This title is currently available on Blu-ray from Olive Films (www.olivefilms.com – www.facebook.com/olivefilms).
I’ll be perfectly honest. While I may have seen Mermaids during its theatrical run, there wasn’t a whole lot that I remembered about the movie (but then again, it was 28 years ago). It appears that in the years since its release, the DVD of this title has fallen out-of-print and isn’t easy to come by. This week, Olive Films are giving it a new life on Blu-ray, making it available once again. And this reviewer can happily report the film has aged quite well. In fact, this is a solid coming-of-age comedy/drama.
The story is set in 1963 and involves Rachel (Cher), a single woman who leads an almost nomadic lifestyle. She moves from random state to random state, dragging daughters Charlotte (Winona Ryder) and Kate (Christina Ricci) with her every few months after her personal relationships fall apart. The family arrive in Massachusetts, with teenager Charlotte extremely frustrated by the behavior of her mother. The teen’s unique form of rebellion involves obsessing over Catholic iconography, listening to the music of Soeur Sourire and fantasizing about becoming a nun (despite the fact that the family is Jewish).
The relationship between mother and daughter becomes even more complicated when the family matriarch begins dating shoe salesman Lou Landsky (Bob Hoskins). He appears to genuinely like the eccentric family and want to be a part of their lives for the long-term, which makes Rachel nervous. As this is occurring, Charlotte struggles with her lustful feelings towards Joe (Michael Schoeffling), a 26-year-old caretaker at a nearby convent.
Much of the humor revolves around the contrasting quirks of the family members. Rachel is blunt, direct and… very forward when it comes to men. Of course, daughter Charlotte comes across as amusingly traditional. After all, it’s her only way of railing against mom. There are plenty of funny scenes involving playful bickering between the two after their very different interests. Another good moment and enjoyable sight gag occurs when Charlotte tries to sneak a peak into the grounds of a nearby convent, only to see nuns engaged in a lively game of horseshoes.
Additionally, the movie gets plenty of mileage out of Charlotte’s awkward attempts to be seen and desired by Joe; audiences are treated to her inner panic and rambling thoughts. There’s also an excellent bit later in the film when the teenager runs away, picking a arbitrary home, asking them for help and attempting to ingratiate herself into the family. They are more than a little confused by the actions of their unexpected guest. Ryder is superb as a teen struggling with these extreme emotions and anxieties involved figuring out who she is (the actress deservedly earned a Golden Globe nomination for her performance).
One of the film’s other big plusses is Charlotte’s nine-year-old sister. The film marks actress Christina Ricci’s first onscreen role and she pretty much steals every scene she’s in. This boisterous child with dreams of becoming an Olympic swimmer is pretty darn cute… and one completely out-of-the-blue gag may be the most hilarious thing in the entire film. It involves the child deciding to play monster, stumbling clumsily around the family kitchen with a heavy-looking, carved jack-o-lantern over her head. This brief but effective gag alone is pretty much worth the price of admission.
Naturally, this is a coming-of-age drama and the movie sensitively attempts to have its two lead characters adapt and grow, albeit in different ways. While the script shies away from digging deeper into the psychology of the characters and the resolution is never in any doubt, at least the story takes a few interesting twists along the way before it reaches its destination. These turns and the odd mother/daughter dynamic on display make the movie far more engaging than anticipated.
And I imagine the image quality is a nice improvement over the DVD. The movie itself hasn’t been given a big restoration and features one or two darkly lit, grainy scenes, but these short bits are the result of underexposed source material. The vast majority of the film, including the seaside outdoor locations, look quite sharp and are very pretty to behold. There’s some beautiful sunset photography on display as well.
I was pleasantly surprised by Mermaids and quite taken by the work of both the established and very young cast members. The movie also earned a thumbs up from my wife, who was impressed that the themes still resonated so many years later. Those who have fond memories of the feature or want to see a well acted and amusing coming-of-age story will be well-served by this release.