The defence The Sentimental Softie
“Sincerity is not manipulation.”
The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.
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Barbie in A Mermaid Tale
Animation · Family · Fantasy · 2010
Barbie stars as Merliah, a surfer who learns a shocking secret: she's a mermaid! She and her dolphin friend set out for an undersea adventure to rescue her mother, the queen of Oceana.
Movie details
Barbie in A Mermaid Tale
“Barbie Makes A Big Splash!”
2010 Animation · Family · Fantasy 1h 15m
Critical arithmetic
One number, for now.
Scores change. Arguments endure.
TMDB
7.3 / 10
Community rating
Barbie stars as Merliah, a surfer who learns a shocking secret: she's a mermaid! She and her dolphin friend set out for an undersea adventure to rescue her mother, the queen of Oceana.
CriticWise case file
What this film says about your taste.
Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.
The archetype split
Who fights over Barbie in A Mermaid Tale?
For the defence
The Sentimental Softie
“You came to feel something, and you will.”
Read their case For the prosecution
The Cool Ironist
“Feeling things is a little embarrassing.”
Read their objectionThe split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.
Where it lives
Watch in your region.
Cinema release signals and current streaming, rental, and purchase options for your region.
Streaming availability data supplied by JustWatch.
Names above the title
The people responsible.
Cast & crew
Directed by
Adam Wood
Written by
Elise Allen
Kelly Sheridan
Merliah (voice)
Kathleen Barr
Eris / Snouts (voice)
Tabitha St. Germain
Zuma / Deanne (voice)
Peter Mel
Surf Announcer (voice)
Nakia Burrise
Fallon (voice)
Maryke Hendrikse
Hadley (voice)
Emma Pierson
Kayla (voice)
Court is in session
Put Barbie in A Mermaid Tale on trial.
Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.
The prosecution The Cool Ironist
“The strings are showing.”
Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.