The Inconsistent Quality (And Wet Hair) Of Aquamarine

The 2006 preteen comedy `` Aquamarine ,'' includes literally everything that young girls care about cute boys, reading about cute boys in magazines and sparkly nail colors.. Oh, that's not well-rounded enough for you. Fine, we'll also throw in a vague passion for marine biology, but only at the very end if it segues into a shopping spree montage. Set in Florida but shot in Australia. ,'' Aquamarine'' features two young, but already iconic stars in Emma Watson and JoJo, who ultimately hold their own alongside a more experienced Sara Paxton to help create a movie, that's surprisingly, good for its intended demographic with an important if a little underbaked pro-woman storyline.. That being said, when we cast our net, we'll also be catching a few curious computer effects, pointlessly overproduced action, shots and poorly suppressed Australian accents in this tempting-as-a-siren-song installment of `` Clip Breakdown, ,'' mm-hmm. ♪; Oh oh ♪, ♪, Oh, oh ♪, Hello, television, viewers.! My name is Nick.. Thank you so much for joining me once again on my channel for another installment of `` Clip Breakdown.''. This is the playlist where we dive into our favorite movies, TV movies and other such content here on the web., And I break them down into tiny little clips. So we can individually judge if this is a dolphin-safe tuna or partially processed mermaid bones. And we've got a mixed bag here today.. I can definitely see why this movie was so iconic to so many childhoods in the early'00s well before some of the people watching this channel were even born, which is ( beep ) annoying, but here we are.. It also doesn't matter because time is a fallacy. And make sure you give this video a big thumbs up if you wan na see even more'' Clip Breakdowns'' like this featuring Emma Roberts or my icon, JoJo starlet of the Northeast.. Also, if you're new to my channel, I would love to have you click that subscribe button right down below this video.. That way, you never miss new videos from me.. I upload two new ones every week, so turn on notifications and you'll always be the first to know. When I'm casting out a lure a scooey-dooby lure reel you in from the pier and force you to watch a new video'cause. You don't have eyelids'cause you're a fish.. We'Re gon na go ahead and start the movie now.. We start in the Bay Ridge area of Florida, a fictional area like we said that was shot in Australia.. I love the way they open this movie up with, like people getting ready for the End of Summer. Splash., So I already have a sense of time and place without anyone having to be like ,'', And today is the last day of summer ,''. You know We can go right into meeting our main characters, Claire played by Emma Woberts and JoJo played by Hailey played by JoJo.. Oh no JoJo., She's struggling today., [, Hailey ]. Looking for someone to rescue. ( Claire laughs ), He should so be rescuing us.. What'S wrong with this picture? Well for starters, you're, not even drowning right, now., Stop being one of those people who doesn't go after their dreams., Throw yourself into the ocean all disoriented and see what happens. It could be. Love.! That'S why, when I saw a hottie scanning the water on my trip to Lake Placid, I instantly hobbled myself with a beach umbrella, got in the water and started flailing.. It did turn out that there was no lifeguard on duty and I almost died while a man in red swim trunks watched with apathy from the shore. But weirdly that made him like even hotter to me.. That'S why I smashed my own feet for attention.. The girls are spying on Raymond.. He is the I guess like cute boy., Not I guess.. He is the cute boy/lifeguard of this beach club that JoJo's grandma owns. JoJo's, grandparents, No Emma Robert's, grandparents own this beach club.. Now I get it. Favorite song, favorite food favorite, drink Weezer's, `` Island in the Sun ,'', Dr Pepper oranges., Very nice.. First of all, you answered those questions out of order. Oranges are the food and Dr Pepper is the drink., But I think the main issue is going to be Raymond with his Play-Doh-soft tooth enamel in a couple years.. That diet is basically like drinking a lithium ion. Spritzer every day., His favorite song, being'' Holiday in the Sun'' by Weezer, still holds up today, though., As I've said in the past, nothing puts me into vacation mode faster than hearing those perfectly harmonized. ♪, Hip hips ♪, See Just one time and I'm already prepared to max out my credit cards on a gay cruise and abandon my baby at a hospital.. Don'T judge me. It's perfectly legal in most states. And I find it to be a cheaper and more permanent alternative to childcare.. So Claire again, Emma Roberts is trying to say how they need to make the most of their summer because it could be their last one. Together. And Hailey is like ,''. I don't wan na think about it right, now.'', So that's just one example of how they sprinkle in information without spoon-feeding it to the audience just like they did with the End of Summer Splash.. We start to learn that Hailey might be moving, but we don't know everything right off the bat which I appreciate.. There are certain story points that could be a little more pushed forward. I think., Like JoJo, seems to have this fear of getting into her bathing suit. In public, which never becomes fully realized for me., It is commented on by the mean girls, the leader of which is Cecilia Banks. The snooty daughter of the weatherman played by Arielle Kebbel from `` John Tucker Must Die.''