Mermaid (2026) Review: A Florida Fish Tale With Bite

This mermaid review starts with a warning: Tyler Cornack's film is not the sweet fairy tale its title suggests. It is a grimy, funny and oddly tender Florida oddity that mixes creature feature, tragic romance and stoner drama. Some viewers will find it unforgettable, others merely strange.

Mermaid Review: The Story So Far (No Spoilers)

The Mermaid plot follows Doug Nelson (Johnny Pemberton), a Percocet-addicted loser living on Florida's Gulf coast. At the lowest point of his life, he stumbles across an injured mermaid. For the first time in years, something gives his days a purpose.

That fascination soon turns into a drug-hazed, lopsided relationship that pulls him deeper into decline. When word of his secret begins to spread, Doug decides he will do whatever it takes to keep her safe. The tagline, "Welcome to Florida," sets the tone well.

Think of it as a dark cousin to Splash or The Shape of Water. Those films romanticise the human-and-sea-creature bond, while this one drags it through the mud and asks what loneliness does to a person.

What Works in Mermaid

The film's biggest strength is its sense of place. Reviewers praise the location scouting, and the Florida here feels lived-in, sweaty and a little dangerous rather than postcard-pretty. However fantastical the events become, they could only happen there.

The practical effects also deserve credit. Rotten Tomatoes' critics summary highlights them as a strong point of a compelling and original directorial debut. A tangible creature gives the weirdness real weight.

The tonal blend is the other draw. This is an action-comedy on paper, yet it keeps swerving into pathos and horror. At its best, the jokes land just before the sadness hits.

• Grounded, specific Florida atmosphere

• Hands-on creature work

• A bold mix of laughs, heartbreak and menace

Mermaid Cast and Performances

The Mermaid cast is led by Johnny Pemberton as Doug, and critics keep returning to his work. One reviewer says he keeps a straight face through a barrage of ridiculous situations. His portrait of crippling loneliness is what lifts the film above its gags.

Avery Potemri plays Destiny, while Kevin Nealon appears as Keith, Kirk Fox as Skip, Tom Arnold as Todd and Robert Patrick as Ron Bocca. The supporting players add colour to Doug's corner of Florida, and the cast list alone promises plenty of oddball energy.

Where Mermaid Stumbles

Doug is a difficult man to spend 106 minutes with. Variety found him too pitiable to anchor the story, and NextBestPicture called him rather unappealing. If you need a lead you can root for, this may wear on you.

Some critics also felt the film resembles a small experimental art project more than a fully developed feature. The ideas are big, but the execution can be uneven. Audience reaction reflects that split: IMDb sits at 6.6/10, while critics are far warmer.

It also invites comparison with Leaving Las Vegas and Werner Herzog's Bad Lieutenant, as one viewer noted, and it is not nearly as good as either. That is a high bar, though, and the film never feels bad. It feels like a debut with room to grow.

Is Mermaid Worth Watching?

Yes, if you enjoy bleak comedy and genre experiments. Critics have been generous, with Rotten Tomatoes showing roughly nine in ten reviews as positive, though audience scores are more mixed. That gap suggests the film rewards viewers who go in expecting something odd.

The Mermaid release date was 8 April 2026, and the film is written and directed by Tyler Cornack. It is unrated, and its drug use and rough tone make it firmly adult fare. For more laughs on this site, browse our comedy movie reviews, or see action movie reviews for louder thrills.

If a more conventional crowd-pleaser is your style, our take on The Sleeper may suit you better. For background on the film, see its IMDb page.

Who Will Enjoy Mermaid

• Fans of offbeat creature features and monster romances like The Shape of Water

• Viewers who like dark, character-driven comedy with a strong sense of place

• Anyone curious about Johnny Pemberton in a rare leading role