--- title: "Splash" year: 1984 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/splash" fi1m_id: "splash" imdb_id: "tt0088161" tmdb_id: 2619 wikidata_id: "Q1127184" fi1m_score: 80 critics_score: 79 critics_reviews: 4 published: "2026-10-04T18:37:18.504643+00:00" updated: "2026-10-04T18:37:19.044852+00:00" region: "CH" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Splash (1984) Directed by Ron Howard · 1h 50m · Comedy, Romance, Fantasy ## Identity Splash - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/splash - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** splash - **IMDb ID:** tt0088161 - **TMDB ID:** 2619 - **Wikidata ID:** Q1127184 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088161/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/2619, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1127184 **Fi1m score: 80** · Critics 79 (early) from 4 reviews *In a sentence:* A mermaid gets the romance, John Candy gets the laughs, and Tom Hanks looks grateful for both > Ron Howard’s mermaid romance works because Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah make the attraction worth believing in. John Candy supplies welcome mischief; an uneven screenplay is the price of an otherwise warm, funny evening. ## Synopsis Allen Bauer (Tom Hanks) finds the woman of his dreams in Madison (Daryl Hannah), but her fins complicate the prospect of an ordinary romance. He wants to be with her; the difficulty is that he is human and she is a mermaid. Freddie Bauer (John Candy) and Walter Kornbluth (Eugene Levy) also figure in a courtship where attraction brings practical problems of its own. Allen and Madison have to consider what being together means when the differences between them extend beyond anything a human couple normally faces. ## Review *Splash* is a warm, funny romance that survives some untidy writing because its lovers are worth spending time with. Ron Howard takes the attraction between a man and a mermaid seriously enough for the comedy to have something at stake. There is plenty of room for foolishness, but little appetite for making affection itself look foolish. The central relationship is persuasive enough to carry a plot that does not always withstand much scrutiny. Tom Hanks gives Allen Bauer the right mixture of eagerness and uncertainty. An ordinary man in a fantastic romance can become a dull spectator, forever waiting for the more interesting person to do something peculiar. Here his reactions are part of the pleasure: the attraction makes him vulnerable without making him tiresome. We believe he wants to be with Madison, and that simple conviction does more useful work than another explanation of how a mermaid romance is supposed to function. Daryl Hannah is just as important, since Madison could easily have been reduced to a collection of attractive peculiarities. She gives the comedy an openness that makes the desire feel mutual, rather than something Allen has invented for himself. We were more moved than we expected by how readily the two performers let affection show through their comic exchanges. The film earns that response through their ease together, without requiring us to stop noticing the absurdity of the situation. John Candy, as Freddie Bauer, supplies a welcome change of emphasis. He gets a generous share of the laughs, and his comic confidence keeps the romance from becoming too pleased with its own sweetness. There is a slight imbalance here: the supporting comedy can be more immediately satisfying than the business of sustaining the central story. The film benefits from giving him room. Donald Peterman’s cinematography keeps the attention on the performers, which is where it belongs. Jack T. Collis’s production design is useful in the same unobtrusive way; the surroundings never become the chief attraction. Lee Holdridge’s music helps the romantic warmth, though the actors need little assistance in making us care. Editors Daniel P. Hanley and Mike Hill preserve the liveliness of the comic exchanges, even when the storytelling grows less assured. The craft is most effective when it gives a joke or a look between the leads time to register. The weaker passages belong to the screenplay by Babaloo Mandel, Bruce Jay Friedman and Lowell Ganz. Its unevenness is noticeable because the best comic exchanges feel so relaxed, while the less persuasive plotting asks for rather more goodwill. Some developments need firmer explanations than the script provides, and affection for the characters cannot excuse every gap. At 110 minutes, there is room for that unevenness to become a mild irritation. Among romantic fantasies, this one understands the value of allowing desire to be funny without treating the people feeling it as a joke. That is why the central pairing remains appealing even when the script needs tidying. Watch it for Tom Hanks, Daryl Hannah and John Candy, and leave the questions about interspecies domestic arrangements until afterwards. *Fi1m score 80, published 4 October 2026.* ## Straight answers **Is Splash worth watching?** *Splash* is worth watching for its warm, funny mermaid romance, and we score it 80 out of 100. Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah make the attraction persuasive, while John Candy supplies welcome mischief; we recommend it for the performances, with the caveat that the uneven plotting asks for some goodwill across 110 minutes. **How long is Splash, and what is it rated?** *Splash* runs 1h 50m. It is a comedy and romance film. **Where can I watch Splash in Switzerland?** *Splash* is streaming on Disney+ in Switzerland. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How does Splash compare to The Ghost and Mrs. Muir?** *Splash* is the better choice for laughs, while we recommend [*The Ghost and Mrs. Muir*](https://film.one/film/the-ghost-and-mrs-muir) for a tender supernatural romance that rewards patience with its leisurely pace. Both make an improbable pairing persuasive, but *Splash* gets extra comic energy from John Candy, even when its plotting is less convincing than its lovers. **What should I watch after Splash?** After *Splash*, try [*The Ghost and Mrs. Muir*](https://film.one/film/the-ghost-and-mrs-muir) (1947, Fi1m 84): A mortal woman and a ghost make an unexpectedly practical romantic pairing. Then [*Wings of Desire*](https://film.one/film/wings-of-desire) (1987, Fi1m 88): For a slower, more searching fantasy about wanting to share ordinary human life; and [*Amélie*](https://film.one/film/amelie) (2001, Fi1m 82): A fanciful courtship that finds its humour in awkward approaches and small kindnesses. ### Reviews we read (4) - **Empire**, Ian Freer (85/100, inferred): Freer calls the film a delightful, warm-hearted comedy and romance. He especially praises the performances of Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah, which give the story its comic and emotional centre. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/splash-review/) - **Radio Times**, John Ferguson (4/5): The critic calls it a charming, good-natured romantic comedy that largely avoids becoming soppy. He praises the charismatic leads and singles out John Candy for getting many of the best gags. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-4m5vhi/splash/) - **Time Out**, CPea (75/100, inferred): The review is positive about the film’s love story. It praises the handling of the carnal complications of falling for a mermaid. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/splash) - **Variety**, Variety Staff (75/100, inferred): Variety finds the film charming despite some unevenness and screenplay loopholes. It praises Daryl Hannah’s performance and the lively by-play between her and Tom Hanks. [Read](https://variety.com/1983/film/reviews/splash-1200425973/) ## Details - **Director:** Ron Howard - **Director:** Ron Howard - **Screenplay:** Bruce Jay Friedman, Babaloo Mandel, Lowell Ganz - **Cinematography:** Donald Peterman - **Editor:** Daniel P. Hanley, Mike Hill - **Music:** Lee Holdridge - **Production design:** Jack T. Collis - **Costume design:** May Routh - **Producer:** Brian Grazer - **Cast:** Tom Hanks as Allen Bauer; Daryl Hannah as Madison; Eugene Levy as Walter Kornbluth; John Candy as Freddie Bauer; Dody Goodman as Mrs. Stimler; Shecky Greene as Mr. Buyrite; Richard B. Shull as Dr. Ross; Bobby Di Cicco as Jerry - **Runtime:** 1h 50m - **First release (the US):** 9 March 1984 - **Genres:** Comedy, Romance, Fantasy - **Also in:** [Golden Globe Best Musical or Comedy winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-comedy.md) (Nominee, 1984) - **Budget:** $8 million - **Box office:** $70 million ## Where to watch in Switzerland - Disney+: streaming, uhd *Checked 2026-10-04.* Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, HK, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 1985: Best Writing, Original Screenplay (nominated) - Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay 1985: Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay (nominated) - Golden Globes 1984: Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy (nominated) - National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Screenplay 1984: National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Screenplay (won) - Saturn Awards 1984: Best Director (nominated); Best Fantasy Film (nominated); Best Make-up (nominated); Best Supporting Actor (nominated); Best Actress (won) ## If you liked this - *The Ghost and Mrs. Muir* (1947), Fi1m 84: A mortal woman and a ghost make an unexpectedly practical romantic pairing. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-ghost-and-mrs-muir.md) - *Starman* (1984): Another unlikely visitor makes human courtship seem peculiar, with tenderness beneath the comedy. - *Wings of Desire* (1987), Fi1m 88: For a slower, more searching fantasy about wanting to share ordinary human life. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/wings-of-desire.md) - *Amélie* (2001), Fi1m 82: A fanciful courtship that finds its humour in awkward approaches and small kindnesses. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/amelie.md) - *The Shape of Water* (2017), Fi1m 83: Another romance across species, with a darker temper and more explicit desire. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-shape-of-water.md) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/splash