. So we get a feeling right off the bat, Claire and Hailey are not the coolest girls in the school. You're, never gon na get a tan wearing all those. Baby. If you wan na see her sunbathe naked, just say that., You don't need to try to impress her by carrying around 14 to-go cups from California Pizza Kitchen.. She said: `` You're, never gon na get diabetes if you're not on a wallaby walkabout on the beach. With all of your soda mate.'', Like I said, this movie was shot in Australia, which must've been so much fun for the young cast. Emma was 14., JoJo was 15., Sara Paxton was 18., Sounds so fun. And actually the five main actors, the two girls, the bully, Sara Paxton and Raymond are the only American actors in the whole movie.. It'S also the reason that, even though this movie is supposed to take place in flat swampy Florida, you can still fully see the like Vegemite mountains of Australia. In the background, with a kangaroo wearing sunglasses selling Tim Tams., I think a lot of the things I know about Australia are actually from like the cartoon. Mascots of food products sold in America. Come to the Outback Steakhouse for a down under classic such as wild boomerang. Onion skins., Fun movie and all, but, to be honest, the only Australian import I really care about getting through customs is fewer mass shootings.. Can we maybe sneak some of that in Sneak some of that in tax-free mama? We check in with Claire's grandparents, who are super fun-loving and also they disappear pretty much after this scene, where they rib the girls for their love of Raymond, the lifeguard that they employ. They also bump into Leonard, who is sort of like the salty seafaring helping hand Around the Capri Beach Club who the girls get creepy vibes from., You don't need to be scared. Girls. He's just a scrawny man.. Some people have weird metabolisms due to genetics or drug use.. Don'T judge. At home. Jojo was having none of this move. And by JoJo. I mean Hailey. She's, like unpacking her mom's stuff, refusing to pack up her room., I'm like ``, You move in two days., You move in two days., You better get this room packed up.''. She misses her dad we see from the photos. And still I have to say. I really appreciate how this movie doles out information in a way that feels natural and not talking down to the audience.. We also caught at the beach that Claire hasn't gone into the water, all summer. And she's like ``. I want none of that., I'm reading.'', So she's sort of hesitant about water or swimming., And we also don't yet fully know, even through this conversation with Hailey's mom. Why they're moving or where yet. You didn't wan na leave Boston either. Remember Australia could be another amazing adventure for us. Hails. (. Can lid pops )? Oh, you mean more amazing than living in either Boston or Florida, But what could possibly be better than trying to survive, ice-cold, winters of mental illness or the humid wetlands of domestic violence? Here'S an idea Mom. How about for our next adventure. You just leave me on a city, bus somewhere and then go experience. Those venomous animal attacks for yourself, So there we have it. Hailey's destiny is to move to Australia. Far from her one friend and she's, afraid of being an outcast again., I like that. We still don't know why she's moving and they tell us later. It's like okay, I don't need to know all at once. Thank you. By the way the pop star/actress who plays Hailey JoJo actually has a strong connection to the Boston area.. She was born in Vermont and then was raised in Foxborough Massachusetts, not far where I'm from. Growing up people used to brag about having been in the same preschool class as her before she got onto an episode of `` Kids, Say the Darndest Things ,'', where the Now-Convicted criminal Bill Cosby asked her to sing Aretha Franklin's `` Respect, ,'' catapulting, her to several other notable appearances and eventually a record deal where she released her chart-topping single ,'' Leave Get Out ,'', which is so memorable and catchy that I don't even feel the need To sing it for you, now. ♪, Mm-mm, mm-mm, ♪, ♪, Mm-mm, you and me ♪ ♪, It's too late, ♪ ♪ And I can't wait for you to be gone. ♪ ♪'Cause, I know about her and I wonder: ♪, Oh wow, that hit a nerve for me. Apparently., I remember she was singing in front of a locker in the music video and she was like `` Leave.'' ♪ Get out. ♪'' Leave !'' ♪ Right now: ♪ (, beep, ), (, laughs, ), Something like that.. Either way did you know that JoJo has been stuck in a holding deal with her record label for many years? I don't know if she's out of it yet, but that was the reason for a long time, at least, if not still why she hasn't had new music in a while. That'S been like widely released. Justice for JoJo., So that night the girls have snuck into the recreation center of the beach club, where they're watching movies. They cast a wish or whatever. Hailey is like ``. Please make my mom change her mind about going to Australia.'' And that's right as lightning strikes. Her weather vane and the weather goes crazy. And they're like ``. Oh my gosh., So scary.'', But actually there's a big storm a-comin' that night. And we see a giant wave. Come up to the beach club and splash into the pool. The next day the girls are checking it out and are afraid of water. Protagonist Claire slips into the pool., While she's down there nearly dying. She sees like a mermaid swimming around.. It looks very much like a mermaid.. She has blue hair. Raymond, the lifeguard jumps in and pulls her out. You're okay. There's a shark in the pool. I know you're okay. You're okay. (, Claire coughing, ), Calm, down.. There you go. ( Claire coughing ). She gets scared in the water., Her parents, drowned. (, Claire coughing, ) [, Bob ], You all right, honey, She's. Somehow fine, even though we just watched her cough a full half-pint of seawater out of her lungs.. Actually, you need to get her to a doctor., Otherwise she's going to dry drown., Although that might be a fun variation on what her parents were most known for, which was wet drowning. I guess. Did you catch. We got that little detail. That'S why Claire's afraid to swim. Her parents drown.? Also, why she's in the care of those beach, club-owning grandparents., Her parents, wet drowning, is basically all we learn about them throughout the movie., Although we also learn that they loved sailing., Although clearly not well ( beep ), They couldn't even figure out life. Jackets Okay. Claire is insistent to Hailey that she saw something down in the water. And even though they just woke up Hailey is like `` Meet me tonight at nine., We'll go check it out.''