I think this is a delightful movie. The period details are fun, Cher is GREAT, and the chemistry between Hoskins, Cher, Winona Ryder and Christina Ricci is excellent. Ryder is especially good at capturing that mixure of idealism, angst and embarrassment which is adolescence.

It's 1963. Charlotte Flax (Winona Ryder) is a teen obsessed with Catholicism despite being Jewish. Her sister Kate (Christina Ricci) swims like a fish. She calls her mother Mrs. Flax (Cher). After yet another failed relationship with her married boss, Mrs. Flax randomly chooses coastal Eastport, Massachusetts and leaves Oklahoma. Charlotte falls for local handyman 26 year old Joe and overjoyed with the local convent. Meanwhile Mrs. Flax is courted by shoe store owner Lou Landsky (Bob Hoskins).

It is a fine coming-of-age movie that concentrates heavily on the interior monologue of Charlotte. Her imaginative confused teenage mind lends itself to some comedy. It does need more and funnier jokes. It's more like a slice of quirky teenage observations. The movie needs some kind of end point or goal. Even if the goal is something fanciful like Charlotte wanting to be a saint or maybe simply wanting to be a nun.

The super talented Winona Ryder drives right over Cher in this coming of age comedy as a quirky teen with a rather bizarre mom who is trying to find herself through her inner spirituality that has made her consider becoming a nun in spite of the fact she's Jewish. Her love/hate relationship with her mom has her often claiming that she wants to die, a thought she continuously repeats every time she is put in awkward situation out in society. Along with younger sister Christina Ricci (absolutely adorable),Ryder is thrilled when a new man, the responsible Bob Hoskins, comes along and brings some normalcy to their lives which of course Cher screws up. The 15 year old Ryder shares an innocent kiss with the sweet Michael Schoeffling, a hunky bus driver she befriends who is unfortunately a decade older than her.

Certainly the age difference between Ryder and Schoeffling is a bit disturbing even if it is completely innocent. I had a hard time believing that he'd allow himself to become close to her even as friends, and the twist concerning them as possible tragedy occurs may put some viewers off. Cher's drag queen image comes to life in her variety of smashing 60's fashions, but her tendency to smirk when she says many of her lines (a habit from other films she's been in) is irritating.

Hoskins, even if not the ideal leading man, is perfect and I wouldn't put anyone else in that part after seeing him here. Ryder gives another in a string of delightfully eccentric performances and walks off with the film. I just wish they had kept the scene in with her visiting nun Jan Miner that really would have put a close on that part of Ryder's story for the viewers.

Atmosphere wise, this is shear perfection with a series of 60's hits which would have been really appropriate considering Cher's character and her fantasy life. While the character's selfishness can be aggravating, it completely adds a more believable aspect that rounds out her character a bit better than had it not been included. Of course, the "Shoop Shoop" song got rediscovered for this as well, and created a music video that is still popular.

The inclusion of the Kennedy assassination as an important event in Ryder's life is really moving because it really shows how that tragic event impacted not only the world but the young people who looked on him as a sign of hope. The Cher of 1990 might be playing a variation of her persona circa 1963, so it's fun to see her playing dress-up long before the real Cher came into discovery. The gorgeous location landscapes also make this a visual treat so it's a feast for the eyes, and through the music the ears, and even if it's slightly flawed, a feast for the emotions.