what child wouldn’t want their father to be happy
with someone who loves him unconditionally?
Is beautiful Ondine a Silke, or a mermaid, or just a lost
soul brought together with another lost soul to try to make the world right
again? Well, that’s the story now, ain’t it? It’s a beautifully filmed and
uber-romantic drama about redemption, fortune, and the luck we make, versus the
luck we sometimes rely on.
Speaking of luck, my favorite line in the movie is this:
Misery is easy, happiness you have to work at.
This line is spoken by a priest to Syracuse, who happens to
be sitting in a tree sulking at the time (I think that’s the scene). Stephen
Rea (THE CRYING GAME, 1992, V IS FOR VENDETTA, 1996) plays
the parish priest, not that Syracuse goes to church very often. Mostly to
confession to talk to the man about his life and how his non-drinking is going.
It’s a great interaction between Rea and Farrell, in the few scenes they share.
Syracuse also has to deal with his angry ex-wife, still
bitter over his past failings and never failing to remind him of this. Dervlin
Kerwa brings another strong performance to the film. Loud, angry, with her own
issues, including drinking. Seriously, this quiet film has some major good
roles in it and equally good, if understated by necessity, acting.
Hmm? Why am I reviewing a foreign love story on CKF? Well,
there’s a mermaid in it… or a Selke… maybe. You know, could go either way. Who
is Ondine? What can she do, where did she come from? In the end, the answers
are almost anticlimactic, compared to her connection with Syracuse and his
daughter, and the magic that comes from a found love, always stronger than the
magic that comes from a –
Dan…?
…What?
…never mind. Just finish up before the sugar plum
fairies come and begin peeing on the rug.
OK. Fine. Needed to finish anyway because I need to go
over… there and chop some wood, maybe wrestle me some
gators.
Good… that’s good. And no more Colin Farrell movies.
Well, can’t guarantee –
No more.
Fine. For a quiet, romantic movie threaded through with
magic realism, some fantasy and lots of water, half naked beautiful people and
a girl with bad shoes in a wheelchair, ONDINE makes for a
really good date movie. I give it 4 wavy locks of hair out of 5. Enjoy, and
always be kind to others, and to yourself!
That’s it. You’re fired.