Boomer nostalgia was a powerful force in 1980s and early 1990s Hollywood, resulting in plenty of films set in times when Boomers were children or teenagers. Some of those films were better than others, and a good example can be found in Mermaids, a 1990 comedy directed by Richard Benjamin.
The film is based on the eponymous novel by Patty Dann. The plot begins in 1963, and the protagonist is Charlotte Flax (played by Winona Ryder), a 15-year-old girl who lives with her mother Rachel (played by Cher) and her 9-year-old swim-obsessed sister (played by Cristina Ricci in her film debut). Rachel is free-spirited and promiscuous, which often results in moving away with her daughters to another town whenever her romantic relationships become too serious. The latest place they come to is Eastport, a small town in Massachusetts. Charlotte has become increasingly unhappy with the nomadic lifestyle and has found her own form of teenage rebellion by embracing Catholicism and a desire to become a nun, despite her family's Jewish background. She is pleased to know that their new home is next door to a convent, but she also finds that the convent's caretaker and the town's school bus driver is Joe Peretti (played by Michael Schoeffling), a young and attractive man whose presence begins to fill her with "impure thoughts". In the meantime, Rachel begins a relationship with Louis "Lou" Landsky (played by Bob Hoskins), a local shoemaker who wants to bring some stability and normalcy to Rachel's life and become a father figure to her family.
Mermaids had more than decent results at the box office and received good reviews among critics. That success was unlikely considering the chaotic circumstances of the production. Emily Lloyd, the British actress who had been hired to play Charlotte, was fired from the set at the behest of Cher, who considered her look too different for someone playing her daughter (Lloyd later sued the producers and won a lucrative settlement). Her fate was shared by two directors – Lasse Halström and Frank Oz – who were fired after creative differences with the cast and producers. Their replacement, former actor Richard Benjamin, however, managed to wrap up production efficiently and was a good choice because family and period comedies had been his specialty. In Mermaids, Benjamin maintains a quick pace and puts the Massachusetts locations, as well as various period details, to good use. But even more impressive is the replacement for Emily Lloyd. Winona Ryder delivers a very interesting performance in the complex role of a young woman torn between conservatism as a form of teenage rebellion and her own raging hormones. Her character is very likable and serves as the foundation of the film. Cher is also very good in the role of a "hip" woman who embraces hedonism and free love before those concepts were made "cool" later in the 1960s. Bob Hoskins is also wonderful in the somewhat unusual role of the romantic lead; despite his looks suggesting otherwise, he is quite convincing in the role of a man who would not only seduce Cher's character but also lead her to begin questioning her lifestyle.
Mermaids is a good, but hardly perfect film. The script by June Roberts tries to add some humor, especially in the first part, but that humor relies less on gags and humorous situations and more on the general quirkiness of the characters. Some of it might be on the edge of "political correctness," like the idea that the audience should laugh at someone merely contemplating conversion to a different religion. In the second part, the script tries to take on a more dramatic and darker tone, but the attempt feels melodramatic and the plot development near the end is unconvincing. The same can be said for the scene depicting the aftermath of JFK's assassination on the protagonist and the people around her, which serves no purpose apart from indulging nostalgia for the mythical "Camelot" among Boomer viewers. Actor and model Michael Schoeffling has the proper looks for the character Charlotte would be mad about, but he lacks the proper acting skills and chemistry with Ryder for their scenes to work properly. However, the good selection of period pop hits, including "The Shoop Shoop Song" which would be covered by Cher in the end titles, makes Mermaids quite likable, while the solid acting and generally positive tone make this film recommendable even to viewers who don't care much about the early 1960s.
RATING: 6/10 (+++)
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