Mermaid’s Lament Review

Mermaid’s Lament Review

Mermaid’s Lament follows a therapist who crosses paths with a mysterious woman who believes to be a mermaid. Whether she is in fact a mermaid is a question that will nestle in the back of your mind as you watch the story unfold. This movie is about trauma and connection more than a typical fantasy film. With the minimal cast involved, it connects you to each character in depths beyond your initial expectations. 

The full synopsis reads: 

MERMAID’S LAMENT follows two women: Oee a traumatized woman who has lost her voice and may or may not be a mermaid. Her therapist, Dr. Nell Jamison battles with anxiety herself, and attempts to help Oee overcome her delusions and connect with reality. As they bond over their experiences, they learn to be resilient like the ocean and embrace the power of imagination to navigate the chaos of the world.

At first glance, Mermaid’s Lament gives off a very artsy and indie feel. Not at all a bad thing but if that’s not your thing, I urge you to hang in there as the film develops and finds its footing in the sea of emotions that unravel during the film. Nell has gone through years of training to understand how to help people dealing with the trauma of many capacities but how do you approach the delicate and mysterious Oee who believes she is a mythical creature? 

As her background and mind of medicine create a block allowing her to believe such an unbelievable fact. As she works to come to terms with what Oee believes we begin to see a bond form that will not only see a friendship blossom but also sees them both work towards working through their own traumas. 

It allows us as the viewers to experience these two layered characters dealing with their issues in different ways while inadvertently becoming each other’s shoulder to lean on. All this is managed while steering away from an over-the-top fantasy film and instead utilizes the lore of mermaids to give us an emotional and grounded story with a message of friendship and coping with trauma while taking our lives and making the most of every moment.