. It'S like what you got going on all day: Whatever. When the girls sneak down there at night, they're throwing in fish sticks, sardines and gummy worms trying to lure whatever's in the water up top, while also trying to remain quiet. So the creepy groundskeeper Leonard, doesn't come out and catch them. And that's when Sara Paxton as Aquamarine surfaces. She breaches the ocean shore and comes up, and you know teaches us all about what it's like to be a mermaid.. She can talk to all fish and sea creatures and she can do other stuff. Other magic., ( water, splashes, ), Hey, get back, here., (, wave, roaring, ), (, gentle ethereal, music, ) [, Claire ]. How did you do that? Oh that's nothing.! You should see my father.. He can make some serious waves. Huh way to take a compliment: daddy issues., Just based on kids' movies alone. It seems, like all mermaids need to move out of their childhood homes and stop living under the thumb of their temperamental king-of-the-sea fathers.. Why would I take orders from someone named King Triton, who carries around a big trident? That'S confusing branding., Although it is also very camp like something a local muscle bear would do at the gay bars in San Francisco.. Give this video a big thumbs up. If you would let King Triton ( beep ) you with his big three-pronged fork, either the cartoon version or Javier Bardem in the upcoming live-action reboot or both of them, and have yourself a real three-pronged forking.. Also, please notice how blue those gummy worms have made Sara Paxton's lips and mouth after several takes. Or maybe it's'cause. They had her in freezing-cold water all night, and it was too early on in her career as a woman in Hollywood to acknowledge physical pain or express human limitations.. She had just turned 18 while shooting this movie, so the crew was probably like ,'' Stay in that pool fish girl. We're getting you some cold packs to ice your nipples.'', So the girls have to run away before they get caught. And the next morning they're, like `` Okay.'': Well, actually it's weird. The next morning. They wake up and instantly start laughing.. I would wake up and instantly start screaming. I'd be like `` Mermaids exist.. Who knows what this means for all of mankind. ?'', You know Like Santa Claus could be real.. My worldview would shatter. But they're cool, they're, cool. And there's a problem'cause when they run out to the pool it's already being drained., So they open up the pool house or the souvenir shop and they see Aquamarine in there. And she is like `` Ooh. I have legs now.. I have a butt.'' And they're like `` Where'd. You get those ?'' And she's like ``, They just came. As long as I'm out of water. It turns out. I have legs., But if I get wet my stupid fins come back.. That was always a legend, but I've always been too afraid to come to the surface and try it out.''. I'M like well. Are you the only mermaid Just you and your dad You're the only two who could've tried it Where'd you hear that this legend, Someone would've tested it. Anyway, she's nude., So Hailey has to give her her T-shirt., And she mentions at this point ,''. My bathing suit is boy repellent.'', So it again alludes vaguely to her insecurities about her body.. It'S probably enough to be very easy to identify with for many girls who saw this in the audience., Although I wish the movie could have gone further by having her be explicit about her insecurities., They could've done like'' Now and Then'' thing where we hear Claire, be Like ,'', I wish I had boobs like Cecilia ,'', and then they could have even had JoJo be like ,'' Ugh. I have them and I'm embarrassed by them. ,'' blah blah blah complaining about them.. Then I would understand why she's insecure about her body. Or they could have gone even further by casting somebody without a conventionally thin body., But this movie was a few years away from having that kind of representation. Anyway, Aquamarine upon exiting the gift shop with Hailey's T-shirt Is sort of a magical cool genius by turning that T-shirt into a suddenly much bigger dress. And then she's jumping on the bed.. This is probably the most unfortunately expositional part of the movie, where basically Aquamarine explains all of the mermaid rules. She's told us. She can speak to fish. Now she's saying she ran away from home because she's getting married in a few days to someone she doesn't love, because in mermaid world they don't have love., They just have arranged marriages.. Also. She talks to her dad who is angry and getting mad on the phone, and she talks on a shell phone which never comes back, which they could've used at the end of the movie to like get out of a dangerous moment, but they don't. Also the weather, Turns dark and stormy when he's mad. And Emma's character asks ,''. Is her dad doing this ?'', Which I thought was setting it up, that no actually Aquamarine has just as strong powers as her dad, but she doesn't realize them yet. And she has to realize her powers and she can use that to her advantage later.. But no, I was wrong., They don't pick that up again later.. So those are just a few loose threads that I would've, probably tied up or otherwise retooled this scene to not be so expositional.. You don't have love No. My dad says it's just a myth.. He says that the only way I can get out of my wedding is if I can prove to him that love exists. Wow, what an engaging way for your dad to basically admit that he doesn't love. You. Aquamarine was probably like ,''. Well, there are different kinds of love: Dad. Like what about the kind a parent would feel for their child ?'' And her dad was like `` Mm. I don't know. Sounds made up.. Why don't you go swim to the surface of the ocean and die? That'S when I'll, let you out of your forced marriage.'', I'm telling you the gender politics in mermaid country are toxic. Now back to the human world, where these girls obsessively study how to attract boys in magazines. Aquamarine spots, Raymond, the two girls' crush from the window and Instantly decides ,'', Oh that's! The person I'll have fall in love with me.'' And she doesn't even look at another person for the rest of the movie.. I think it could've been fun to have some variety like if she went after a few guys and was like ``, That's not a good fit. That'S not a good fit ,''. Where she kind of wasn't just like instantly going after everyone., Then it would feel more like ,''. Oh there's something special about this guy.'', Not just like `` He's hot, and then I made myself fall in love with him.''. Do you love me ( upbeat pop music. ) ( Raymond spits ) Uh no., But I think you're hot ( people laughing ), really hot. ( Aquamarine scoffs ), Oh no. She's me trying to find a boyfriend at the bathhouse.. Only I don't back down.. I would've followed that up with ,''. Earlier today. I shaved most of my ass cheeks.. Do you love me now ?''