I’ll be honest: Mermaid was my least favorite film of SXSW 2025. Despite its intriguing premise, it left me cringing more than laughing, and I had to force myself to sit through it. Directed by Tyler Cornack, the film follows Doug (played by Johnny Pemberton), an awkward, down-and-out drug addict in Florida who’s lost his job at a strip club, his marriage, and most of his sense of self. At his lowest point, he stumbles upon an injured mermaid (named Destiny) in the Gulf and decides to take her in, hoping to nurse her back to health.
From the outset, the premise has a certain charm—who doesn’t want to see an unlikely bond form between a broken man and a magical creature? But where Mermaid falters is in its execution. The film tries to juggle multiple genres—action, comedy, horror, and thriller—without ever landing comfortably in them. It moves erratically from one tone to the next, and I found it hard to connect with the characters or the story.
Doug, as portrayed by Pemberton, is supposed to be a tragic yet relatable figure, but instead, he comes across as pathetic and, honestly, a bit too much to handle. His attempts to care for the mermaid felt more like a desperate attempt to find meaning in his life than any genuine emotional connection. I get that it’s supposed to be darkly funny, but the humor fell flat for me—often crossing into cringeworthy rather than clever.
Then there’s the mermaid herself. Or rather, it—because what’s supposed to be a magical, enchanting mermaid looks more like a monster than anything else. The design of Destiny is unconvincing, and it really detracts from the believability of the film. Instead of adding to the wonder or mystery of the story, her monstrous appearance just throws you off, making it harder to suspend disbelief and engage with the emotional core of Doug’s journey.
The plot takes several bizarre twists as Doug tries to protect his new friend, but I was already checked out when things spiral into full-blown absurdity. There were moments that could have been interesting, especially with the mermaid element, but they were overshadowed by the film’s chaotic pacing and lack of direction.
Despite the film’s attempt to blend absurd comedy with a touch of horror and action, Mermaid never quite works. It didn’t resonate with me at all. I kept hoping for it to settle into something that felt meaningful or at least entertaining, but in the end, I just couldn’t get on board with the story or the characters.
It’s not all bad—there are flashes of potential, particularly in some of the performances and visual elements. Kevin Nealon, Kirk Fox, and even Tom Arnold offer solid support, but it wasn’t enough to salvage a film that seemed lost in its weirdness.
In the end, Mermaid felt like it tried to be many things at once, but it never really found its footing. For me, it was a miss.