[7/10] _Mermaids_ was my first watch starring Cher! I’ve always wanted to check out her films, and this felt like a good one to start with. Christina Ricci was absolutely adorable, and Winona Ryder gave one of my favorite performances I’ve seen from her!

The film’s quirky family dynamic was fun to watch. But I found myself frustrated for Charlotte. [spoiler]She desperately needed her mom to be there for her, but their relationship was blocked by Mrs. Flax’s selfishness. Her mother constantly projected her own feelings onto every situation, making it almost impossible for Charlotte to open up when she needed it most. While the ending is positive and it’s promising that Mrs. Flax agreed to settle down, it’s hard not to worry about the future of these girls with a parent who’s built so many bad habits over the years.[/spoiler]

There were a couple other parts that felt a little strange or less enjoyable, and I didn’t end up loving it quite as much as I expected. Still, it was worth watching. I think it probably resonated more in the time it was made (although it was set even earlier), but it holds up in a lot of ways and had some surprisingly emotional moments. For a while, I was worried it might have a very sad or bad ending, but I really didn't have a problem with it for the most part.

I will probably recommend this film to someone soon!