[title]
On paper, it could be just another
throwaway chick-flick: two very different sisters – one an uptight lawyer, the
other a boozy tart – wrestle with life, love and their relationship with each other. But with
the director of ‘LA Confidential’ at the helm and a solid source novel at its
core (Jennifer Weiner’s bestseller), this achieves a level of sophistication
rarely seen in the genre. ‘Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café’
strikes one as one of the more recent mainstream examples, and that was 14
years ago. But this is less worthy, packing in dark humour and decidedly flawed
characters alongside the expected moral conclusions.
Maggie (Cameron Diaz)
is not only a flirt, but a thief and a liar. Tracking down her estranged
grandmother (Shirley MacLaine), she discovers a world of wizened wisecrackers –
not to mention amiable elderly men giving her the once over. Life doesn’t end
when you get older is the message: in fact, the film implies, your
communication skills improve. Female communication is one of the film’s
enduring themes, and although some lines verge on the trite, they’re given
impact by convincing characters. Toni Collette is particularly able as lawyer
Rose, a toned-down, smarter version of the Bridget Jones role she once
rejected. Broad physical comedy and a high truism count mean not everyone will
love this – those who can’t stomach ‘Sex and the City’ (referenced here) should
approach with caution. But considering it doesn’t star Maggie Smith or Judi
Dench, it’s surprising how mature and moving this female-focused drama is.