Splash
Directed by Ron Howard
- comedy
- romance
- fantasy
The story
A successful businessman falls in love with the girl of his dreams. There's one big complication though; he's fallen hook, line and sinker for a mermaid.
What it’s like
Warm, bright 1980s studio comedy: sunlit Cape Cod beaches and the grimy, glittering streets of New York rendered in clean, daylight-saturated color, with the handheld bustle of a city comedy giving way to slow, breezy shots of water, boats and summer haze. The score is a jaunty, synthesizer-tinged pop-orchestral mix that leans sentimental, and the humor is broad and physical, built on slapstick, fish-out-of-water mishaps and sharp Manhattan dialogue. Its vibe is sunny, sweetly romantic and light on menace, the kind of easy watch for a lazy weekend afternoon, a summer evening with friends, or a comfort rewatch when you want something cheerful. The emotional register stays bright and affectionate as a grown man, a cynical bachelor, slowly softens and opens his heart to an unlikely partner, and the story keeps its stakes gentle and its rhythm buoyant. Violence is almost absent; there is some mild peril and a few crude jokes, but nothing frightening, and the sexual content is brief and playful rather than explicit. It suits viewers who want a feel-good romantic comedy with a whimsical twist, nostalgia for 1980s charm, and a warm, uncomplicated laugh.
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