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Song of the Sea

Play trailer Poster for Song of the Sea PG 2014 1h 34m Fantasy Adventure Animation Play Trailer Watchlist
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99% Tomatometer 95 Reviews 92% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
An Irish youth (David Rawle) discovers that his mute sister is a selkie who must find her voice and free supernatural creatures from the spell of a Celtic goddess (Fionnula Flanagan).
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Song of the Sea

Song of the Sea

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Critics Consensus

Song of the Sea boasts narrative depth commensurate with its visual beauty, adding up to an animated saga overflowing with family-friendly riches.

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Critics Reviews

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Alex Dudok de Wit Sight & Sound This is a bold and unusual film, which takes material that will be unfamiliar to most viewers and interprets it with more inventiveness than they will be used to. Jul 16, 2015 Full Review Mark Kermode Observer (UK) This superb Irish animation from the director of 2009's The Secret of Kells is a treat; an enchanting and very moving "family film". Rated: 5/5 Jul 12, 2015 Full Review Donald Clarke Irish Times It seems unlikely that a more beautiful film will be released this year. Rated: 4/5 Jul 12, 2015 Full Review Michael J. Casey Boulder Weekly Based on Irish folklore and soaked with mythic iconography, "Song of the Sea" confronts loss and sorrow head-on. Rated: 4/5 Dec 13, 2020 Full Review MaryAnn Johanson Flick Filosopher Prettily animated family adventure infused with Irish folklore and traditional Celtic design makes for a change of pace from slick Hollywood cartoons. Oct 25, 2020 Full Review Grant Watson Fiction Machine This is an outstanding work: well animated, well designed, well told. Rated: 9/10 Sep 10, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Atul D Tomm Moore’s Song of the Sea plays out like a punching mythic fairytale that never loses touch with human emotion. Rooted in Irish folklore yet emotionally universal, the film builds a world where grief, innocence and myth blend into something deeply poetic. The story follows Ben and Saoirse, two siblings bound by love, loss and the secrets of the sea. What begins as a tale of a missing mother and a fractured family turns into a journey of rediscovery — of self, of connection, and of how pain transforms into purpose. Set against the rugged Irish coastline, the film feels fresh and immersive — especially with the selkie mythology that forms its beating heart. The folklore of seals, fairies, and a witch who turns people into stone isn’t treated as spectacle, but as an emotional language. The fantasy never overshadows the humanity; instead, it amplifies it. Each mythic creature and glowing pollen seems to represent a memory, a feeling, or an echo of something lost but not forgotten. The screenplay is emotionally layered, flowing like a lyrical adventure rather than a formulaic quest. It’s a story about kids, yes, but the emotions it evokes are profoundly adult. The dynamic between Ben and Saoirse — from irritation and jealousy to fierce protectiveness — anchors the narrative. Around them, characters like their mourning father and rigid grandmother stand as emotional pillars, shaping the family’s grief and grounding the fantasy in human realism. Visually, Song of the Sea is breathtaking. The hand-drawn animation, filled with swirls of light and sea, carries a rhythm of its own — lyrical, somber, and ambitious. Every frame feels painted with purpose. The visual metaphors — waves as grief, light as healing, the sea as memory — work beautifully to carry the story forward without ever feeling forced. The music, composed with Celtic undertones, ties everything together. The songs are not just background — they are part of the film’s very soul. They speak where words fall short, amplifying moments of wonder, loss and discovery. At its core, Song of the Sea is about family, myth, grief and selflessness — how letting go doesn’t always mean losing, and how stories can heal the spaces that loss leaves behind. The ending is both satisfying and hopeful, offering emotional closure without ever spelling everything out. Sum up - Song of the Sea doesn’t shout; it sings — softly, beautifully, and with aching clarity. It reminds us that magic isn’t always about spells or creatures, but about the love that endures even after everything else fades. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 11/05/25 Full Review Tauhid E might need a rewatch. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 09/27/25 Full Review Justin M. Very heartfelt movie! All i can say! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/14/25 Full Review Natalia C This movie's art and music has always amazed me, even after rewatching it. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/25/25 Full Review Cinnamon C Just gorgeous. The first time I watched this film, I watched it again the next day and couldn't stop talking about it. Haunting in the most beautiful way, like all my favourite children's books and films. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/26/25 Full Review Hydro T Should have definitely won the best animated feature oscar award. Must see. How did I not see it all these years!!! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/24/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Song of the Sea

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Movie Info

Synopsis An Irish youth (David Rawle) discovers that his mute sister is a selkie who must find her voice and free supernatural creatures from the spell of a Celtic goddess (Fionnula Flanagan).
Director
Tomm Moore
Producer
Tomm Moore, Ross Murray, Paul Young, Stéphan Roelants, Serge Ume, Isabelle Truc, Clément Calvet, Jérémie Fajner, Frederik Villumsen, Claus Toksvig Kjaer
Screenwriter
Will Collins
Production Co
Irish Film Board, Cartoon Saloon
Rating
PG (Pipe Smoking Images|Language|Some Mild Peril)
Genre
Fantasy, Adventure, Animation
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 16, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$850.0K
Runtime
1h 34m
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