Wolff rating: GOOD
Plot summary: Little girl goes to live with her grandparents on the west side of Ireland and finds them hiding a secret about her brother who was lost at sea.
Biased, pithy comments: This is one of those movies set in Ireland that is so full of local color that you have to dim the brightness on your set. I spoke in brogue for about two hours after seeing it, and I determined I wanted to sit outside my thatched hut, smoke my pipe, and tell tall tales when I get old. This is a delightful fairy tale suitable for children but told for adults, too. It uses inexperienced children as its leads (as well as a few animals) and makes them into good actors and actresses. Despite a few early cliches, I found the characters growing on me and especially Fiona seeping character by the end. It's not, perhaps, the finest pulse-pounding fairy tale ever told, but it's quite a pleasant story. I won't say more---it's a movie that should be seen, not read about (especially since everyone seems to delight in giving away the MacGuffin(s)).
Other Notes: Mmm, seals.
How many times I have seen it: x1
Starring: Jeri Courney, Eileen Colgan, Mick Lally, Richard Sheridan, John Lynch
Directed by: John Sayles