Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- wistful
- gentle
- quiet evening
- coming of age movie night
What critics said
Critics generally found the familiar coming-of-age material elevated by strong performances, especially Winona Ryder's, and by a gently surreal, emotionally observant script, though some considered it sentimental and overworked.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Charlotte's fascination with becoming a nun contrasts with her emerging attraction to Joe and her uncertainty about adulthood.
Rachel's impulsive romantic life and Charlotte's devout seriousness create the film's central comic and tender mother-daughter tension.
Swimming, mermaid imagery, aquatic preoccupations, and Rachel's New Year's Eve mermaid costume recur throughout the story.
The family's coming-of-age tensions unfold around the Kennedy assassination, anchoring personal upheaval in early-1960s America.
Films like Mermaids, and why
My Girl
shared coming-of-age drama, female adolescence, and bittersweet family intimacy
Terms of Endearment
shared unconventional mother daughter relationship, witty warmth, and adolescent sexual awakening
Housekeeping
shared eccentric family dynamics, teenage alienation, and gentle comedy drama
The Edge of Seventeen
shared period coming-of-age, outsider adolescence, and emotionally observant humor
Movie Details
- Director
- Richard Benjamin
- Release Date
- 1990-12-14
- Runtime
- 110 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (623)
Cast
- Cher
- Bob Hoskins
- Winona Ryder
- Michael Schoeffling
- Christina Ricci
- Caroline McWilliams
- Jan Miner
- Betsy Townsend
- Richard McElvain
- Paula Plum
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Mermaids about?
- An impulsive mother and her spiritually searching teenage daughter navigate romance, faith, and family upheaval in early-1960s America.
- What is Mermaids like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Mermaids as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Mermaids violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Mermaids.
- What did critics think of Mermaids?
- Critics generally found the familiar coming-of-age material elevated by strong performances, especially Winona Ryder's, and by a gently surreal, emotionally observant script, though some considered it sentimental and overworked.
- Which films are like Mermaids?
- Films with a similar feel include My Girl, Terms of Endearment, Housekeeping, and The Edge of Seventeen.
- How long is Mermaids?
- Mermaids runs 110 minutes.
- Where can I watch Mermaids?
- In United States, Mermaids streams on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus.