? I say most because I like to leave a landing strip., It's hard to verbally describe.. I wasn't sure from that first scene on the beach, but I actually really like the character Raymond played by the incredibly handsome Jake McDorman.. I found that he made Raymundo seem very caring and likable., And he had great chemistry with Sara Paxton. That overall makes this movie feel easier to watch than other romcoms of this era., And it's not his fault that it was fashionable to wear huge shorts back then so don't cancel him. Aquamarine begs Claire and Hailey to help her get Raymond to admit that he loves Her within two days so that she can call off the wedding., And she also says that ,'', If you help a mermaid, you get a wish ,'' all of this mermaid lore that completely made up but whatever. And they're like ``. Oh, we could wish for you to not have to move.'' And they're like `` Okay.'', And she makes it clear. She's like ``. He has to say he loves me or no wish. Deal ?''. So there we have it.. The conflict is set up.. The stakes are adequate., We don't want Hailey to move away and never see the one with glasses again. That would be tragic. Leonard, while cleaning out the drained pool uncovers a piece of jewelry that seems to have fallen off of our girl, Aquamarine., Oh and back in Hailey'S room she mentions ``, Oh yeah, my mom is moving to Australia because she's a marine biologist. She's helping clean out this ocean.''. So there we go. We finally get the why of Hailey's move and some confusing ecology. Aqua is like ``. Oh tell her thanks. The water tastes 10 times better than it did a few years. Ago.'' It's like. I don't know if that matters so much as the dirty water going into your gills and strangling you, but whatever. You drink the water to live. I guess., That's cool too., Don't forget! Aqua can talk to farsh.. The Aquar can tark to farsh. [ Aqua ]. He doesn't like this harsh light. ( lamp squeaks, ) Moby. He came out of hiding. Wow. ( chuckles ). Can you make boobs come out of hiding ( all laughing ) ( chuckles )? I don't know. Claire. Are boobs a fish Like as the shy character. I'M glad you're having some fun coming out of your shell, but maybe you should still shut the ( beep ) up, sometimes until you're a little more confident about busting out the boob jokes at the weirdest times like during a fish conversation.. That being said, I'm sure those of you who watched this movie as seven to 13-year-olds absolutely lost it at that part, and therefore I appreciate its inclusion in the movie.. The script has some moments where it really infuses some authentic and relatable humor., And they also like with this helps convey a sense of character. Development., Claire's learning to be funny., Ooh keep trying. Go to theater camp, then talk to me.. Next, the girls try to catch Raymond's attention by riding by his house. And that's when Aqua falls off of the bike and he comes to her rescue in sort of a long-winded, way. ( lively, pop music, ), ( woman, breathing rhythmically ) ( metal, bangs, ) ♪, Hey boy ♪ ♪, Yeah, yeah, ♪, ♪ Wan na get down ♪ ♪. Can you control me ♪ Aqua. I feel, like the editors were a little self-indulgent, showing that unimportant jump over a railing.. I think using five cuts over two different angles and frame rates is doing. This stunt work a little too much justice and to the point of wrongful conviction. That kid basically jumped over a fence, and the director was like ,'' Um we're making the ( beep ) X, Games now.. We have no choice. Who here can play the electric guitar ?'', So Aqua gets in some good flirting and you can tell Raymond is taken by her charm.. Although stupid Cecilia comes up and is like `` Time to teach me how to drive.'' - And it's like how old are all of you, You can't just teach other kids how to drive.. So, while he's grabbing his keys, Cecilia has a little verbal tiff with Aqua. Who is like ``? Oh did you know? Your name means dim-sighted ?'', Like what's dim-sighted mean Dim sum Dumb summit, That's my band's name. ♪, Dumb summit, ♪ ♪ And I'm climbin', the mountain ♪ ♪, Dumb summit, ♪ ♪ And I'm wearing the spiky shoes ♪. It'S about hiking., It's about ice climbing., You didn't know Vertical limit baby.. One of my favorite parts of this movie are how the 15-year-old main characters keep magically finding new money for their shopping, sprees and snacks.. If you're looking for a real way to save money, that feels like magic, you have to check out the sponsor of today's video Fetch Rewards. Fetch Rewards is a free app. That is super easy to use where you earn free rewards on literally anything you buy., Wherever you shop, you just scan your receipt or your e-receipts and get points.. You can then redeem those points. You'Ve earned for hundreds of awesome gifts like Amazon or Visa gift. Cards. Cha-ching. I've even been scanning the e-receipts for the movies that I'm streaming. And I'm like ooh. This is money in my pocket. Baby. Again, Fetch is totally free. And I was surprised by how easy and fast it is to use.. You can scan receipts redeem points and spend rewards all from your phone.. I'M already well on my way towards $ 25 at Sephora. Ooh and I can get a gift card to Texas Roadhouse.. I love their butter.. I'Ve partnered with Fetch, Rewards before and I know so many of you enjoyed using their app. Download the app now and use the code NICKD to get 5,000 points when you scan your first receipt.. This is a limited time offer just for my viewers, so jump on that link in the description mama. Pretty soon you'll have enough extra cash in your pocket to score a free cotton candy, like my girl, Aquamarine., Let's get back to the movie., So Cecilia has pretty Much a vendetta against Sara Paxton because, as we know, from teen movies, most girls are jealous and petty and competitive with one another.. This is what you get in Hollywood.. This is the best you get. There's something very fishy about that: girl. ( girls laughing ). Do you ever feel you know not so fresh? I love that commercial, but what about this sailboat excursion made you think to ask about vaginal douche. That'S what I wan na know, Sara the scrunchie-wearer.. Can'T you just sit here with your mom and enjoy the sounds of the ocean and I don't know, breathe through your mouth when the wind breezes, If it's that prescient of a matter Sara the scrunchie, wearer., (, laughs, ), Sarah, the scrunchie wearer, is my new favorite Person on Earth., So the girls are like ``, Listen, Aqua. There is a way scientifically proven way to capture a man., And that is by reading teenybopper magazines., So they have the first of three montages.. This one is of the girls checking out all of these art articles and they learn different. You know tactics like laughing while walking away and fluffing his ego.. So then they go out to the carnival where she's able to flirt with him a little bit.. He wins her a