Mermaids

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source: Mermaids

Mermaids

I first saw this film in 1991, and thought it was pretty bad. but now, eight years later, I've matured. So I rented it again, and I thought it was very good. The photography was startling, the acting was overall excellent, but it would be fair to mention Winona Ryder and Christina Ricci as the standouts. The whole thing of Charlotte (Ryder) thinking she's pregnant was initially moronic, but became more and more convincing. Winona is perfect at portraying an embarrassed teenage girl. Well worth the time and money to watch it. Plus it hasn't dated much; it still looks very modern, even though it's set in the early sixties.

Not to say that this movie is a rarely talked about movie, but an underrated chick flick. "Mermaids" tells the story of an upbeat mother named Rachel Flax (Cher) who after every failed relationship she moves to another state along with her two daughters Charlotte and Kate (Winona Ryder and Christina Ricci)and finally settles down in a small town in Massachusetts and finds herself in a relationship with a shoe-salesman named Lou Landsky (Bob Hoskins). However, she's fearful of commitment and the struggles to accept this man to be in relationship is a fear she must overcome. Meanwhile her oldest daughter Charlotte wants to become a nun (although she happens to be Jewish and not Catholic) is also smitten for an attractive older school bus driver Joseph Porretti (Michael Schoeffling). Her youngest daughter is obsessed with water and the ocean and has a future planned to peruse a career in the aquatics (she has already won several awards for her accomplishments). The characters are so rich and it should be thanked to the great performances by the cast who made it all possible. It seems that the performers were custom made to fit his and her respected roles, though several of the major stars were not the original choices for these parts. The director of the movie was Richard Benjamin who was hired after Lasse Hallstrom and Frank Oz were given the ax by the star Cher. For the part of Charlotte Flax, British thespian Emily Lloyd was slated but she was let go because they wanted a character that had some physical resemblance to Cher and so Ryder became her replacement (she was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress). To me it was a perfect match. Though she's been snickered and jabbed at by the media, but I think she's a very good performer and she has never once turned in a performance that made me want to put a bag over my face. Rachel Flax reminds me a lot of my own mother. She's light-spirited, spontaneous and just the right person to visit for a tuna sandwich and lemonade. A bit of a philanderer, but that soon changes once Lou wants to be in a committed relationship with her. The story caters through the eyes of the eldest daughter; Charlotte who seems obsessed with everything that is Catholic and at the same time cannot keep her mind off of Joseph. She does not want to end up inheriting any of her mother's unorthodox traits, while at time feels obligated to take up that task of second mother to her much younger sister Kate. Charlotte's trials and tribulations add the right touch of humour and pathos that flow by very immaculately as the film carries through. Based on a novel by Patty Dunn, "Mermaids" has an equally amount of laughter and choices the right time when serious issues come into fruition. The chemistry between Cher and Hoskins are just as equally engaging as the chemistry between Ryder and Schoeffling. The direction was simple and easy to follow and the feeling of the 1960's plays along very nice with a great soundtrack, this is a romantic comedy that isn't sappy or preachy, just a lot of fun and chuckles that will amuse you in the 1:50 minute duration.

Cher and Wynona Ryder are very believable as Mrs. and Charlotte Flax, respectively. Mrs. Flax is a single mom who lives by the motto "Real women never get too old." Her bright, bold, sexy ways make her a special woman but aren't enough to spare her from all the characteristic pains of single motherhood. Moving from town to town with every new relationship, she finds herself at odds her 15 year old daughter, Charlotte. Charlotte wants to be everything her mother isn't - pious, proper, humble, and pure. Her good intentions, however, are constantly in conflict with her basic nature, which is more like her mothers. Charlotte develops a fierce crush on Joe, the caretaker at a nearby convent. When Mrs. Flax's potentially serious relationship with the endearing Lou, played by Bob Hoskins, hits a rough patch, she too finds herself attracted to Joe. With competition for his affection to add fuel to the fire between Mrs. Flax and Charlotte, the only thing they can seem to agree on is caring for Katie, Charlotte's little sister, charmingly played by a young Christina Ricci. As things come to a head in the small town where the Flaxes are living, Katie's well-being hangs in the balance while both her mom and older sister try to work through their impulses.

Good stuff. Cher plays the realistic slutty single mom who is never really happy and doesn't know how to commit to any man. Bob Hoskins plays the realistic average guy who wants the hot mom but can't quite have her. ChrisTEENY Ricci is one of the most bad ass 5 year olds or however old she is in this. Chugging red wine and holding her head under water for fun. But it's Winona Ryder who really shines through as the troubled 15 year old who is completely focused on 2 things: 1. becoming a nun, and 2. losing her virginity to the cute bus driver who drives her to school. The awkward "love story" is quite compelling, as is the believable tension that is constantly erupting within the walls of the family's home. This is probably the greatest performance I have ever seen from Winona. She is intense and emotional throughout and it's extremely genuine feeling. A classic chick flick right here! It's got a lot of personality! Very well done!

Are you serious? Film, screenplay, Winona Ryder and Cher didn't get Oscar nominations? Only 56 as critics' metascore? Pure injustice! This film is awesome, so witty and beautifully acted! 👍🏻👍🏻

What with Cher struggling her damnedest in a role which makes no logical or emotional sense, it's up to plucky Winona Ryder as Cher's daughter to salvage the picture--and she almost succeeds. "Mermaids" is best described as 'cute' or 'heartwarming' (i.e., it's not a laugh-out-loud farce nor is it an intimate character study, it is lost somewhere in between). Young girl coming-of-age in the early 1960s fantasizes about becoming a nun while her flighty, unmarried mother moves her and her sister from place to place. Reportedly troubled production does show its seams in the early scenes (which aren't thought-out clearly by anybody), but it does settle into a comfortable rut midway through. Tone is gentle except for Cher, who doesn't have a grip on Mrs. Flax: is she flashy trash, sexy hostess or concerned working mom? Bob Hoskins is teddy bear-ish as Cher's new guy, although they seem a little mismatched and uncomfortable with each other. ** from ****

So we got a mother who gets around. A daughter who wants to be a nun; when she's not thinking about getting it on, and of course a daughter who is obsessed with....swimming. A cute film that wears its welcome out quickly. Bob Hoskins is the only actor who can fully develop a character in the film -- but admittedly -- Ryder is a joy to watch. The film is predictable coming of age story.