Aqua's love story
Claire (Emma Roberts) and Hailey (Joanna ‘JoJo’ Levesque) are like totally best friends (insert squeal) but Hailey’s mom is forcing her to move to Australia and leave behind everything that is important – her one true friend and the hottie lifeguard Ray (Jake McDorman) who they have studied all summer long (insert tween angst-filled sigh). Just when they need a miracle… they get a fish mermaid, Aquamarine (Sara Paxton). She ends up in the pool at the beach club after swimming away from home – her dad was going to force her into a traditional arranged marriage (Merman on the Roof – maybe?) but Aqua has seen love and she wants that for herself. Aqua and the girls make a deal – if they are willing to help her find love in three days, she will grant them any wish they desire.
Ray is the perfect candidate for Aqua’s love-interest but they will have to contend with the very spoiled, very tanned Cecilia (Arielle Kebbel) who wants Ray for herself, and she’s used to getting what she wants. Claire and Hailey will both have to face up to some of their fears and do a little growing in order to help Aqua on her love quest. Will they all get their hearts' desire at the big summer ending “Last Splash”?
If you’re thinking this sounds like Splash for Girls, you would be correct – screechy noise, mermaid-love, fun with new feet and all. This will do very well with the target audience but it is a little tough to suffer through as an adult (even for us and we can be pretty immature). The film tries to cram in a lot of plot elements, unfortunately the contrivances to wrap them all up in the end seems very forced and implausible (yeah, we know the whole mermaid thing isn't plausible but really, a college-age boy hanging out with tweens just cause he’s a nice guy – don’t think so).