dolphin, an inflatable dolphin. And he buys her some of my favorite part of going to a fair. Just one please. ( upbeat pop music, ) Thanks.. As my favorite food, I actually know a lot about the care and storage of cotton candy. And you never in real life. Wan na ball it up into fist-sized, clumps and stuff it into clear buckets like these vendors have done. That doesn't look very appetizing, but you know in the hot sun it's kinda the best art direction you can maintain with real cotton candy.. I would've found some pink like cotton to shove in there. So you'd have a nice fluffy-looking volume, but you know they do what they do.. It'S also funny'cause. She thinks it's a sensory toy rubbing it on her.. The girls are like in the background like `` Mm fun, candy., So good to eat.. I love eating it.'', I'm like that's a fun little play on having the inner ear thing that little sitcom trope.. Next he takes the girl, ( laughs, ), paddle boating.. I forgot one of the other rules other than if she gets wet her legs become fins again is also in the nighttime. Her legs become fins again., I don't know why., I don't know why., I don't know why. What species of animal do you know that would do this that isn't somehow a magical angel. I don't know. ( chuckles ), I'm also getting too angry about it for what it is. So that's fine too., That's fine! Too. ( can clattering ), Oh I'm splattering., So she has to escape the night by jumping over all these boats.. I'M, like you also shouldn't, have gotten in a boat if you could easily get wet and turn into a big huge fish in a boat.. Why am I so mad The girls whisk her away and they find the perfect place to hide her? The water tower which, when you open it up, seems kinda like a well-lit swimming pool. So that's good., I feel like if you really climb inside of a water tower, it would be pitch black and scary as hell, but whatever. There's also a little loose rung of the ladder.. That becomes important. Later., Oh, and this is where the girls are like ,''. She has to find something to wear to the summer fest.'', So there's like the big Final Splash festival. And when they were at the fair eating cotton candy or on the boats or whatever. That'S when Raymond asked her out to that event.. So, anyway, all of a sudden Hailey's like ,'', We should take the bus to Tampa and go shopping.. I have $ 400 from working at the aquarium.''. Okay. Well, keep that money., Don't spend it on this chick., But whatever. Fashion, montage., And we also learn. Aquamarine is cool and not like other girls, because she ends up buying vintage clothing rather than the same old, same old that everyone else is wearing from the mall.. Oh - and she also does this thing where she's like `` My earrings., I need my earrings to be live starfish because they compliment me., No, not physically, complement me.. They actually verbally compliment me. They're, huge suck-ups.'', So (, sighs ), they call .... This is such a weird thing. She's, like `` I'll, get a ride for you, Hailey ,'', and calls over some dolphin where Hailey rides dolphins, which this part was shot in the Queensland Australia in Sea World.. It was also made using apparently cut and paste in Photoshop. Hailey (, uplifting music, ) [ Hailey ] Hi, guys Woo-hoo Woo-hoo. The 2006 CGI obviously looks a little dated. Hailey is enjoying that swim like one of my `` Sims'' characters when I removed the pool ladder to slowly kill them. Ooh, sorry Claire., I forgot that's how your parents died, probably., We still don't know, and we never fully Do know, but let's ask Aquamarine, who seems to have been there conveniently because she starts going into a story about how she's so sure of herself all the time and why she knows that love exists.! That'S the thing that really rubs off on the human world is how confident Aquamarine is, which I think is cute.. We were migrating through the bay. I saw this couple out sailing on their little blue boat., The Claire de Lune.. That'S my parents. Claire. They really loved each other. Almost as much as they loved crashing their boat and screaming. For her help from what I could see., It seems unlikely that seeing Claire's late parents by chance is the whole reason that Aquamarine even believes that love exists.. How do you see people on a boat when you're swimming under water Suspicious.? What part of the story are you leaving out Migrating across the bay? That'S ( beep ) little girl. Claire. Those salty sirens were hunting your parents for pure sport., And now this blue-streaked blondie has crawled on shore to help finish off the family. Lineage. You better go into sushi chef mode on her ass girlfriend., You better sashimi, outside murderer, murderer murderer. Yeah. This part feels very convenient to me.. You saw her parents and that's why you believe Like come on., You do see a young Emma Roberts really serving up the acting skills in what I feel is the most capable. A young actor can really be especially a young actor, who hasn't experienced a lot of personal trauma or had a lot of life experience. Really a lot of times. The best child actor performances are sort of just mimicking those emotions that they might see on other movies or imagine in their heads, whereas an older or more experienced actor might actually conjure that lived experience from somewhere in their past.. So while we don't really get that many actual tears from Emma Roberts, it seems like they put eyedrops in and she sells it.. She sells the sadness in a way that I think helps carry the film. If it was any more inauthentic. It wouldn't read.. So anyway, now Aqua has her earrings and they're. Like ,''. We love you Aqua.''. I don't really care why this is in here.. It seems like a detail from the novel that they just had to include.. Oh and then Cecilia's friends come up and are like ,'' You're living in a fantasy about thinking. You'Ll ever have Raymond.''