Parents' Guide to Aquamarine

Movie PG 2006 109 minutes
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Common Sense Media Review

By Cynthia Fuchs , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 9+

Girls and a mermaid learn about love. Charming.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 9+?

Any Positive Content?

  • Aquamarine Trailer

Parent and Kid Reviews

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age 8+

Based on 13 parent reviews

 

 

See all 13 parent reviews
age 9+

Based on 55 kid reviews

Kids say the movie is a fun and sweet experience that centers on friendship and romance, making it an ideal choice for sleepovers and young audiences, particularly girls. However, some reviewers flagged mild language and the portrayal of teenage themes, recommending it primarily for ages nine and up.

  • fun experience
  • friendship theme
  • mild language
  • girl-focused
  • ideal for sleepovers
Summarized with AI
 

 

See all 55 kid reviews

What's the Story?

AQUAMARINE focuses on two smart, mostly sensible 13-year-olds at the end of their last summer together. Claire (Emma Roberts), who lives at a small Florida resort with her grandparents, and Hailey (pop singer Joanna "JoJo" Levesque) are discovering the joys of boys, or at least the idea of boys. They've read the magazines and memorized the instructions on how to attract a boy, but they're also daunted by their rivals, slightly older girls in makeup and bikinis. They're also distracted by two major developments: one, Hailey's mother has a new job in Australia, which means the girls will be split up at summer's end. And two, they find a mermaid in a swimming pool. This would be Aquamarine (Sara Paxton), running away from an arranged marriage. Determined to prove the existence of love (and so, avoid her father's plans), Aquamarine pursues Raymond (Jake McDorman, who shows a gift for physical comedy and making faces), the very pretty lifeguard on whom Hailey has a crush. The girls and mermaid cut a deal: if, in three days, Aqua can get Ray to say he loves her, she avoids a loveless wedding and will grant the girls a wish.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 13 ):
Kids say ( 55 ):

The movie adapts mermaid rules from Splash (Aqua can grow legs during the day, but her fishtail comes back at sundown or if her legs get wet) in order to set up absurd situations. As well, Aqua's "otherness" is marked by her naïve childishness, combined with physical oddities (fingernails that change color to show her emotions, live starfish she wears as earrings and who whisper in her ear that she's "smart" and "beautiful"), and a sensual maturity (Ray is quite smitten as soon as he sees her, though perplexed by her strange behavior).

True, the film leans too heavily on its "villain," the wealthy Cecilia (Arielle Kebble), to amp up the dramatic tension (as she competes for Ray's attention by lying and cheating). And true, Aqua is not so charming as the human girls, especially Roberts as Claire, who is convincing and adorable. But for all the narrative awkwardness and abuses heaped on Cecilia, the film comes up with a terrific ending, underlining the importance of the girls' friendship (including their new friendship with Aqua) over romance.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the girls' friendship. How do Claire and Hailey help each other cope with extraordinary trauma and ordinary "growing pains"? How does their relationship change as they compete for boys' attention? How do they deal with Hailey's imminent move to Australia?

Movie Details

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