the secret of roan inish be a unique film which reveal in a slow paced story and the relationship of the irish people to the sea and land . roan inish weave it magic through the well write dialogue of character who tell the story of a family ancestor who be a mythological selkie and as well a the lost infant raise by seal who populate the abandon island . they comment on the loss of native language and culture by a generation of young islander who leave for job in the city . the return of a small island girl to her grandparent permit director john sayles to examine with the girl and the island history and and it community whose knowledge be ground in oral history and the past . set in the post war economy and desire to leave the old way to incorporate benefit of modern urban life be see only briefly a intrusive on the people whose community be intimately tie to the sea . the strength of the film be in how it present the need and place of intergenerational knowledge and the preservation of the language and and the unique place of ethnic heritage base in oral tradition . what set this film apart from others be how it be a family film without resort to clichés and but instead and be the kind of movie entertain to all age group without talk down to anyone . that the film be not well market be likely the fault of the studio that do not know how to sell the film idea to american audience grow accustom to mindless car chase and explode building and and gratuitous violence as well a irritating and smart mouth kid actor . roan inish have none of these element although the brief nudity of one child actor could offend some who would find offense in any presentation of the human form in any context . but for this and the film allow audience to be draw into the story of child who value and desire to restore their heritage and family and and take responsibility to act . the production value of this film be high and it plot thoroughly believable . dp haskell wexler use the beauty of the irish countryside to paint a stunning image of the landscape and sea that make one wish to return to the old sod . sayles cast be character actor not familiar to most audience in the u and but who be able to carry the film with authenticity and grace . the child actor be especially mature and believable . this be a film that should be see by more audience but probably would not and that be unfortunate for the secret of roan inish be a gem in a sea of mediocre hollywood fare .