Almost entirely unenjoyable :(

This movie response may contain spoilers, so please be forewarned!

I was actually quite intrigued by this film's teaser description and was really looking forward to watching an off-beat, touching foreign film. Unfortunately, it was a struggle to sit through "Mermaid"; in my opinion, it has almost no redeemable qualities. As those who viewed the film with me also had a similar reaction to the film, I feel that we can't be the only ones out there who share this point of view.

I don't see how anyone would find it appropriate to compare the character of Alisa in "Mermaid" to the lead character of "Amélie." Yes, Amélie was a quirky gal. But Alisa's character struck me as someone far beyond "quirky." Alisa seemed quite disturbed. I'd go so far as to say I found this entire film rather disturbing. Plot points seemed to slowly weave into the storyline and then, at the end, most were left frayed and unresolved.

I will say that for the most part I enjoyed watching Alisa work the city in foam costumes, and found her brief exchanges with Sasha kind of cute and fun--especially the particular incident which culminated in an ambulance ride. That was cute and original. Still a bit creepy, but dark and moody in an interesting way.

Yet, other than those few exchanges, the relationship between Alisa and Sasha wasn't fleshed out. The semi-questionable age difference wouldn't have even struck me as if only it had been addressed. And Sasha's lunar realestate hiring Alisa as a spokesmodel? How did that occur? I've seen Russian advertisements, and we became quite familiar with the advertisement hanging on the front of Alisa's building. Alisa's advertisement didn't look anything like that one. And why didn't Alisa's sudden compulsion to speak alarm her mother more than it did? Why didn't Alisa take any revenge upon her crook of a boss? So many unresolved "plot points" struck me as exceedingly odd.

I did, however, find Alisa's ending rather appropriate. Shocking, yes, but it fit the overarching discontented mood found in the rest of the film, so I have no qualms with what occured regarding her demise.

Overall, I feel that this film could have been so much more than what it is. Ultimately, disappointing.