Ondine: A Fishy Tale with a Splash of Irish Charm

Ciao, fellas! So, the other night, I sat down with a cup of coffee and some ‘kanelbullar’ to watch “Ondine,” directed by Neil Jordan. You know, the guy who brought us “The Crying Game.” I tell ya, this movie was like an unexpected Swedish summer day—full of surprises. It’s got Colin Farrell, which for me is a bit like having lingonberry sauce with meatballs; not always what you expect, but it works.

First off, the film is drenched in Irish folklore—a mix of myths and the real world on the rugged coastlines. It’s legit because you can almost feel the damp air and smell the seaweed. Farrell’s character, a fisherman named Syracuse, catches this mysterious woman in his net. Alicja Bachleda does an ethereal job as Ondine, like she’s walked out of a fairytale with fish instead of companions.

When watching, I remembered summers at our family’s little stuga by the sea in Bohuslän. As kids, we’d whisper legends about havsfruar hiding among the rocks. Such stories felt alive here, like being swept away by the tide.

Yet, there’s something a little funny about the plot—it gets tangled, much like my fishing line. Just when you think it’s all magical, reality jumps back in with a cold splash. At times, it felt uncertain, teetering between two worlds without fully settling in either. But maybe that’s the point?

The music, by that fella Kjartan Sveinsson, really lingers in your head. You might find yourself humming like a sailor lost at sea.

I reckon Ondine isn’t gonna float everyone’s boat, but if you fancy a twist of fairytale, give it a peek. Just don’t expect a straightforward tale; it’s as unpredictable as our Swedish weather!

Check the trailer below