. I keep wanting to call him Japheth like from the Bible.. You need to separate fantasy from reality. Ray's going to the Last Splash with Cecilia.. She asked him last night at the street fair. ( girls, yelping ), ( girls, laughing ), Not to pull out my marine biology knowledge on all of you, but that looked like water or a drink containing mostly water to me., Which, if I remember correctly, should be Causing Aquamarine's legs to fuse together and become scaly like mine, did when I got poison sumac inside my sleeping bag.. My face also broke out in hives., But luckily I wear a hockey mask when I'm stalking camp counselors., Despite telling off the bullies Aqua, is actually heartbroken that (, sighs, ) Cecilia, is taking her man. And she's like ``. My dad is right.. There is no such thing as love., I'm going home.'' And she's about to go.. Did I mention that her nails change color every time her mood does., So it's helping her be like ,''? What'S this I'm in love.? What'S this I'm feeling angry.'', It's like you didn't have a whole huge, diverse range of emotions down under water. What Okay. So anyway she's about to go into the ocean, but that's when Hailey runs up and talks to her and is like `` Listen. I am sad. Too.'' ( laughs ), My dad said he loved me.. He said he loved my mother and then he left us.. He left us for some other woman., But I guess that's just the way it is. Wow we're really picking up some profound lessons during this PG adventure. Aren'T we She said ``, My dad said he loved us and he loved my mother, but he ( beep ) a graduate student.. So I guess sometimes bad things happen and just leave us traumatized., But also there are mermaids.'', That's what the movie's about. ( laughs, ). So this somehow convinces her to believe in love.. You can really hear JoJo's New England accent when she's like ``. The reason we believe in love is because it's the closest thing we have to magic. The closest thing we have to magic. Closest thing. We have to magic. The closest thing we have to magic.''. I can't do it. Anyway. Claire takes it upon herself to go to Cecilia's pre-party to the Last Splash.. I'M like you, kids have so many events., The street fair, the pre-party, the Last Splash, the fireworks. Settle. Settle down. Anyway, Claire goes to see. Raymond. And Raymond is like ``. I stopped going after Aqua because Cecilia told me she has a boyfriend back home.'' (, gasps ), Oh Cecilia, is all up in your business. And then Cecilia tries to get some older boy to jokingly. Throw poor Claire into the pool. And Claire has a full-on panic attack, because her mom drowned by being thrown into a pool for all we know. And that convinces Raymond. He's like `` You're, not a nice person ,'' and he leaves Cecilia., And he goes after Claire And is like ,'', I'm sorry that we just retraumatized you.. Can you tell me where your cousin is ?'' They're telling everyone the mermaid is her cousin. Back home Aquamarine is nurturing her broken heart. The way all women know how., Who needs Raymond. I found two new men to love.. Their names are Ben and Jerry., (, Hailey, laughs, ), (, sighs, ) Raymond, Who needs Raymond Wow such a fresh and real portrayal of how women deal with rejection from men indignantly muttering their name into food containers.. It'S evolved from that other totally real thing that women did in the olden days casting spells in the woods with Tituba.. I don't know why Claire is like. Let me just open this door, unannounced when I know there's a full-on mermaid in the tub in this room., But I was jealous of any kid in a movie who had their own en suite bathroom.. Are you kidding me Luxury. Luxury. Anyway, Hailey has to jump in the pool and pretend to be the legs of the mermaid, even though now that I'm thinking about it, why couldn't Hailey have just been sitting there And it seems like Aqua, had to hide her fin Under the water for this anyway. So couldn't she have just hid her tail and been like. Oh I'm sitting here with my friend sitting next to me in the tub.. No one had to jump in that pool at all, so I'm confused. Anyway. Raymond, finally, is able to apologize for the misunderstanding with Cecilia and invite her to the Last Splash as his date. And when she shows up, she has waved crimped hair for the first time which I like, even though those blue extensions are not holding the curl. Quite as well as the natural hair., It's okay., It's also like. Why are you not afraid of those water balloon fights Shouldn't this, be a conflict that gets her wet The getting wet almost never becomes a thing.. I wanted to see her almost get splashed and then, like turn into a mermaid., So she throws on like a long, maxi skirt and is like ooh.. In fact, in the pool scene. At the beginning there was an animatronic tail that had these subtle movements to it.. I would've loved if they could've broken, that out at some other point. Whatever.. The point is, we can see from the lower back touching that Raymond is really feelin' smitten with Aqua. ♪ Finish what you said to me now: ♪ Whoo, ( man, laughing ) ♪. What you say what you say: yeah ♪, That girl in the orange dress is me when I'm having my one Diet Coke per week at the bar., She looks like Scarlett Johansson in that meme from `` Marriage Story.''. Oh, I loved the IMDB trivia for this movie.. It was clearly written by children.. There was one fact that was like ,'' The ice cream that Aquamarine is eating in the bathtub is Phish Food from Ben & Jerry's.'', And I'm like yeah. I read that during the blatant close-up., This movie doesn't shy away from some tasteful well-contained product placement. As we see here like the Last Splash brought to you by Coca-Cola.. I like that one person in the back of the crowd who was asked to reach their Coke, can as high into the air as possible.. So Aquamarine and Japheth have a great lunch. Where he's laughing about her really kidney-damaging, love of drinking salt, water., (, laughs, ) And while they're spying they run into Hailey's mom. And Claire's grandma is like ,'', Oh Hailey. Aren'T you so proud of your mom for getting into this program? What is it only 10 applicants in the world got accepted into this fellowship ?'' And the mom is like ``. Yes, I'm just a science hero, saving the world.'' And you start to see Hailey be like uh. This is maybe more important than my stupid friendship with this dinky rinky-dink, this dinky shrinky-dink girl with the glasses this chapter-book-reading horse, girl., (, laughs ). So the girls go up and bribe the musician to play: Jaymond's favorite song, (, laughs, ), the `` Holiday in the Sun.'' ♪ Hip, hip, ♪ And yeah. They just make it a magical evening for him. And they dance., Oh and the sun, is setting. So she's got ta go. And he's like ``. You don't wan na watch the fireworks ?'' And she's like `` No but meet me on the pier tomorrow and you can ask me something very important.'''Cause she's trying to get him to say he loves her.. So he's like ``. What do you want me to say tomorrow, ?'' And she's, like ``? Don'T worry about it., Just see how this kiss makes you feel.'' And he's like semi-hard ,'' Got it.'' (, laughs, ), He's 18 in real life when he did this.. So the girls rush back to get Aquamarine into the water tower. And goddamn Cecilia and her pink convertible and her two friends follow them out there. And then the fireworks are runnin' and we see Japheth is in love., He's falling in love. Thinking about the fireworks. And the mean girls are sitting outside the water tower and Cecilia finally is like ,'' I'm going up there. Why does she live in a water tower ?'' And while she's climbing the other two girls are like ,'' We're gon na ditch her here.''