Splash

Splash (1984)

  • 92% of critics liked it
    (36 reviews)

  • 52% of users liked it
    (111,701 ratings)

"I'm in love with a mermaid!" read the opening line of Leonard Maltin's original review for Splash. And with the delightful Darryl Hannah in the lead, who could fault Maltin for his public declaration of ardor? The story begins in 1959, when a young boy is rescued from a watery grave by an… More

PG, 1 hr. 51 min.
Directed By
Ron Howard
Written By
Lowell Ganz, Babaloo Mandel, Bruce Jay Friedman
Genres
Romance, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Comedy
In Theaters
Mar 9, 1984 Wide
On DVD
Mar 16, 1999

Critic Reviews

  • Richard Schickel, TIME Magazine

    A romantic comedy that is as salty and bracing as a plunge in the surf.

  • Variety Staff, Variety

    Although film is a bit uneven, production benefits from a tasty look, an airy tone, and a delectable, unblemished performance from Hannah.

  • Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

    It's too bad the relentlessly conventional minds that made this movie couldn't have made the leap from sitcom to comedy.

  • Janet Maslin, New York Times

    Splash may feature a heroine with fins, but it's mostly a standard love story, albeit one with some delightful new twists.

  • Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader

    Its appeal is based almost entirely on regression -- a thematic regression to infancy and a stylistic regression to the most lulling kind of TV blandness.

Read all 14 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Featured Audience Ratings

  • moon r


    Popular fantasy by the Brian Grazer and Ron Howard team is a crowd pleaser due to the writing efforts of Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel, and the charm of its leads, Tom Hanks and Darryl Hannah.

  • Brad W


    Boring and stupid, but a good hearted romance.

  • Mike S


    Cute and charming love story. Without the wonderful cast and Ron Howard in the director's chair, this could easily have sunk into the abyss of cheesy fantasy rom-coms. But thankfully it doesn't and keeps its head above water. I've never been a big fan of Darryl Hannah,… More

  • AJ V


    A funny romantic comedy with two good actors, but the whole mermaid thing was kinda crazy, I'm not sure this movie was a good idea, but it's pretty good anyway.

  • Dan S


    A fun, well-acted movie concerning a man who falls in love with a mermaid. Very funny, especially when Eugene Levy pops up. Haven't seen it for a while, but I remember really liking it, and the chemistry between Hanks and Hannah is infectious. Definitely worth a view.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

Cast

See full cast