December 14, 1990
Mermaids is a 1990 American family comedy-drama film directed by Richard Benjamin, and starring Cher, Bob Hoskins, Winona Ryder, Michael Schoeffling, and Christina Ricci in her film debut. Based on Patty Dann's 1986 novel of the same name, and set in 1963, its plot follows a neurotic teenage girl who moves with her wayward mother and younger sister to a small town in Massachusetts.
Originally planned as the English-language debut of Swedish director Lasse Hallström, the film was ultimately directed by Benjamin after both Hallström and Frank Oz abandoned the project. Filming took place in various locations in Massachusetts in fall 1989.
Released in December 1990, the film was met with mostly positive reviews, with acclaim towards the performance of Ryder, who received a Golden Globe Award nomination and a National Board of Review Award. Ricci also won a Young Artist Award for her performance.
Storyline
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. Rachel's parenting approach—which more resembles friendship than mothering—troubles the anxiety-ridden Charlotte, who is embarrassed by her flamboyant nature.
After ending an affair with her married employer Rachel takes Charlotte and Kate to the small town of Eastport, Massachusetts where she gets a job as a lawyer's receptionist. Charlotte is ecstatic about their new home's location, as it borders a convent, and she is obsessed with Catholicism, to the annoyance of irreligious, Jewish Rachel.
Charlotte soon becomes enamored with Joe Peretti, the 26-year-old driver of her school-bus, who doubles as caretaker of the convent. Meanwhile, Rachel meets local shoe store owner Lou Landsky, and gradually begins a relationship with him. After the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Charlotte finds Joe ringing the convent bell and consoles him. However, as they begin to kiss, she feels filled with sin and flees. After the encounter, she begins fasting to purge her sinful thoughts, eventually passing out from hunger.
Uneducated about sex, Charlotte fears that God will punish her with pregnancy via Immaculate Conception and decides to steal Rachel's car and run away. She drives all night before stopping at the home of a young family in New Haven, Connecticut, claiming to have suffered car trouble when she runs out of gas.
The family invites her to have breakfast with them, but Lou arrives to retrieve her during the meal, having tracked her after reporting the car stolen. Rachel chastises her when she returns home, but she doesn't reveal why she ran away. The next day, she makes an appointment with a local obstetrician under the name Joan Arc. He tells her it isn't possible for her to be pregnant as she is a virgin.
At a New Year's Eve costume party, Lou asks Rachel to marry and move in with him, but she declines, reminding him he is still legally married to his wife (who had left him before they met). After the party, she discovers her car will not start and Joe gives her a ride home. Upon arriving home, she kisses him, wishing him a happy New Year.
Charlotte observes the kiss and accuses Rachel of trying to thwart her budding relationship. She asks Joe why he would kiss Rachel, but he drives off. On New Year's Day, with Rachel out for the day with Lou, Charlotte stays home with Kate and dresses up in Rachel's clothes and makeup. She drinks some wine and offers some to Kate, who drinks a large amount without her knowing. She takes Kate to see the convent, and she—not knowing Kate is drunk—goes to the top of the bell tower, leaving Kate behind to collect rocks near the river. She finds Joe in the bell tower, and they embrace and start to have sex. An unattended Kate falls in the river and nearly drowns, but is rescued by the nuns.
While Kate recovers in hospital, a crazed and angry Rachel gets into an argument with Charlotte about being irresponsible and threatens to move them to another town. The argument ends after Rachel slaps Charlotte across the face, and they subsequently have a calm, heartfelt conversation. ("You know...You're just one year younger than I was when I gave birth to you.") Discussing her father, Charlotte realizes he is never coming back. Rachel ultimately agrees to her plea to stay in Eastport at least one more year.
Over the following year, Rachel and Lou continue their relationship, while Joe relocates to California to open a plant nursery; he and Charlotte keep in contact via postcards. At school, she has gained a new reputation due to her sexual encounter with Joe and replaces her Catholicism obsession with Greek mythology. Kate has recovered and has returned to competitive swimming, although the accident has left her hearing "sounding fuzzy" sometimes.
The film ends with Rachel, Charlotte, and Kate playfully dancing as they set the table for a family meal, something they had not done in the past.
Movie Trailer
- Mermaids (1990) (Trailers)