YMMV / The Secret of Roan Inish

• Angst? What Angst?: It isn't until approximately 80 minutes into the film that Fiona expresses any sort of angst over not having a mother. It might be a case of Repressed Memories as the angst happens following a dream about her mother. It's also implied that the grandmother was a mother figure for Fiona after her mother died, so the trauma would have been softened somewhat, both with care and with time.
• Awesome Music: Pretty much start to finish, really, but it's especially awesome in the climactic scene.
• Genius Bonus: Anyone who understands Irish knows that Roan Inish translates as "island of seals", the perfect name for an island that's home to descendants of selkies.
• One-Scene Wonder:
  • The selkie herself has no lines and barely ten minutes of screen time, but she is of course the most memorable thing about the movie.
  • And there's also John Lynch, who appears in only two scenes as Fiona's cousin Tadhg. Following on from the above, he's the one who tells the selkie's story. Ironically, the actors playing Tadhg and the selkie are actually siblings.
• Tear Jerker: The ending, when Jamie runs into his grandmother's arms, can evoke Tears of Joy. The music really clinches it.
• They Wasted a Perfectly Good Plot: No thought is given to Fiona's father after she moves back to the countryside. The film ends without any mention of letting him know that his youngest child is actually alive.

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