The LITTLE MERMAID. A TOUR DE FORCE

 

Run don’t walk to see The Little Mermaid a remake of the 1989 animated film. It is based on a Hans Christian Andersen story and is a musical that doesn’t quit, with CGI dancing urchins and sirens and of course, a beautiful mermaid played by Halle Bailey.  The Little Mermaid keeps a smile on your face and your foot tapping. The acting is terrific, as is the script.  For once we have a good combination of acting and writing and singing that all make for a good feeling when you leave. It is about a little mermaid who longs to be a human and of course her dreams come true.  How it comes about is the theme of the film. Rather than spoil the story just see it.  But when Ariel, the little mermaid, first sees humans and land through her new eyes of a human who develops legs, I was reminded of how I felt when I became sober. Everything looked so fresh, new, enchanting and it was as though I had never seen nature before.  This is what sobriety did for me.  I identified with the little mermaid.  As a mermaid, she was raised to hate humans, but she fell in love with a prince, and he fell in love with her, and they lived happily ever after.  If you want the details, see the film and magic before your eyes. Melissa McCarthy portrays a Seamonster and the prince is played by Jonah Hauer King.  While the king of the underworld and the mermaids father, King Triton, is portrayed by Javier Bardem.  Rob Marshall directed  without losing I’ll beat. If you want to leave a film with your head held high and gratitude for having seen a couple fall in love while you fall in love with the film, see The Little Mermaid.