? Remember they have pretty obvious accents.. They also body. Shame the blonde girl for eating two corn dogs, which I'm like mama. I could eat literally six and not even miss dinner, so let's not compare numbers., So they drive off by stealing her car ( laughs, )'cause they're, like ``, We wan na go to the party., We're missing the party and the fireworks.'', So Cecilia climbs. All the way up there noticing the broken ladder and sees the mermaid of Aquamarine. She's, totally discovered.. This obviously freaks out Cecilia, who runs back to her friends but first having the idea to take down that broken ladder. So she's trapped up there. And then she goes to the party and she's yelling at her friends, while being super mean to Bonnie. I wan na say this blonde worker at the shop. A deep cut when it comes to supporting characters., But they're mean to her., And the girls are like `` You're, losing it., We're afraid of you, Cecilia. You're, crazy.'' And Cecilia's all mad.. The next day. Jojo'S character is packing up the house, all solemnly. And Cecilia runs to her dad, who remember, is the town weatherman. And she's like ``. I was on my run and I heard a girl trapped in the water tower.. I wanted to tell you first ,'', knowing that he would make it a big story., But in case we weren't talking enough there's a third act conflict where basically Hailey goes up to Claire's room and is like ``. I think we should think about this wish. If we get this wish. - And maybe my mom's thing is bigger than all of this.'' And Claire's like ,'', You just don't wan na be friends, anymore.'' And Hailey's like ,''. Well, I'm not your mom.. All you do is stick to me.'' And Claire's like ``. You think that's the case, but actually no one even wants to hang out with you anyway.'', So the girls are fighting and they separate.. But that's when Claire sees Cecilia on the news being like `` There's a mermaid in the water tower ,'', which is obviously scary., And they go up there to reveal it, and they just find ... Like the news is like all into this girl being trapped in The water like white woman in trouble., So the firefighters get up to the water tower and it's just the inflatable dolphin from the fair that Aquamarine had left in there.. Thank goodness, she wasn't in the water tower., Oh right., The other night, when Cecilia was complaining to the girls that she saw, someone trapped in the water tower Leonard overheard it. So this is why this happened. -'Cause she is a mermaid. There's, not usually a man with a ladder around when you need him. Can't. Thank you enough. Guess I could say the same to you. You're, probably the first person who's talked to me all summer.. That'S because she just came up from the ocean depths Leonard where they haven't heard about your trial. Last summer., This Boo, Radley gets redeemed. Trope feels a little phoned in right now, especially since they make it seem, like Leonard, doesn't know for sure, but just suspects from that little mythical coin. He found that Aqua is a mermaid.. She does admit it to him in this scene, but how could he have rescued her from that water tower without seeing her in her full mer form and then carrying her down that ladder for her final meformance Suspicious to me.? Oh and we see him, look out the window at that blonde woman who was being talked down to by Cecilia., And you can tell he has feelings for her.. So Aqua is like ``. You know if you help a mermaid, you get a wish.'', So he gets his happy. Ending too. Aquamarine is finally free from the water tower just in time to meet Raymond at the pier. And she's like ``. Do you love me ?'' And he's like `` Ooh? I just kinda just met you so no ,'', (, laughs ), which is so awkward.. I was like, oh my God. Why did you ask him that? But you know it's realistic., So she starts crying (, laughs, ), putting him in an even more awkward spot.. I would be like this is a great way for me to break up with you, but sure. I mean why do I have to be in love with you today? Why can't we just work our way there. I have a better idea.. Why doesn't she just go back to where she came from Ah ( chain, rattles, ), (, ominous music, ), ( water, splashes, ), Okay, little miss attempted murder. Enjoy juvenile detention in Florida.. I hope you already enjoy being the femme submissive person in a relationship, because that's definitely gon na be the box. They put you in over there. Boy. The timing could not be worse because now she goes full-on. Fish legs in the ocean and Raymond sees it. And also the unseen dad who I kind of wish. We had heard from at least one other point in this movie, maybe sending a message to her like ``, You have one more day.. Have you gotten that fish ( beep ) eaten by some Earth man, yet I think not.'', So he heard omnipotently that Raymond doesn't love her., so time's up. Time to get into that. Forced marriage, forced pregnancy, forced birth and a whirlpool starts spinning round her. Just like we saw in `` 17 Again'' recently., We love these early'00s CGI whirlpools. (, dramatic, orchestral, music, ), ( water, roaring, ) Raymond Raymond, When you flush your pet goldfish down the toilet, even though it still has a tiny spark of life left in its eye.. I'M not saying I ever did that.. I actually swallowed my pet fish every three months to assure that they could never assert dominance over me. Pack mentality baby., You got ta eat your pets., So Hailey and the other one were both listening under the pier to see what happens and if they were gon Na get their wish. And when she goes into the water Aqua they are like ,''. We got ta jump in there and help her ,''. Even though it's like she's made of fish you're made of human. You're gon na drown'cause. This big storm is starting. Anyway. I guess JoJo's character is over her body issues now'cause she rips off her T-shirt, even though it's like you're still gon na jump in in full cargo pants.. So