The Secret of Roan Inish
Seen it?1994 | 103 min | Adventure, Fantasy, Family, Drama
Sunday Safe Betearly ratingWhy it’s a Sunday Safe Bet
Critics loved it (96% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had soft box office. A safe bet when you want something reliable.
Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.Is it for you?
- Who'll love it
- Made for fantasy fans, adventure fans and families. If you loved Finding Nemo or Song of the Sea, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
- The mood
- Feel-good.
- The pace
- Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 43 min.
- What might put you off
- Rated PG. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.
- Audiences were cooler on it than critics.
Ten-year-old Fiona is sent to live with her grandparents in a small fishing village in Donegal, Ireland. She soon learns the local legend that an ancestor of hers married a Selkie – a seal who can turn into a human. Years earlier, her baby brother was washed out to sea and never seen again, so when Fiona spies a naked little boy on the abandoned Isle of Roan Inish, she is compelled to investigate.
How it earned its rating
- CriticsVery strong
96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 80 on Metacritic
- AudiencesSolid
6.7 out of 10
- AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
- Box office & staying powerBelow par
$6 million worldwide on a $6 million budget; still draws a steady audience long after release
- Buzz & cultural impactSolid
About 126K people sought it out in the past year
Trailer
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Cast & crew
Directed by John Sayles
- Jeni CourtneyFiona
- Eileen ColganTess
- Mick LallyHugh
- John LynchTadhg
- Pat SloweyPriest
- Dave DuffyJim
- Declan HanniganOldest brother
- Richard SheridanEamon
- Micheal MacCarthaighSchoolmaster
- Fergal McElherronSean Michael