“Mermaids” is quite a delightful coming-of-age film. Solid performances from Cher, Winona Ryder, Christina Ricci and Bob Hoskins and for the most part, an enjoyable tale about family sticking together no matter what challenges they face.
© 2010 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.
DVD TITLE: Moonstruck (as part of the “Cher: The Film Collection)
YEAR OF FILM RELEASE: 1990
DURATION: 110 Minutes
DVD INFORMATION: Color, Widescreen (1:85:1), Audio: English Mono, Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
COMPANY: Orion Pictures/MGM/20th Century Fox
RATED: PG-13
RELEASE DATE: November 2, 2010
Based on the novel by Patty Dann
Directed by Richard Benjamin
Screenplay by June Roberts
Producer by Lauren Lloyd, Walllis Nicita, Patrick J. Palmer
Associate Producer: Suzanne Rothbaum
Music by Jack Nitzsche
Cinematography by Howard Atherton
Edited by Jacqueline Cambias
Casting by Margery Simkin
Production Design by Stuart Wurtzel
Art Direction by Evelyn Sakash, Steve Saklad
Set Decoration by Hilton Rosemarin
Costume Design by Marit Allen
Starring:
Cher as Mrs. Flax/Rachel Flax
Bob Hoskins as Lou Landsky
Winona Ryder as Charlotte Flax
Christina Ricci as Kate Flax
Michael Schoeffling as Joe
Jan Miner as Mother Superior
Betsy Townsend as Mary O’Brien
Cher, Winona Ryder and Christina Ricci co-star in this delightful comedy-drama about a flamboyant mom and her two unique daughters. Even as their personal styles clash, these three learn tht nothing can tear apart the bonds of family.
Moving, fun and delightful!
After winning her first Oscar for “Best Actress” for the 1987 film “Moonstruck”, Cher returned for her next film “Mermaids”, a comedy-drama directed by Richard Benjamin (“Deconstructing Harry”, “Westworld”, “Catch-22”) and a screenplay by June Roberts which was an adaptation from the 1986 novel by Patty Dann.
While “Mermaids” received positive reviews from critics, the film itself had gone through inner turmoil in which the original director Lasse Hallstrom (“The Cider House Rules”, “Hachiko: A Dog’s Story”, “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape”) and Cher unfortunately were unable to work together and was replaced by Frank Oz and then later Richard Benjamin. Actress Emily Lloyd was replaced by Winona Ryder for the role of Charlotte (Lloyd sued Orion Pictures and both reached a settlement the following year) after Cher made a complaint about the actress.
In hindsight, Winona Ryder was well-cast and considering she was becoming an up-and-coming actress for her roles in “Lucas”, “Beetle Juice” and “Heathers” and most importantly “Edward Scissorhands”, the chemistry between Ryder and Cher was perfect. The other person that was well-cast was the then-young Christina Ricci in her first theatrical debut and the three including Cher would make up the enjoyable family unit, the Flax family.
“Mermaids” takes place during the early fall, 1963 and is a film told through the perspective of Charlotte Flax, a 15-year-old teenager who is obsessed with being Catholic despite being Jewish. Part of her being religious is that she desperately tries to be the opposite of her mother, Rachel Flax. A single mother and a woman known for sleeping around. So, Charlotte, tends to call her flamboyant mother “Mrs. Flax”.
The two live with her sister Kate, a promising young swimmer who constantly wins swimming competitions and she also has a curious mind. Young Kate also refers to her mom by her real name “Rachel”.
Also, for Charlotte, obsession with Catholicism, for her being religious helps her try to prevent her curious mind from thinking any sexual thoughts that continually makes her wonder about sex.
Well, when her mother’s fling with her boss doesn’t go so well, Rachel moves her family to another area. This time, right next to a convent in a small town in Massachusetts and for Charlotte, she believes that this will be positive to be around nuns. But even then, Charlotte starts to wonder how the nuns are able to separate their thoughts of sexuality.
But just when Charlotte seems happy to live near a convent that would prevent her from having dirty thoughts, she meets the 26-year-old caretaker Joe Porretti (played by Michael Schoeffling) and immediately starts to have sexual thoughts in her head about him.
Meanwhile, as her mother finds a job in town, she tries to buy them some shoes and takes them to a store in which Rachel meets Lou Landsky (played by Bob Hoskins, “Enemy at the Gates”, “Who Framed Roger Ranbit”, “Brazil”) and the two hit it off quite well.
