Splash

What’s the Story?

Like all good romantic comedies, SPLASH is based on a preposterous premise: A modernized retelling of The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen, Madison (the mute but lovely Daryl Hannah) is a mermaid trying to reclaim the boy she fell in love with when he jumped off a boat near Cape Cod when he was 8. That boy is now a man in a funk -- Allen Bauer (Tom Hanks), who can't commit to his girlfriend, does the brunt of the work for his playboy brother, Freddy (John Candy), and fears he'll be alone for the rest of his life. After a swift and painful breakup, Madison emerges from the sea and falls in love with him. Allen must decide whether he's in love with her, whether he can decode her secret past, and whether he trusts her. But can Madison get him to tell her that he loves her?

Is It Any Good?

Still full of soggy logic and romance more than 20 years after its initial theatrical release, Splash works well enough for a fantasy. But as a modern parable about relationships, it sets a bad example for young girls -- undoubtedly a key demographic for the film, rated PG. Splash is proof that guys will date anyone if she's hot enough. Allen and Madison fall into bed together without Madison saying a word. She's prone to exposing herself in public, stealing his wallet for a shopping spree, and talking like a 10-year-old, which makes her seem, frankly, a little developmentally delayed. But she's pretty and she's hot for him. And that's all that matters.

What we have here is an image of lust based on appearance, with some hints toward love at first sight. But for young girls already preoccupied about their weight and appearance, this film has the potential to further confuse sexual attention for true affection.