Mermaids (1990)

	Directed by: Richard Benjamin	COUNTRY USA GENRE Drama/Comedy/ Romance NORWEGIAN TITLE Mermaids - hvordan selge sko til en havfrue RUNNING TIME 110 minutes
	Produced by: Lauren Lloyd Wallis Nikita Patrick Palmer
	Written by (based on the novel by Patty Dann): June Roberts

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
Mrs. Flax	Cher	½
Lou Landsky	Bob Hoskins
Charlotte Flax	Winona Ryder
Joe	Michael Schoeffling	½
Kate Flax	Christina Ricci
Carrie	Caroline McWilliams	-
Mother Superior	Jan Miner	-

Review

This adaptation of June Roberts' 1986 novel had trouble getting off the ground, with directors coming and going, including Lasse Hallström and the often unpopular Frank Oz. However, once Richard Benjamin came on board and created a setting for his three female stars to flourish, Mermaids turned into a delightful little film.

Cher stars as a 30-something single mother of two girls, 15-year-old Charlotte (Winona Ryder) and 9-year-old Kate (Christina Ricci), whose progressive attitude and boisterous lifestyle not only embarrass her kids, but also prompt frequent relocations to new places. When they arrive in the small town of Eastport, Massachusetts in 1963, Charlotte's hormones start clashing with her chaste self-image, as the young and handsome Joe (Michael Schoeffling) and the spirited shoe salesman Lou (Bob Hoskins) enter their lives.

Although Mermaids treads familiar waters – with its coming-of-age story set in the 1960s, which has almost become a cliché in itself – there is nothing prosaic about how these characters are written and conceived, or about their antics, for that matter. Cher's character is a whirlwind of self-absorption and boisterous femininity, which is constantly contrasted with her warmth and affection. It is a truly accomplished performance. When Cher flaunts, she does it for the sake of the character, not for self-serving reasons. And she obviously created an environment for her two young co-stars to shine in, both of whom demonstrate that they were among the most talented actresses in their respective age groups at the time. With the passionate Bob Hoskins as a sparring partner, the Flax family is simultaneously laid bare and given wings to spread by this energetic dramedy. Chances are you'll find yourself uplifted and perhaps even moved by its quirky, uninhibited nature.