Release Date: March 3rd, 2006 by Twentieth Century Fox. The Cast: Emma Roberts, Joanna ‘Jojo’ Levesque, Sara Paxton, Jake McDorman, Arielle Kebbel, Claudia Karvan, Bruce Spence, Tammin Sursok. Directed by Elizabeth Allen. BASIC PREMISE: Two best friends, Claire (Roberts) and Hailey (Levesque), find a mermaid named Aquamarine (Paxton) who will grant them a wish if she falls in love with a hunky lifeguard (McDorman). ENTERTAINMENT VALUE: If you can get over its predictable plot and cheesy dialogue, Aquamarine makes for a very enjoyable film. Joana ‘Jojo’ Levesque and Emma Roberts (Julia Roberts’ niece) both give convincing performances in their feature film debut as 13 year-old best friends staying at a beach club. They both have crush on Raymond, an older lifeguard, but when Aquamarine washes into their swimming pool during a storm, they plan on matchmaking Aqua with him. Too bad they don’t have Love Potion #9. The only real enemy is Cecilia (Kebbel), a ditzy, mean-spirited girl who tries to steal Raymond away from Aqua. Just don’t expect there to be any real chemistry between any of them because, if you do, you’ll be disappointed. You won’t, however, be disappointed by the wonderful cinematography and the picturesque scenery. Unfortunately, the screenplay by John Quiantance and Jessica Bendinger doesn’t allow for Aqua to be a truly memorable character. Also, there’s not enough humor that works except for two small “complimentary” starfish that actually give complements when warn as earrings—although, this silly joke repeats itself over and over too many times. On a positive note, there are no fart jokes or any other kind of gross-out humor and director Elizabeth Allen maintains a fast pace that never drags. Aquamarine lives up to its PG rating from the first frame to the last. If only the screenwriters had a little more imagination and steered away from cheesy dialogue, Aquamarine could have been a memorable experience. SPIRITUAL VALUE: The ending is satisfying with an uplifting message about the value of true friendship. Other than that, nothing more is required or desired. INSULT TO YOUR INTELLIGENCE: None, as long as you suspend your disbelief. NUMBER OF TIMES I CHECKED MY WATCH: 1 IN A NUTSHELL: A breezy, yet forgettable film which still manages to be entertaining as long you can forgive its cheesy dialogue and very predictable plot. RECOMMENDED WAY TO WATCH: Young Teenagers- Movie Theater (2nd Run) Everyone else- TV Main Page Alphabetical Menu The "A" Menu ______________________________________________________ |