By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.25 cats
Director: Guillaume Lorin | Louise Bagnall | Mark Mullery
Starring: Avery Star Pryce Tibayan | Emma So | Knyght Darius Jack | Milcania Diaz-Rojas | Zariah Georgia Ellis
Year: 2027
Running time: 85
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31109276/
Chris says: “From THE SECRET OF KELLS to WOLFWALKERS, I’m convinced Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon will never let me down. Their latest, the feature debut of director Louise Bagnall adapts JULIÁN IS A MERMAID, a 2014 children’s book by Jessica Love. That title essentially gives away the plot but to elaborate, Julián is a young suburban boy spending the summer with his Dominican grandmother in Brooklyn. He’s also a dreamer with an active imagination and a tendency to get into trouble, but his Abuela is less permissive and understanding of him than his father. Obsessed with the sea and marine creatures, he meets a trio of local girls preparing for the annual Coney Island parade. In them, he finds kindred spirits as the four of them plan to march in the event dressed up as mermaids. Julian’s challenging of gender roles doesn’t sit too well with Abuela and other kids and adults; fortunately, he finds solace in a magical water bubble that comes to life, exemplifying the production design’s whimsy and invention.
“While not nearly as deep as the fantasy/folklore of WOLFWALKERS, Bagnall’s adaptation is a simple, joyous fable about what it means to be different and how meaningful bonds are established when people take the time and thought to understand one another. The bold, bright colors and Latin music soundtrack are delights and at just under ninety minutes, JULIÁN doesn’t wear out its welcome. For kids (and adults) of all ages with even some moments near the end as affecting as the Roadrunner’s appearance in COYOTE VS. ACME. 3.5 cats”
Beth Cu says: “This film was my mistake purchase – and I regret not trying to fix that error (still want to see YOUR MOTHER YOUR MOTHER YOUR MOTHER, the film I thought Ticketmaster was selling me). The film was ok, for what it was, which was a children’s animated film, based on a kid’s book called Julian is a Mermaid. That’s basically it – Julian goes to NYC to stay with his abuela while his dad has a business trip. Julian is a fabulist obsessed with all things aquatic, and a budding non-binary and/or queer kid. It was very colorful & fantastical, I could see a kid loving that. The animation style was , thick lines? I guess? The way they drew mouths – or rather teeth in mouths – I found distracting, and a bit unnerving. Interesting tidbit – this was an Irish/Canadian/Danish collab, with Zoe Saldana as a producer, about a Dominican American community! 3 cats.”