Sick Product of a Sick System

To all those who have watched it: I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.

Blistering performances.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Tom Hanks, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer are legendary names in Hollywood today, and it's impressive how far they've come from a story about a woman emerging naked from the sea to flop into the arms of a 20-something produce distributor.Distilled to its essence, "Splash" is just that – a lonely bachelor's fantasy played out on screen. It's what writers Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel (who previously collaborated with Howard and Grazer on "Night Shift"), with Bruce Jay Friedman ("Stir Crazy") do to craft this hetero-male daydream into an entertaining fish-out-of- water story (literally?) that gives it real legs (sorry).Although viewers (mostly men) will be drawn to this fantasy pretty quickly, Daryl Hannah also gets to play a goofy, atypical female lead role, which can't be underestimated in the film's success. Whether it's chomping through a lobster shell with her teeth, prancing through Bloomingdale's or just getting her fins wet in the bathtub, there's both a confidence/strength and a shyness/reserved nature to Madison – whose given name is the direct reason why you know a young woman born after 1984 named Madison. Talk about cultural impact.So much is right with Hannah's performance. An actress with more of a name or acclaim at the time might have made Madison into more of a caricature or been distractingly attractive (given how much the camera ogles her). Hannah is alluring, mysterious and quirky in a believable way. The film's funniest moments are of her gleeful misunderstandings of American culture.In his first big role, Hanks gives us a taste of what has made him lovable over the years. Allen is a strange and sad guy, especially in the beginning; Hanks has always done the part of the loser really well in terms of his comedic roles. He's at his best when he's frustrated, angry or desperate as Allen, but most of all he's enough of an everyman that he earns audience empathy and sympathy as a "good guy." That's all this film requires of him."Splash" primarily holds up due to a few clutch moments that merge fantasy and everyday comedy. Whether it's naked Madison emerging on Liberty Island and not thinking anything of it, the excellent bathtub scene or the deranged Walter Kornbluth's (Eugene Levy) attempts to expose Madison to the world, these create highly memorable and impressionable moments whether you're a kid seeing this movie on TV for the first time or a casual fan of light comedy looking to be entertained.With a little more story and character development (Why is there a coral reef in Cape Cod and why would a mermaid be there on her own?) and the avoidance of deus ex machina, "Splash" could have even gone beyond fantastical comedy and become something a little more meaningful. The potential is definitely apparent with these two lovers from different worlds and society's fascination with things like mermaids working against them. Nevertheless, it belongs among the '80s staples and deserves some credit for leading to all the successful Howard/Grazer team-ups and Hanks hits. ~Steven CThanks for reading! Visit Movie Muse Reviews for more

I remember watching this shortly after it was released and finding it to be a fun little movie. Looked at over 30 years later it strikes me as memorable mostly because it was some of the earliest work from some of the significant names associated with it. Most notably, because of how his career evolved, this was actually the first big screen role for Tom Hanks, whose previous work had been in television. It was also an early role for Daryl Hannah, and an early piece of directing from Ron Howard. So it's not an insignificant movie at all, although it does have little of substance.Hanks played Allen Bauer, a young New York businessman. As a boy he fell off a boat and before he was rescued he encountered a mermaid. Years later, the mermaid (played by Hannah) shows up naked (not gratuitously) at the Statue of Liberty, apparently looking for Allen. Dry and on land, she has legs, so Allen doesn't realize that she's a mermaid, and quickly falls in love with her, finding her innocence both appealing and mysterious. I thought Hanks and Hannah were both very good in their roles. They shared a nice chemistry and made the relationship believable. The supporting cast featured John Candy as Allen's brother and Eugene Levy as a scientist who is convinced that mermaids exist and wants to prove it by capturing Madison (as the mermaid has chosen to be called.) I guess the performances from Candy and Levy were all right, but I found their characters too over the top. They took the focus off the relationship between Allen and Madison, which probably could have been explored in more depth.In the end, this can be called a pleasant way to waste some time, and an interesting look at some of the early work from people who went on to bigger and better things. (5/10)

and that goes unquestionably for John Candy, as well. The two make for a great pairing as dysfunctional brothers. Oh, and Eugene Levy. Aw hell, the whole thing's hilarious; great dialogue, deceptively light-n-fluffy story, and Daryl Hannah is perfect as a naive, child-like mermaid. I don't usually go for romantic comedies, but SPLASH is a winner. Genuinely funny, sentimental and easy to see why this movie was such a hit. Tee funny lines just come one after another.It'll make a softy out of anyone.8/10

"I'm in love with a mermaid!" And with the delightful Darryl Hannah in the lead, who could fault anyone with me saying that? Splash is a fantasy romantic comedy film directed by Ron Howard, written by Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel, and starring Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah, John Candy, Eugene Levy, and Dody Goodman. The story begins in 1959, when a young boy is rescued from a watery grave by an adolescent mermaid. Twenty-five years later, the boy has grown up and he is Allen Bauer. Meanwhile, the mermaid, likewise grown up, has surfaced in search of Hanks, her long-lost love. On dry land, the mermaid is able to walk about on legs; any contact with salt water, and she reverts to her half-fish form. Adopting the name of Madison from a New York street sign, the girl manages to win the young man's heart. Alas, a secret government lab, populated by such smarmy types captures Madison for research purposes--and possible vivisection. Egged on by his brother,Allen Bauer rescues his beloved, joining her in the ocean.Together they swim along the ocean floor toward what appears to be an underwater kingdom.Splash is a light-hearted comedy that sparkles here and there thanks to its fairy tale elements.The gorgeous Daryl Hannah does wonders with her thankless job, flitting tiny moments of joy and confusion across her face.The charming performances from Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah makes this film a perfectly light, warmly funny film to watch. It maybe dated for present viewers but it is still a delight to watch.