Film

Aquamarine

Name: Aquamarine
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Family, Comedy
Released: 2006
Cast: Emma Roberts, JoJo, Sara Paxton, Jake McDorman, Arielle Kebbel

Fantasy
Romance
Light-hearted

A mermaid washes ashore and recruits two teenage best friends to help her prove true love exists to her skeptical father. It's a fizzy, sun-soaked fantasy comedy that treats its absurd premise with cheerful sincerity. Designed for anyone who loves a good-natured adventure where friendship matters as much as romance.

TMDb rating

3.3

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like a breezy, sun-bleached teen romance where a sharp-tongued fish-out-of-water creature stirs up a summer of crushes and mischief, with a light touch of fantasy.

Skip it if you find the pull of a crush-driven plot thin, or want your fantasy with real stakes, because its conflicts stay small and its romance stays simple.

What it asks of you: Under two hours, it ambles at a sunny, easy pace, staying bright and silly with few dark corners and asking only that you go along with its cheerful premise.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

The Little Mermaid1989

Disney's animated original has the same dreamy underwater magic and a heroine determined to claim her own story. The music is transcendent and the emotional stakes hit deeper than you'd expect.

But The pacing drags in places, and if you're not moved by hand-drawn animation, it'll feel dated.

Splash1984

The spiritual godparent to films like Aquamarine. Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah have genuine chemistry, and it balances absurdist comedy with real tenderness about connection across impossible worlds.

But The 1980s production design is very 1980s, and some jokes have aged awkwardly.

Clueless1995

Alicia Silverstone in her element—sharp, funny, and surprisingly wise about friendship and growing up. The script sparkles and the ensemble cast makes every scene land.

But If teen-oriented fashion comedies aren't your lane, the emphasis on clothes and status will feel hollow.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Aquamarine

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

Mermaids1990

Both use the mermaid as a catalyst for the female characters to examine what they want from life and each other.

A completely different register: sharp, melancholic, about a single mother and her daughters (Cher and Winona Ryder) adrift in their own lives. Mermaid appears briefly as a motif for longing and the impossible.

But It's a character drama about adult complications and loss. If you're looking for fantasy adventure, you'll be disappointed.

Enchanted2007

Amy Adams is radiant as a fairy-tale princess in modern New York. It has Aquamarine's commitment to sincerity and whimsy, with musical numbers that genuinely delight.

But The tonal shifts between fantasy and live-action comedy aren't always smooth, and it gets a bit saccharine.

The Princess Bride1987

An adventure that knows how to be giddy and heartfelt at the same time. Quotable, inventive, genuinely funny, and it treats its teenage protagonists with respect.

But Some find the framing device cloying, and the swordplay isn't for everyone.

Freaky Friday2003

Teenage girl at the centre of the story, genuine warmth between characters, and Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan have terrific comic chemistry despite the gimmick.

But The body-swap concept is a bit thin, and it relies heavily on early-2000s pop culture references.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants2005

Four teenage girls, real friendships, and actual emotional intelligence. It takes its characters seriously and the ensemble cast feels like genuine friends.

But The magical pants concept is underbaked, and some of the individual storylines feel rushed.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants poster

Hairspray2007

Exuberant, colorful, and full of dancing. John Travolta is having the time of his life, and the film's message about acceptance and inclusion is woven naturally into the fun.

But If you're not charmed by big Broadway-style musical numbers, it'll feel exhausting.

Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century1999

A Disney Channel original with genuine inventiveness and a lead character who's clever and resourceful. It's campy without being cynical about it.

But The late-90s future aesthetic is aggressively dated, and the plot is quite thin.

Nimona2023

Both feature a chaotic force of nature who disrupts two people's lives and ends up changing who they thought they were.

Animated, witty, visually stunning, and about two people drawn into each other's orbits against their better judgment. The dialogue has real snap and the emotional core is unexpectedly complex.

But It's been adapted from a graphic novel and leans harder into moral ambiguity and queerness. Less sunny than Aquamarine.

Godmothered2020

Both pair an otherworldly character with ordinary people who teach her what she claims to understand but doesn't yet know: that real connection is messier and better than fantasy versions.

A fairy godmother arrives in modern life completely unprepared and has to learn how love and kindness actually work. It's warm without being saccharine, and genuinely moves from comedy into real emotion.

But It's a Disney+ film that sometimes leans too hard on whimsy, and the romantic plot is fairly standard.