Mermaids (1990)
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A neurotic teenage girl navigates the complexities of growing up while moving to a small Massachusetts town with her wayward mother.
The story
In 1963 Oklahoma, 15-year-old Charlotte Flax lives with her carefree 31-year-old single mother, Rachel, who frequently relocates them whenever she ends a relationship. After Rachel ends an affair, she takes Charlotte and her younger sister, Kate, to Eastport, Massachusetts, to work as a receptionist. Charlotte, who is obsessed with Catholicism, becomes enamored with the local school-bus driver, Joe Peretti. Meanwhile, Rachel begins a relationship with a local shoe store owner. The film explores the friction between Charlotte's devout nature and Rachel's flamboyant, friendship-based parenting style as they settle into their new life.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1963 Oklahoma, Charlotte Flax is a 15-year-old whose carefree 31-year-old single mother, Rachel, relocates her and her 9-year-old sister, Kate, each time she ends a relationship. After ending an affair with her married employer, Rachel takes them to Eastport, Massachusetts. Charlotte, obsessed with Catholicism, falls for Joe Peretti, the school-bus driver and convent caretaker. After a brief romantic encounter with Joe, Charlotte feels 'sinful' and begins fasting, eventually running away to New Haven, Connecticut, where she is caught by Lou Landsky. After a series of misunderstandings regarding her virginity and potential pregnancy, Charlotte returns home. At a New Year's Eve party, Rachel and Lou's relationship deepens. On New Year's Day, Charlotte drinks wine, takes a drunk Kate to the convent, and has sex with Joe in the bell tower, leading to Kate nearly drowning in a river. Following a heated argument and a physical altercation where Rachel slaps Charlotte, the two have a heartfelt conversation about their father and their bond. Over the next year, Rachel and Lou continue their relationship while Joe moves to California. Charlotte replaces her religious obsession with Greek mythology, and the film ends with the three women dancing together as they share a family meal.
- First release year
- 1990
- Runtime (minutes)
- 110
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Richard Benjamin
- Writers
- June Roberts · writer
- Cast and characters
- Cher; Bob Hoskins; Winona Ryder; Michael Schoeffling; Christina Ricci
- Genres
- family comedy-drama
- Themes
- coming-of-age; dysfunctional family dynamics; religion vs. secularism; mother-daughter relationships
- Tone and mood
- gentle; wisecracking; surreal; melancholic
- Premise and plot tags
- coming-of-age; family drama; teen comedy; religious themes
- Source material / true-story basis
- Patty Dann's 1986 novel of the same name
- Content notes
- juvenile sexuality
- Reception
- The film received mostly positive reviews, with particular acclaim for Winona Ryder's performance. Critics noted its 'everyday surrealism' and 'gentle' comedy, though some found the characterization self-absorbed and the aquatic themes overworked.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 71% · review count: 24; Metacritic · score: 56% · review count: 20; CinemaScore · score: B · scale: A to F
- Awards and nominations
- Golden Globe Award · nomination · nomination; National Board of Review Award · nomination · nomination
- Production trivia
- Originally planned as the English-language debut of Swedish director Lasse Hallström.; Frank Oz was hired as a replacement director but abandoned the project after clashing with Cher and Winona Ryder.; The film was originally intended to have a darker tone, with one version including Charlotte committing suicide.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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