Mermaids

Rating:
Summary: An quirky,entertaining piece!
Review: Mermaids is narrated by the angst-filled teenaged Charlotte Flax (Ryder), who is exasperated by the tendency of her mother (Cher) to move house (and state) as soon as the bin's full, or (more likely) as soon as her latest entanglement with a married boss starts to unravel. Mrs Flax, as Charlotte disparagingly refers to her mother Rachel, is a peripatetic soul, whose only answer to life's challenges is to leave them behind. For Charlotte, the only consolation to her most unsatisfactory lifestyle is her adoration of her little sister, Kate (Ricci), on whom she dotes. In spite of their Jewish origins, Charlotte is obsessed with the mysteries, icons and rites of the Catholic Church. Its rituals of penitence and martyrdom fascinate her and she can relate the history and grisly fate of each of the martyred saints in all their goriest detail.

As we are introduced to the Flax girls, mother and daughter are embroiled in conflict again, as they find themselves in a new home and a new state, this time Massachusetts. The brooding teenager and her charismatic mother have very different priorities of need as they set up their new home. Charlotte needs grounding, Rachel needs distraction and action. Their conflict spills over as the family goes to buy shoes, particularly when Rachel does nothing to deflect the more-than-professional attention she receives from the shoe store owner, Lou Landsky (Hoskins). This particularly galls Charlotte, who carries a fantasy in her heart that the father she never knew will one day come back and complete her family and her longing.

She regards her mother's acceptance of Lou's advances with disdain, whilst at the same time harbouring a guilt-ridden romantic obsession with young Joe Porretti (Michael Schoeffling) - a young local man with a past who works as a handyman at the nearby convent (perfect!).

As they become more entrenched in this small town, Rachel and Lou spend more and more time together. He is besotted with Rachel, and becoming closer to the girls, none of which is really part of Rachel's game plan. She is reluctant to engage in any form of long term arrangement (even the meals she serves are finger food - in her estimation - anything else smacks too much of a commitment), and does not want to include anyone else in her family.

The dilemmas and dramas of Rachel and Charlotte play out as the opposite extremes of a similar persona. Whilst Rachel is winsome, free-spirited and charismatic, and Charlotte is repressed, ultraconservative and introverted, both are utterly flamboyant and solipsistically theatrical. Each of them engage in outrageous flights of dramatic fancy that frequently have momentous impact on those around them whilst, in the main, they emerge relatively unscathed from their melodramatic follies.

That is, until little Kate has a mishap of her own, with potentially devastating consequences. For the first time, neither Rachel nor Charlotte have control over their own destinies; and they do not handle it well. Whilst they wrestle with their guilt and grief by engaging in the blame-fest from hell, it's Lou who attends to the practical details.

This is a stylish Hollywood set-piece that is better than average overall. The leads all turn in excellent performances, and whilst the conclusion was probably never in much doubt, it is a sufficiently engaging film to warrant lazy Sunday afternoon standby status. It bears watching more than once and is sufficiently quirky to maintain audience satisfaction. I quite enjoyed revisiting the film.


Rating:
Summary: I love this Movie. CHER RULES!!!!
Review: My best friend and I love this movie. Mrs. Flax (Cher's Character) is our all time favorite movie character.

Rating:
Summary: The movie was wonderful.
Review: My wife and I both enjoy this film. It has many good elements to it.
It can be funny or sad, within moments, and makes you want to know how things turn out. It's a great period piece: 1963-1964. Love the music and the cars are nice, too. An excellent performance from all of the actors.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining.
Review: Terrific little movie & great performances by Cher, Bob Hoskins, Winona Ryder & Christina Ricci. Cher is the sexy mom, W. Ryder is the hormonal 15 year old girl who desperately wants to be a nun... Christina Ricci is the swimming champ who practices in the bathtub and Bob Hoskins is the man who tries to turn the trio into a family, what happens along the way is something for you to see...
Features a fun soundtrack & The Shoop Shoop song (IT's in his kiss) by Cher.

Rating:
Summary: If I could give it ten stars, I would!
Review: This film is one of my favorites simply because its so well acted and directed. This is Wynona Ryder's best film. She's so well put in this film. Cher is the great as well as Bob Hoskins. I think everyone should see this film because you will laugh, cry, and be tickled to death by the oscar caliber preformances! Do not miss this film for anything. You'll treasure it for all time.

Rating:
Summary: Bob Hoskins - wotta guy
Review: This film was made excellent by the superb acting by one.... Bob Hoskins - HOW IS HE NOT A SIR???? His beard is shaven which means he is a good guy!! Well Done Bob Hoskins

Rating:
Summary: Mermaids is sweet and comical
Review: This fim is very well crafted. The characters are all seemingly different but are all connected with each other too. Charlotte (Winona Ryder) is so funny and charming and displays saucer-eyed innocence while she is trying to deal with her growing feelings as a young woman. Rachel Flax (Cher) is hilarious and seems to try to be a good mother and acts like the kid most of the time, as Charlotte observes in the film. The characters are original and well created and fun to watch, and its a great story line of finding one's self and dealing with the mother-daughter relationship. Luckily i taped this movie on cable quite a few years ago but i wish too that it would be rereleased on VHS for others to enjoy. This is one of my all time favourite movies and i would reccomend it to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: A Fun Family Movie!
Review: This is a great family movie, cher's performance in this movie is so great. It tells the story of a Jewish family who is constantly moving because Mrs. Flax (Cher) is always causing some kind of gossip in the town and ends up moving all the time. Charlotte (Winonna Ryder) plays an odd teenager, who is in love with a caretaker, and can't keep her mind off of him. The synopsis is great, and filled with two hours of great comedy played out by two great actresses. This is a must see movie.

Rating:
Summary: Mermaids Swims!
Review: This is a great movie, even if it was not a blockbuster. Cher gives a wonderful performance as Mrs. Flax! The film requires her to shift between drama and comedy which Cher does easily! Winona Ryder gives a great performance as a confused girl. Christina Ricci is a delight and her performance hints at what she would do. It's a great movie to watch over and over again! The music is wonderful, as is, the town in which the film was shot, Rockport, MA. I highly reccomend this film to any Cher, Winona or Christina fan. Bob Hoskins also gives a wonderful performance!

Rating:
Summary: WOW this movie is the best
Review: This is a wonderful movie. I suggest everyone to get it believe me it is GREAT!!! Well about this movie if you are thinking well I do not know it may not be my type well if you like humor this movie has it if you like exciting moments this movie has that too if you like frightening moments they have it well anyway this movie has it all and you will want to see the movie over and over again. Well this movie is about a family a mother named Mrs. Flax a women who is divorced, a daughter named Charlotte who desperatly wants to be a nun, another daughter named Kate who is a swimmer. This family moves (for the eighteenth time) and their lives begin to change. To know the movie watch it believe me it is the best movie.