[6]

Splash is a sweet-enough fantasy rom-com from Ron Howard (his second feature). Tom Hanks stars as a man who falls in love with a mysterious woman who just happens to be a mermaid. Darryl Hannah plays the fish; John Candy and Eugene Levy ham it up in supporting roles. The best scenes are ones where Hannah tries to hide her true nature, including a pretty brutal public ‘outing’. Candy and Levy seem out of place to me (and not very funny) and I wish the third act were more exciting, but the bottom line: this is a romantic comedy that I don’t hate. It was also the very first film released under Disney’s Touchstone Pictures banner (since they were afraid to put Walt’s name on a movie that showcased Ms Hannah’s bare ass).

Oscar Nomination: Best Original Screenplay