I've Heard the Mermaids Singing

An intelligent and unusual "art house"-type movie about a modest and eccentric dreamer (McCarthy). This low-key comedy melodrama isn't pretentious, though; quite to the contrary - it makes fun of pretentious bull***t-talk that takes place in the pop-art scene. The... Full review

I usually don't watch movies more than once. But this lovely film is one that I have regular cravings for. It is so smart, unpretentious, and unassuming. It's subtle and multi-layered and such a treat to view.It's a quiet film... Full review

Sheila McCarthy shines in this exploration of the imagination, the artist and the self.It is one of my top ten films of all time because of its originality and ,of course, McCarthy's offbeat and touching performance. She creates something truly... Full review

This is a wonderful film. I first saw it back in the eighties and it is still fresh in the mind. The title is a quote from T S Eliot and refers to epiphany. There seem to be a lot... Full review

I first saw this Canadian film when it was released in 1987. I was a college undergraduate, and the film has never left my memory since then. The movie is original, startling, lovely, hilarious, and thought-provoking.It's a shame that it... Full review

The wonder of this film, like one of the paintings it features, can't be described in words. It is pure magic in the most abstract form! One can't help but adore Polly's originality (Sheila McCarthy). This is a fantastically crafted... Full review

One of my top ten favorite films of all time, this is beautifully put together- I can't fault the film in any area, other than its not been released on DVD yet. This is easily the best film to come... Full review

This canadian masterpiece staring Sheila McCarthy is one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen. McCarthy's character will touch young starving artists in many ways. The film which is very low key has some amazing scenes that keep... Full review

A short, sweet, enjoyable comedy, with a winning performance by McCarthy. The pixie-ish Sheila McCarthy stars as Polly, a 31-year-old Toronto temp worker who finds secretarial work at an art gallery run by the remote, somewhat pompous Gabrielle (Paule Baillageon). ... Full Review

The movie was written and directed by Patricia Rozema , who uses a seemingly simple style to make some quiet and deep observations. It may be that the Curator lacks not only talent, but taste. ... Full Review

"I'VE HEARD the Mermaids Singing" was Toronto filmmaker Patricia Rozema's feature debut. It had energy and an oddball point of view, and it won the Prix de la Jeunesse at the Cannes Film Festival in 1987. Her 1991 "White Room" ... Full Article

L ike a briny chorus trilling, "I've Heard the Mermaids Singing" provides a soaring anthem to the world's unsung. Flighty as a sea horse and likewise unfettered, this first feature by Canadian Patricia Rozema finds inspiration in J. Alfred Prufrock's... ... Full Article

" I've Heard the Mermaids Singing" is a serenade to the world's meek and mousy -- and the demure, the unassuming and the softspoken. Writer/director Patricia Rozema's delicate peek at wallflower Polly Vandersma is a delightful mix of fable and... ... Full Article