Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.5
Overall		3.0

Mermaids Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov May 3, 2018

Richard Benjamin's "Mermaids" (1990) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of independent distributors Olive Films. The only bonus feature on the disc is an original trailer for the film. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Girls

I admire women like Cher’’s character, Mrs. Flax, but I think that many of them end up living incredibly disappointing lives. Maybe while they are younger it is easier to keep on moving on and having a ‘fresh start’ whenever things begin to fall apart, but eventually the freedom to do so wears them down and they give up. This applies to men as well. There has to be a point where women and men realize that it is impossible to have a fulfilling life with someone special if they don’t have strong roots. You see, the part where they actually discover the special is precisely the one where they must grow these roots.

In Richard Benjamin’s film Mermaids Mrs. Flax and her two daughters, Charlotte (Winona Ryder) and Kate (Christina Ricci), are constantly on the move. Traveling to a new place and starting a new life is an essential part of their story -- only the ‘new’ is the same repetitive cycle of disappointments that eventually force them to pack up their bags. According to Mrs. Flax, however, the problem has always been with the pool of bachelors that she has had to choose from, which is why she continues to roll the dice.

In a small town somewhere in Massachusetts Mrs. Flax meets Mr. Landsky (Bob Hoskins), a single, middle-aged shoe store owner who instantly concludes that she is the type of different and very attractive lady that he always wanted to have a serious relationship with. So the two meet for breakfast, spend most of the day in her bed, and begin a serious relationship. Mr. Landsky then quickly falls in love with Charlotte and Kate and makes it clear to Mrs. Flax that he wants them to become a family. It seems like the perfect scenario for the Flax girls, but instead of rushing to build the perfect family Mrs. Flax declares that her latest partner will never be part of ‘her family’.

While the drama unfolds Charlotte begins fantasizing about having a relationship with a local boy and the ‘impure’ thoughts that her mind unleashes force her to reevaluate her brilliant future plan to become a nun. Kate also discovers that while her mother and older sister struggle with their emotions she has a lot more time and freedom to explore the things that grown-ups like to do.

I have not read Patty Dann’s novel that inspired Benjamin to shoot Mermaids, but I am certain that it resonates in completely different ways with readers from different age groups. The film undoubtedly does so as well despite the fact that the bulk of the events in it are seen through Charlotte’s eyes. The reason for this is simple. There is a genuine lightness in the story of the Flax family that makes it quite easy to pull out universal truths about the ways in which people of all ages pursue happiness. Of course there are some nuances that occasionally complicate things, but at the end I think that it all comes down to persistence. I realize that it may sound a bit too simplistic because as people grow older their definition of happiness begins to evolve, but the most persistent ones usually find what they are looking for. Mermaids is just another effective reminder of this.

Mermaids Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Richard Benjamin's Mermaids arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Olive Films.

The release is sourced from an older and a somewhat inconsistent master. Indeed, some of the outdoor footage can look quite decent, boasting somewhat pleasing depth and acceptable clarity, but elsewhere the limitations of the master become quite obvious. For example, there is noticeable flatness in backgrounds; grain also isn't naturally exposed. During indoor footage delineation can become problematic; black crush easily makes its presence felt as well. The good news is that there are no traces of compromising sharpening adjustments, but there are areas of the film where for a variety of other reasons -- all related to the nature of the master -- the visuals can look quite thick. Colors are stable, but a proper new master would introduce much better saturation and nuances. Image stability is very good. My score if 3.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Mermaids Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The lossless track has good depth and clarity is pleasing. The overall dynamic range seems like it could be better, but there are no anomalies to report. In fact, balance remains really nice throughout the entire film. The dialog is stable and clean. There are no audio dropouts, pops, or digital distortions to report.

Mermaids Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original theatrical trailer for Mermaids. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

Mermaids Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I have a great deal of respect for people who tirelessly pursue happiness because freedom and the desire to do it are rarely enough. What further complicates the journey is the fact that age typically changes views and priorities, and as time passes and people get older, it becomes incredibly difficult to remain persistent. It is why a lot of people eventually surrender and settle for less. Richard Benjamin's Mermaids may seem like a banal comedy that does not have anything original to say about people that seek happiness, but it is actually quite effective in reminding why it is so important to never give up on it. Olive Films' recent Blu-ray release is sourced from an older and somewhat inconsistent master, but at the moment this is the best presentation of the film on the market. RECOMMENDED if you can find it on sale.