Parent reviews for Song of the Sea

We stumbled upon this movie when our daughter was just 2, and it was hit with our whole family! The animation is stunning, the songs are beautiful, and it has a really great message. It’s a family favorite that we still watch regularly. At its core, this movie is about a family dealing with loss and the depression that can sometimes follow while emphasizing that emotions are good and important to process and feel. We took the opportunity to discuss that it is okay to have strong emotions with our daughter. There is one part that sensitive children might have a hard time with: when the dad yells very briefly at the son.

It is a beautiful and mesmerising film but it is intense. Be prepared to talk through some of the sad moments such as the mother’s death, particularly with younger kids. We watched with 6 and 8 year old but felt it too much for the 6 year old. They went to bed quiet and thoughtful - not scared though.

Song of the Sea is a really cute story following a young boy named Ben, and his mute sister, Saoirse. Ben finds out that his Saoirse is a mythical selkie after she got kidnapped by the Celtic goddess Macha. Ben must find a way to rescue Saoirse from Macha before his sister gets turn to stone. The character development is very simple this time around. Ben starts out the movie despising his sister only to learn to care for her. The story is slow paced, simple, and easy to follow. The visuals are magical and bright. Even Macha looks like a humble grandma. There is no swearing, no immodesty, and almost no violence. However, Macha's owl minions can be creepy looking for younger viewers. This movie is definitely worth a shot for your younger kids!

An incredible tale, full of magic and hope.

Wonderful and beautifully animated film with strong Celtic/Irish mystic influence. There is some sadness, but sadness is part of life and good to discuss and make sense of with your children. I watched this with my three and five year olds, it held their attention and I had no qualms about the content.

This movie is BEAUTIFUL. I am an American from an Irish family. I was completely entranced by seeing traditional story unfold in such a magical way. The family relationships were real and tender.

My four stars is an average of 5 stars for parents and 3 for kids. Here’s why: This film is GORGEOUS. It is truly one of the most spectacular displays of old-school 2d animation that I’ve seen in a very long time. As an artist, certain scenes literally gave me goosebumps. And I imagine it would be a pleasure and inspiration for young artists too. My five year-old daughter, who loves to listen to and sing songs about nature and the world, is smitten with the music as well. Its slow, forlorn start may bore young viewers and many adults. And it’s never quite a “happy” film — but that’s because (and a lot of reviews seem to miss this) it’s largely a film about grief. So even in its happiest moments, it’s not quite carefree. It IS, however, enchanting. The faerie folk are delightful, especially the king of the faeries who shifts from wise to dotty and back again in the blink of an eye. Even the “villain” is somehow comical even as she terrifies. One warning: this might be a difficult one for a child who has lost a parent, especially recently.