Patty’s Picks: ‘The Little Mermaid’ and ‘About My Father’
On today’s “Patty’s Picks,” two movies are featured, both opening in theaters on the same day. The first film discussed is the live-action-animation feature of “The Little Mermaid.”
Patty addressed the controversy surrounding the casting choice for the character Ariel. Patty mentions that while Ariel was depicted as white in the 1989 version, in this film, Halle Bailey, a Black actress, portrays the lead.
She explains the storyline, where Ariel, fascinated with humans, falls in love with a prince and faces the decision of trading her voice for human legs. The film is rated PG and has a runtime of 2 hours and 15 minutes.
The segment then transitions to the next movie, a rom-com titled “About My Father,” starring Robert De Niro as an Italian immigrant father. The plot revolves around his son announcing his desire to marry an American girlfriend, leading the father to insist on getting to know her family.
Patty describes the movie as cute and sweet, highlighting the importance of family. “About My Father” is rated PG-13 and has a runtime of 1 hour and 29 minutes.
Patty gives the movie a rating of 3 out of 5 stars, praising De Niro’s performance and his willingness to explore new avenues of expression. She also mentions that De Niro recently became a new father in real life.
The segment concludes with a flashback interview featuring Tina Turner. Patty provides a brief preview of the interview, mentioning some questions about Turner’s legs and her outlook on life.