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Released 26th June 2009
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Cue sadness and sombre self-reflection: Nick Cassavetes‘ new drama is the ultimate, shameless weepy amidst the mega-bucks blockbusters in recent weeks. But it has an encouraging provocative and rather uncomfortable twist that will question anyone’s family loyalty. From the opening scenes, Little Miss Sunshine darling and frighteningly astute youngster Abigail Breslin sits in mournful mode, contemplating the meaning of life - well, her character’s life, anyway. In an intriguing and highly manipulative fashion, the film sets along the path of genetic controversy, asking the viewer to question their stance on social engineering through the experience of 11-year-old Anna (Breslin) who has been ‘created’ for (crudely put) ’spare parts’ for her leukaemia-suffering big sister, Kate, played by swollen-lipped Sofia Vassilieva.
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Naturally, the film attempts to pull at the heartstrings over Kate’s tragic plight, with harrowing scenes of vomiting blood and being close to death’s door, intermingled with lighter flashback moments when the teenager finds love, but it also champions Anna’s right to ‘normality’ and not being a human guinea pig. It is because of this troubling dilemma that the story plays rather unevenly at times, even though both young female leads give consistently commendable performances throughout.
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Apart from the unnerving storyline, the biggest issue was the casting of Cameron Diaz as the mother, Sara. Admittedly, Diaz gives one of her strongest performances to date in a flesher role than we are used to seeing her in, but successfully overkills the despair and passion of an over-controlling mother in denial of her daughter’s fate. Plus, Diaz as an ex-, high-powered lawyer and mother, not only to sick a teenager daughter, but a teenage son, is just a little too far-fetched to be believable. Some will find it hard to accept the ever youthful-looking Diaz as a credible character actress at the moment. It is just a little too soon for ‘mom’ roles for the actress - especially ones with teenage kids involved - that not even the donning of dumbed-down attire, unruly hair and comfy Ugg boots can convince otherwise.
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The film also goes off on a tangent from Jodi Picoult’s book’s mood, turning into the average, predictable TV courtroom fiasco, rather than concentrating on the more interesting subject matter of the effects of social engineering - as well as providing the opportunity for melodramatic (and slightly nauseating) judge/lawyer-child bonding moments, as each sympathises with each other’s raw deal in life. That said, watching Joan Cusack’s face contort as though sucking on a lemon as prickly, but sentimental Judge (-in mourning) De Salvo provides an entertaining light relief from the legal tediousness and drama that these scenes try to whip up, as Diaz tries her best ‘Ally McBeal‘ impersonation that simply does not wash.
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Schmaltz, melodrama and some lengthy, drawn-out scenes - as well as Diaz playing Mom - detract from the serious and attention-grabbing topic in the film that is so wrapped up in guaranteeing the ever-gushing sentimentality for the conventional cinema audience that Cassavetes forgets to get really stuck into the more engaging and controversial aspects. Did he lose his nerve and just play it safe? Have the tissues at the ready for the tears - of both sadness and frustration.
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By Lisa Keddie
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Synopsis
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After their daughter is stricken with leukemia, a couple conceives a younger sister who can provide a donor match, but the family is torn apart when, after years of medical procedures, the healthy younger sibling sues her parents for the right to decide how her body is used.
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Film Facts
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Official site: http://www.mysisterskeepermovie.com/
UK Release Date: 26th June 2009
Director: Nick Cassavetes
Writers: Nick Cassavetes, Jeremy Leven, Jodi Picoult (Novel)
Cast: Cameron Diaz (’Sara Fitzgerald’), Abigail Breslin (’Anna Fitzgerald’), Alec Baldwin (’Campbell Alexander’), Jason Patric (’Brian Fitzgerald’), Sofia Vassilieva (’Kate Fitzgerald’), Joan Cusack (’Judge De Salvo’), Thomas Dekker (’Taylor Ambrose’), Nicole Lenz (’Gloria’), Heather Wahlquist (’Aunt Kelly’), Evan Ellingson (’Jesse Fitzgerald’)
Distributor: Entertainment Film Distributors UK
Certificate: 12A
Run-time: 109 mins
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Video on Real.com
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Trailer:
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