Tomm Moore probably didn’t set out to make a generation of adults sob in the dark, but here we are. Honestly, if you haven’t seen the Song of the Sea movie, you’re missing out on what is arguably the peak of hand-drawn animation in the 21st century. It isn't just a kids' flick about a girl who turns into a seal. Not even close. It’s a dense, layering of grief, folklore, and the terrifying realization that growing up often means losing the magic we used to take for granted.
Most people stumble upon Cartoon Saloon’s work through The Secret of Kells or Wolfwalkers, but this middle child of the "Irish Folklore Trilogy" hits different. It’s personal. It’s quiet. It feels like a wet, salty hug from a ghost.
The Myth of the Selkie and Why It Still Works
If you’re unfamiliar with Irish lore, the Selkie is basically a "seal-person." They live as seals in the water but shed their skins to become human on land. In the Song of the Sea movie, this isn't just a cool superpower; it’s a heavy metaphor for being caught between two worlds.
We follow Ben, a young boy who is, frankly, kind of a jerk to his little sister, Saoirse. You can't really blame him, though. His mother disappeared the night Saoirse was born, leaving Ben with a father, Conor (voiced by the legendary Brendan Gleeson), who is essentially a shell of a man living in a lighthouse. When Saoirse discovers she’s a Selkie, the whole family dynamic explodes.
What the film gets right—and what many "expert" reviewers overlook—is that the folklore isn't just window dressing. Every mythical creature Ben and Saoirse encounter is a mirror of someone in their real life. Macha the Owl Witch is a reflection of their Granny. The Great Seanachaí is a storyteller with hair longer than a river. It’s all connected. The movie treats folklore as a living, breathing psychological map for dealing with trauma.
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The Visual Language of Tomm Moore
Let's talk about the art. My god, the art.
Most modern animation feels... well, digital. It’s polished and 3D and lacks a soul. Song of the Sea looks like someone took a watercolor painting of the Irish coast and breathed life into it. There are circles everywhere. Geometric patterns hidden in the clouds and the waves. The screen is constantly filled with spirals, referencing ancient Irish art like the carvings at Newgrange.
Why the 2D Style Matters
- It feels timeless. Unlike CGI that ages in five years, hand-drawn art is forever.
- It allows for "flattened" perspective, making the world feel like a storybook rather than a simulation.
- The colors are muted and damp. You can almost feel the Irish mist on your face.
Moore and his team at Cartoon Saloon used a specific technique where the backgrounds aren't just scenery; they are characters. When the characters are sad, the very geometry of the world seems to droop. When Saoirse finally sings—spoiler alert, though it’s in the title—the entire world ignites in a wash of gold and white that feels earned. It's a visual payoff that makes the previous hour of gloom worth it.
The Sound of the Sea: More Than Just a Soundtrack
You cannot talk about this film without talking about Bruno Coulais and the Irish band Kíla. The music isn't just "background noise." It's the engine. The main theme, sung by Lisa Hannigan (who also voices the mother, Bronagh), is a haunting lullaby that stays in your head for weeks.
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Hush now, my baby... The lyrics are in both English and Irish Gaelic. It’s a reminder that language carries history. In the Song of the Sea movie, the song is the literal key to saving the spirit world. If Saoirse doesn't sing, the spirits turn to stone. It’s a high-stakes musical where the stakes aren't a trophy or a record deal—it’s the survival of a culture’s soul.
Addressing the "Kids Movie" Misconception
People often ask me if this is too scary for kids. Honestly? Kids can handle it. We’ve become too obsessed with sanitizing childhood. This movie deals with death. It deals with a father who is so depressed he can barely look at his children. It deals with a grandmother who thinks "doing what’s best" means stripping away everyone’s emotions so they don't have to feel pain.
That’s a heavy lesson. Macha the Owl Witch literally steals feelings and puts them in jars. It’s a brilliant representation of emotional repression. By the end of the film, we realize that feeling pain is better than feeling nothing at all. That is a vital lesson for a six-year-old. And a thirty-six-year-old.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Ending
There’s a common complaint that the ending is too bittersweet. People wanted a "Disney" ending where everything goes back to the way it was before the tragedy. But the Song of the Sea movie is smarter than that.
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The film acknowledges that you can't go back. You can't bring back the dead. You can only find a way to live with the memory of them. When Saoirse has to make a choice between her two halves, it’s a moment of profound sacrifice. It’s about the cost of staying and the cost of leaving. Most animated films blink at that moment. This one stares it right in the eye.
How to Actually Experience This Film
If you’re going to watch it, don’t watch it on a phone. Please. The detail in the line work is so intricate that you’ll miss half the storytelling if you aren’t on a decent screen. Watch it on a rainy Tuesday. Have tissues nearby.
Actionable Next Steps for Film Lovers:
- Watch the "Folklore Trilogy" in Order: Start with The Secret of Kells, move to Song of the Sea, and finish with Wolfwalkers. You’ll see the evolution of the studio’s style and the recurring themes of nature versus industry.
- Listen to the Soundtrack Separately: Put on the Kíla and Bruno Coulais score while you’re working or walking. It’s a masterclass in using traditional instruments (like the uilleann pipes and tin whistle) in a contemporary way.
- Research the Selkie Myths: Read The People of the Sea by David Thomson. It provides the real-world historical context of these myths in Ireland and Scotland, which makes the movie even more heartbreaking.
- Support Independent Animation: If you like what Cartoon Saloon does, check out their other projects like The Breadwinner. Supporting these smaller studios ensures we get more than just "minion" movies every year.
The Song of the Sea movie is a rare piece of art that feels like it was whispered from the past. It’s a reminder that we are all made of stories, and sometimes, the only way to heal is to find the voice to sing them.