THE SECRET OF ROAN INISH

From the Archive: 5/13/2005
Family movie of the week
THE SECRET OF ROAN INISH

There aren't many movies that you can watch with your kids. Many that you can, you wouldn't want to. Here is a movie that both you and your kids will want to watch ....... even if you don't have kids.

Based on an Irish fairy tale, it has all the necessary elements. Mysterious adventure, mysterious animals turning into humans, mysterious humans turning into animals, crusty mysterious old people, a mysterious island with a mystery, courageous children, and ...........uh ............. boats. Mysterious ones.

Now I know what you're thinking. "This is a kids movie. I don't have kids. I'm not going to watch this." Mysteriously enough, just because you can watch it with your kids doesn't make it a kids' movie. Just because it has kids in it who unravel a mystery, doesn't make it a kids' movie. I don't have any kids at home anymore, yet I watched it and was totally into it. "But Frank", you continue. "I've read your blog. You'll watch anything." True enough, I've watched literally thousands of films (not all of them mysteries), and I assure you that only the very best of them will make it here.

Here's why I think you'll like this movie.

1. It's mysterious.
2. It's a physically beautifully photographed film.
3. Like living in a fairy tale legend.
4. Very satisfying, like eating chocolate, but with half the calories.
5. You won't need to watch another movie immediately after it because you'll be movie full.
   
6. It takes place by the sea. Normally, in this setting, if the director runs out of ideas, the movie would have Godzilla, or Gamera, or some other sea monster rise up and terrorize the village. That doesn't happen here ........... oh no, I just gave it away!
   
7. Finally, a movie you can watch with your kids that doesn't involve talking animals. At least, not a lot of them.
   
8. It registered a 100% on the tomatometer.
   
9. The film is never dumbed-down or made simple-minded for children. In his review of this movie, film critic Roger Ebert wrote,
   

   "Children deserve not lesser films but greater ones, because their imaginations can take in larger truths and bigger ideas"
   

10. I wish I wrote that.

The Secret of Roan Inish - dig it.

Enjoy.