does the T-shirt really matter at that point, I guess: got ta get the young girl in her bra. Somehow ugh. And that's when Claire is like ,'' You're, not going in there alone. I'm going with you.'' And it's like now. Both the girls are conquering their fears. Claire's, not afraid of drowning, even though she's probably gon na drown by jumping into that choppy water. But okay. This is where I would love to bring in more mermaid mythology or some of the lore that Aquamarine has set up. Like if, for some reason, what, if Hailey, can't jump into the water'cause, she whatever broke her foot. Who cares, But it has to be Claire.. Claire is the only one who can go in the water., It's a reversal of when Hailey had to go in the water to get the starfish earrings., And maybe they have to use that shell phone to communicate. And it's like yeah bring those sea technology seapunk technologies Into the storyline. Like, maybe they have to use a shell phone to help communicate to Claire where she has to swim, because it's too dark and stormy. That way. It kind of mirrors how the two girls want so badly to stay together., But actually they can learn to be a little more independent, which is what this is. I'm swimming out on. My own. I'm staying here on the phone. And it brings more fish lore into the final battle scene.. I also wish that that necklace that she had lost were somehow tied to her ability to like swim or control, fish or turn back and forth.. Therefore they have to like get her her necklace and that's why they're swimming out here, rather than just chasing her to a buoy where they talk.? Basically the girls are like ,''. You can use our wish so that you can get out of your marriage.'' And she's. Like ``, There is no wish, because you didn't help me successfully.'' And I'm like who decides the wish thing Nature Nature, But the girls are like ``. Oh my God.'' She's like ``. Why would you even sacrifice that for me And you jumped in this water to save me.''? Why would you do that for me, Because we love you Aqua. ( Aqua, sniffles, ), (, teardrop, plinks, ), ( ethereal music ), Oh okay. Danger over. I guess with one drop of CGI tear. That wasn't exactly the most visual of human versus nature conflicts we've ever seen put to screen, but it is exciting how the movie is almost over now. And it's not unfeminist. The love between friends and girl, power, womanhood being A replacement for the actual romantic love that ends up being the MacGuffin for the movie.. We don't even need your love Raymond.. You can put your ( beep ) in anyone else in this whole Florida townsville.. So the girls are like ``, Oh, my God yay.''. This is the only studio shot by .... You can tell from the lighting. This was all shot in a sound stage.. The girls are like `` Yay. We did it.''. Also they are like ,''. Can you stay with us forever? Aquamarine ?'' She's, like ``? I have a whole family back home.'', I'm like yeah that abusive ( beep ) dad Stay where there's cotton, candy. You're gon na eat mackerel, forever, ( blows, raspberries ), But anyway she's like ,'', I'm gon na be able to come visit you whenever I want now. Save your wish.'', I love you guys too., Okay, but your face is insanely wet right. Now. Just got ta call that out., Like some makeup artist, walked up to her and sprayed that mug down like it was a thirsty ficus.. She said ``, I love you. (. Gagging ), I love you, both. (, gagging ) (, beep ). I love you. Both. ( blows raspberries, ), You're cooler than the whole ocean.'', So the girls paddle back to the land. And Emma Roberts' character is fully no longer afraid of the ocean. She's like ``. Let'S just float and enjoy this water because oh wasn't this the best summer ever ?'' And that's when Raymond paddles out to the girls who were drowning, even though it took like 15 minutes and he's a lifeguard.. If Aquamarine didn't literally have shark fins, she would've been long drowned and dead, like Claire's, parents. And she's like ``, I'm. So sorry, I didn't tell you that I'm a mermaid.'' And he's like ``, I mean what ?'' I'm not mad., Surprised, definitely. And confused about a couple of things. Like, for instance, your ( beep ) hole and where it might be. Don't worry everybody. On the internet. I can say whatever I want and then suffer the permanent consequences., But that's okay, because ( beep ), the Supreme Court for repealing Roe versus Wade. Abortion rights are human rights. And reproductive people are not just cattle that you can force to birth. Other people. Americans will take back their constitutional rights and ( beep ). Anyone who wants to oppress freedom., That's the mermaid story, I wan na tell. And then yeah the girls part ways and they're like ,''. We can use our wish to see each other next summer.''. I'M like sweetheart, you could use your wish to get unlimited, (, beep, ), first class airline flights, so you can visit her whenever you want. Think bigger.. It'S a (, beep ) wish.. Anyway. Good luck, even caring about each other. After one more semester, apart. You're gon na find new, friends. And Australia sounds like it has cooler people anyway, so., That's all they wrote for'' Aquamarine ,'' `` Aquamarine.''. Did you guys love this movie as a kid? Do you love it now? I think it holds up. Surprisingly, well: minus a few, slightly reductive representations of the experience of being a young girl., But we get there over time. We get there over time.. Let me know what you think in the comments below.. Also, what other movies from this similar era should we be checking out on the next installment of ``, Clip Breakdown'' And don't forget to give this video a big thumbs up? If you wan na see even more'' Clip Breakdowns'' like this one., It really helps the channel out.. So does it also, most importantly, if you're new to my channel, if you would click that subscribe button right over there below the video., That way, you never miss new videos from me.. I upload two new ones: every week. So turn on notification when I'm reeling in another huge human-sized fish for ya.. Also, I've got merch available and a Patreon where you can access exclusive virtual watch parties and bonus episodes.. Like recently, I had my friend put together. Supercuts of all the time I do different things on the channel, so it's really funny but check it out. If you want., You guys are all the greatest.. Thank you so much for diving into the shores of the salty briny sea. With me today.. I will see you next time. Mwah. ( static, fizzles, ),