But when things start going too well and Lou becomes almost like a father to the kids, Rachel starts to become uncomfortable. Meanwhile, Charlotte’s dirty thoughts start to consume her and she finds herself starting to become more and more interested in Joe, the caretaker and wants to be with him.
As both Rachel and Charlotte Flax deal with their own personal issues, will the Flax family continue to have a strong bond with one another or will they find a way to jeopardize their own happiness?
VIDEO & AUDIO:
“Mermaids” is presented in Widescreen (1:85:1) and in English mono. PQ was fine for a DVD release. The film does looks good on DVD but has that look of digital noise reduction implemented. But again, it’s fine for DVD. If anything, this is one film that should receive a Blu-ray release and is deserving of HD treatment.
Subtitles are in English, French and Spanish.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“Mermaids” comes with the following special feature:
- Trailer – (2:14) The original theatrical trailer.
“Mermaids” is quite a delightful film. Solid performances from Cher, Winona Ryder, Christina Ricci and Bob Hoskins and for the most part, an enjoyable tale about family sticking together no matter what challenges they face.
Cher once again delivers in her role as “Mrs. Flax”, the mother who just likes to have fun with men and you wonder, can this wild woman even settle down. She seems to enjoy having fun and enjoying the freedom to run her family the way that she wants. But for the most part, she has less worries as her oldest 18-year-old daughter is the last person you would think, would get into trouble. She’s obsessed with Catholicism, enjoys watching nuns singing on television and for the part, what is quite interesting is that Charlotte uses her obsession as a way to prevent her from being like her mother.
Charlotte has never been told about how men and women have sex, so she’s genuinely naive. What she knows about relationships is the various men that her mother has been with and most of the time, it’s about her mother having affairs or sleeping around. Charlotte doesn’t know how to think or what she should even be thinking but she’s at that age where she wonders what it’s like to be with a man and because mother and daughter rarely communicate (her mother looks at her Charlotte as a daughter who would most likely be a nun and is also vocal against her sexual liaisons that she feels that Charlotte is the last thing she need to worry about). This is where Winona Ryder excels as an actress. The troubled teenager who has too many things going in her mind, this is one of those films were Ryder excels at playing that young character.
Meanwhile, Christina Ricci makes her theatrical debut and her presence more or less brings comedy to the film because of her naiveness and the way that she’s raised, especially how she talks to her mother. Definitely raised differently than most children her age and also a young child who has never seen how a proper family acts and behaves.
And you bring in Lou (Bob Hoskins) as the man who falls for Mrs. Flax, Lou is just a good man. The man who would make a great father and if anything, he brings that stability and family feel to the children and because of that, it throws off Rachel because her family was not raised to be like the traditional American family. She wants to run her family the ways he wants and can’t stand Lou getting too close with her children and become like part of the family (despite the children enjoying his presence at the house).
The film brings plenty of comedy, especially how Charlotte’s teenage friend wants to be like Mrs. Flax, wild and carefree. Meanwhile, Charlotte just doesn’t want to be like her mother but you can slowly see her mind becoming more sexually active and she finds herself starting to have questions in her mind about sex and just being disturbed by these dirty thoughts. It’s quite hilarious to see the things that she subjects herself to. But once again, Winona Ryder does a fantastic job in playing that innocent girl (who may have her own share of personal problems).
As for the DVD, unfortunately there are no special features but the theatrical trailer. But still, it’s one of Cher’s best films that she has done and a welcome inclusion to “Cher: The Film Collection”.
Overall, “Mermaids” plays off as a delightful comedy about family trying to overcome all challenges and be strong. It’s also an effective coming-of-age film in which we see a solid performance by Cher and Winona Ryder. Their chemistry was great onscreen as mother and daughter . Cher still looks fantastic and for the most part, the film continues to show Cher’s strength as an actress, Winona Ryder as well and also introducing us to a young actress Christina Ricci who would grow up and become a talented actress as well.
I definitely enjoy the setting and how it takes place in 1963 and incorporates that small-town feel, let alone capturing that fear amongst people in town after President Kennedy was assassinated. Â If anything, this comedy/drama/coming-of-age film has a lot to offer for viewers who are just wanting a fun film to sit down and watch for 110 minutes. Â If anything, it’s not a film that is serious or deep, its just a fun and delightful film about family sticking together despite their differences and taking on those challenges head on together even if those challenges are each other.
