The Secret of Roan Inish

Play trailer

The Secret of Roan Inish

PG

1994

1h 43m

Kids & Family

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

95%

Tomatometer

43 Reviews

87%

Popcornmeter

5,000+ Ratings

Fiona (Jeni Courtney) is a young Irish girl with an unusual family history, including a long-missing baby brother. When she goes to live with her grandparents on the west coast of Ireland, Fiona hears stories about her ancestors, tales that involve mythical creatures called selkies who can shift from seal to human form. After Fiona ends up on the small island of Roan Inish, her family's ancestral home, she believes she may have found her little brother living by the sea.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

The Secret of Roan Inish is a gentle fairy tale filled with optimism that's suitable for the whole family.

Read Critics Reviews

Anne Billson

Daily Telegraph (UK)

11/27/2017

I wish I liked it more, but there's more than whiff of worthy Irish heritage in the air, and the story drifts all over the place. I'm afraid I kept drifting off as well.

Go to Full Review

Bruce Diones

The New Yorker

05/03/2013

The rhythms are placid and the camerawork (by Haskell Wexler) is simple and unfussy. The film's a charm.

Go to Full Review

Dennis Harvey

Variety

03/11/2008

John Sayles' latest marks his entry into family-pic terrain, a crossing that draws pleasant but unexciting results.

Go to Full Review

Melinda Miller

Buffalo News

05/11/2021

Roan Inish is a beautiful tale of a lovely legend, of love and seals and, instead of giving up your hopes, of giving them a chance to come true.

Go to Full Review

Josh Larsen

LarsenOnFilm

07/18/2014

3.5/4

...a story about storytelling, and how folk tales and real life can intermingle.

Go to Full Review

TV Guide

03/11/2008

3.5/4

It's family entertainment in the best sense of the term.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Rick M

May 11

What a total surprise. A most unique Irish story. One of the most delightful movies I have seen in years.

See more

Kathy B

Jan 20

Sometimes you just need a quiet movie to enjoy and this movie will do it for you.

See more

Devra B

08/14/2024

I loved this movie! It’s for all ages, not just for kids.

See more

Whitney L

04/07/2024

This film captures the essence of Irish life alongside it's folklore.

See more

Allison S

01/06/2024

As an Irish American who grew up watching this movie, it is so ridiculous and Irish. The grandpa literally spends half the movie just telling long stories about his ancestors, and there's a lot of superstition and praying… so it's definitely Irish AF. It's a movie with love to watch and make fun of. I'm sure it's fun to watch in earnest if you didn't grow up with it, but I just can't take seriously grown adults that just fully accept that a small child may be out there but don't look for him because "the sea has taken him". For that alone, it's hilarious.

See more

Mark B

01/04/2024

Hate to be the bug in the soup but this was not well acted and the dialogue was stilted and pretty poor. It is definitely family friendly from a content standpoint but it does not hold up and doubt it will hold your attention.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

John Sayles

Director

Mick Lally

Hugh

Eileen Colgan

Tess

John Lynch

Tadhg

Jeni Courtney

Fiona

Richard Sheridan

Eamon

Fly Away Home

87%

70%

Fly Away Home

Watchlist

My Girl 2

27%

46%

My Girl 2

Watchlist

Free Willy

71%

50%

Free Willy

Watchlist

Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home

50%

42%

Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home

Watchlist

The Next Karate Kid

20%

24%

The Next Karate Kid

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Trailer Bulletin: Little Man

Ebert’s Overlooked Film Festival 2005

View more photos

Synopsis

Fiona (Jeni Courtney) is a young Irish girl with an unusual family history, including a long-missing baby brother. When she goes to live with her grandparents on the west coast of Ireland, Fiona hears stories about her ancestors, tales that involve mythical creatures called selkies who can shift from seal to human form. After Fiona ends up on the small island of Roan Inish, her family's ancestral home, she believes she may have found her little brother living by the sea.

Director: John Sayles
Producer: Maggie Renzi, Sarah Green
Screenwriter: John Sayles
Distributor: Columbia TriStar Home Video, Samuel Goldwyn Company
Production Co: Jones Entertainment, Skerry Productions
Rating: PG
Genre: Kids & Family, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 21, 1994, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 12, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $82.6K
Runtime: 1h 43m

Most Popular at Home Now