brandonshedder I was obsessed with Aqamarine as a child. I would watch it everyday, and played games with my friends pretending to be characters from this movie. It was my dream. My salvation. However, as a young adult, I have realized that this movie kind of sucks. While the film is great for the target audience of younger viewers, it for sure fails to capture teenagers. The content is overly dramatic, sometimes poorly written, and very immature.Aquamarine tells the simple story of a young mermaid, played by Sara Paxton, who swims away from home, and encounters two teenage girls who live by the sea. As the friends begin to get to know this mermaid, they start to teach her about human life and stereotypes. Along the way, a side plot about a love interest is introduced. This mainly involves confusion over the mermaid's lifestyle, which leads to the film's attempts at comedy. Some of them work, others...do not. Really.The love interest character of Raymond is by far the worst character in this film. His cheesy lines, and slow jumps, are horrendous and cringeworthy. His acting is not terrible, however, they did not give his character very much to work with. The three lead characters all seemed to work well together, and seemed like actual friends. Their performances are generally great. Especially from Jo Jo, in one emotional scene towards the end of the movie. It is interesting that only Emma Roberts has been truly successful after the release of Aquamarine. At the time of this review, I have heard nothing about Sara Paxton nowadays, and only a word about Jo Jo's music career.As far as other other characters are concerned, the handyman Leonard is not really needed here. He has only a few scenes where he furthers the plot a bit. Other than that, he walks around in the background, and does not say very much. The main antagonist, Cecelia, is obnoxious, and did not do very much throughout the film other than complain, and act as the stereotypical mean girl.Overall, Aquamarine is fun, and a lighthearted, sometimes emotional film that is great for younger kids and parents who are looking for a family friendly fantasy-esque movie.

shantaar-2 Aquamarine is exactly what it proposes to be, a fish-out-of-water comedy. It's funny, sweet and utterly charming. Joanna Levesque and Emma Roberts play Hayley and Claire, respectively and though Roberts is clearly the more comfortable actress of the two, "jojo" is okay too! Sara Paxton plays the title character, normally the bitch or the victim, it's really nice to see her play a different role here and she makes this movie.I love this movie more and more each time I watch it. It's pure and unpretentious and just plain fun! The three girls always feel genuine and natural together and nothing feels forced on the audience. There is some awkwardness at the beginning and end, re-writes?, but it too joyous to knock the stuff in between. We need more wonderful films like this that the whole family can truly enjoy.There are three scenes in Aquamarine that always make me cry. 1. Jojo talking about love to Aqua on the beach. 2. When Aqua asks Raymond if he loves her and he....Well, just watch Sara's face! That's called acting people! 3. When Claire and Hayley tell Aqua they love her by the buoy. I just well up and weep. And no, I'm not an easy crier. This movie is super sweet and fun and just gets better every time I watch it. Another plus is the great music, it fits really well with the film. A special nod should go to Bruce Spence, i.e. Leonard the mis=understood maintenance man, he's the unsung hero here. Give Aquamarine a chance and keep your cynicism at the door, you'll have a great time. Aqua, Aqua, Aqua!

Jackson Booth-Millard I read in Empire magazine the Top Ten Movie Mermaids, Daryl Hannah in Splash was obviously number 1, Ariel of The Little Mermaid was number 3, and this one was number 9, so I had to see why. Basically twelve year old friends Claire Brown (Emma Roberts) and Hailey Rogers (RV's Joanna 'JoJo' Levesque) are due to separate in five days when Hailey has to move to Australia because of her mum. One night there is a violent storm, and the girls take a look at their beach club swimming pool, and they are amazed by what has been washed up inside it. They meet and are amazed by mermaid Aquamarine (Superhero Movie's Sara Paxton), and the next day she turns up with legs saying that her fins come back when she gets wet. Aquamarine tells them that she is ashore trying to prove to her father, king of the sea, that love exists so that she doesn't have to go through a forced marriage. The girls agree to help her to get popular beach boy and lifeguard Raymond (Jake McDorman) to fall in love with her. Aquamarine says she will grant them a wish for helping her, so obviously they see this as their chance to stop Hailey moving away. The only problem with this plan is that spoilt, rich girl Cecilia Banks (American Pie Presents Band Camp's Arielle Kebbel) is trying to get her mitts on Raymond too. There is a point when Cecilia discovers Aquamarine's secret, but eccentric and compassionate caretaker Leonard (Bruce Spence) stops this secret being spread. Raymond does discover Aquamarine is a mermaid too, but her father is convinced there is love from Claire and Hailey loving her, and the girls save their wish for later, instead the three of them promise to see each other every summer. Also starring Claudia Karvan as Ginny, Tammin Sursok as Marjorie, Roy Billing as Grandpa Bob, Julia Blake as Grandma Maggie and Shaun Micallef as Storm Banks. If you are of the Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana and Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen generation, "girly girls", then this is definitely for you. Roberts and Levesque are your typical smile too much and giggle a lot pair, Paxton is attractive and fun as the half-girl-half-fish, but she's no Daryl Hannah, and there are some amusing moments, but it isn't my kind of thing more than once. Okay!

CitizenCaine Aquamarine is one of those movies where one doesn't expect much going into the theater. The film starts out excruciating and annoying in its girly girlishness. Tween pop sensation Jo Jo Levesque and Emma Roberts star as tweens fascinated by, what else, boys and prancing around on the beach in summer. The girls are no match for a queen bee and her cohorts who are aiming for the same male lifeguard as they. Insert plot point: mermaid gets washed ashore during storm and befriends two tween girls. As a result, fun and adventure ensues. Sara Paxton plays the mermaid who must link up with the same said lifeguard in order to experience human love...or receive an acknowledgment of such. Things were a little hazy in that department. Levesque and Roberts work well with each other, and Roberts is especially good in her role as the shy, sensitive girl who must come to grips with her dependence on her friend. The first part of the film is riddled with clichéd dialog and scenes for the age demographic, but the film improves as it goes along. All in all, it's still formulaic, but the performances of the two leads makes it better than expected. The film's ending also contains a nice subtle message about friendship for today's kids who are all too often wrapped up in growing up much too fast. ** of 4 stars.