Mermaid

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1:32

Mermaid

Apr 2026

1h 45m

Comedy

Fantasy

Action

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

92%

Tomatometer

25 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Doug is an awkward Florida drug addict. Divorced and alone, he shares custody of his young daughter with his ex. Doug's reeling from losing his job at a local strip club, where he takes care of the fish in the aquarium. Things are beyond bleak -- so Doug zips his boat out into the Gulf to end the pain of his reality. But at his lowest point, he discovers an injured Mermaid creature clinging to life. For Doug, it's a sign from the Universe -- so he brings her home, gives her shelter in his tub and begins to nurse her back to health. He even names her Destiny. As their rapport blossoms, word of his secret gets out and he is forced to protect his new friend by any means necessary.

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Critics Consensus

A compelling and original directorial debut, Mermaid offers up strong performances, impressive practical effects, and a poignant exploration of loneliness and desperation.

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Maxwell Rabb

Slant Magazine

Apr 1

2.5/4

Ultimately, Mermaid shows how loneliness can un-anchor a person, and it makes you understand how any lost sailor might fall for the first thing, no matter what it is, that breaks it.

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Matt Zoller Seitz

RogerEbert.com

03/25/2025

In the end, “Mermaid” is more a promising first effort than a fully satisfying experience.

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Robert Martin

Starburst

May 5

4/5

The special make-up effects are superb – Destiny is pretty convincing – and the result is a film that punches way above the weight of what must have been a pretty limited budget.

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Carla Hay

Culture Mix

May 1

People should not expect this Mermaid movie to be like the 1984 romantic comedy Splash. This Mermaid movie is a quirky, dark comedy where a mermaid is discovered by a man coping with drug addiction, depression, and nasty people.

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Aimee Hart

Polygon

Apr 21

Mermaid challenges our expectations about relationships and what they can mean for different people, picking up where Del Toro left off and taking the concept even further.

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Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

Apr 14

While not everything here works (veteran Patrick makes a good villain, but he’s really over-indulged in some scenes), the sum is an eccentric original.

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Vintage Annals A

@RT21819677 1d

It’s not an easy film, but most of the films I really like fall in this category. Johnny Pemberon’s performance was sublime. He’s known more for comedic roles, and there are definitely parts that are dark comedy, but his dramatic chops in this film are stellar. It’s a masterful performance. If the "Florida Man Series" was made into a psychedelic dark art comedy film, it would be close to this film. It’s a must see for any true fans of Johnny Pemberton. Great performances also by Avery Potemri is a movement artist who played the Mermaid as well as Kirk Fox, Kevin Nealon, and Robert Patrick as well as the rest of the cast. The best thing about this movie is it makes you have to let go of expectations or predictions and just be present while watching it, which is a rarity. Great job by Director Tyler Cornack. It’s the type of film I watch to watch again with a fresh set of eyes. It’s also rare for films to have original ideas and pull them off so well. Check it out!

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Sharang L

@Scribe187 Jul 6

While the effort behind this black comedy should be lauded, the end result is underwhelming. The central theme of misunderstood sensitivity gets lost, especially in the second half when the film awkwardly treads into action-thriller space.

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Tony K

@RT42528130 Jul 2

Fantastic , finally something original

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Joel P

@autumn1015 Jun 30

Dreadful. Unlikable characters, including our protagonist, abound. How this rancid turd got produced is beyond me. I watched the whole thing but you can be spared!

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Jon R.

@JuantheBaptist May 30

Solid, really enjoyed this one

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Gino F.

@IAmTheSplat Apr 29

Hilarious, grotesque, and surprisingly poignant. Kevin Dunn delivers a helluva monologue

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Tyler Cornack

Director

Johnny Pemberton

Doug Nelson

Avery Potemri

Destiny

Kevin Nealon

Keith

Kirk Fox

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Julia Valentine Larson

Tina

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Mermaid: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Doug is an awkward Florida drug addict. Divorced and alone, he shares custody of his young daughter with his ex. Doug's reeling from losing his job at a local strip club, where he takes care of the fish in the aquarium. Things are beyond bleak -- so Doug zips his boat out into the Gulf to end the pain of his reality. But at his lowest point, he discovers an injured Mermaid creature clinging to life. For Doug, it's a sign from the Universe -- so he brings her home, gives her shelter in his tub and begins to nurse her back to health. He even names her Destiny. As their rapport blossoms, word of his secret gets out and he is forced to protect his new friend by any means necessary.

Director: Tyler Cornack
Producer: Cole Eckerle, Dane Eckerle, Daniel Brandt
Screenwriter: Tyler Cornack
Distributor: Utopia
Production Co: Bad Grey
Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Action, Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 8, 2026, Limited
Runtime: 1h 45m
Aspect Ratio: Digital 2.39:1