Movie Review: Sisters (2015)
Synopsis: Sisters Kate and Maura had two different high school experiences. Kate was always the life of the party while Maura was the responsible one who made sure everyone got home safe. It was something that carried over to their adult lives, with Maura now a hardworking and responsible nurse while Kate can't hold onto a job as a nail stylist and doesn't know where her teenage daughter, Haley, is.
When their parents sell their childhood home, Kate and Maura are asked to clean out their stuff and decide to throw one last party. Only, this time, they agree to reverse roles with Kate staying sober so Maura can finally have a good time. Their party soon gets out of control, however, causing significant property damage that will jeopardize the sale and, to Kate's dismay, an opportunity to restart her life by getting 50 percent of the sale value.
Who's in it? The movie stars Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, James Brolin, John Leguizamo and John Cena.
Review: My wife and I both enjoyed the film Baby Mama and I was convinced we had also watched Tina Fey/Amy Poehler's other collaboration Sisters at some point as well because of that. However, when we came across the movie yesterday morning, I realized we hadn't.
After watching it, I'm glad we finally did.
One thing I was very impressed with was how the movie had the women playing essentially the same characters they played in Baby Mama but in reverse, with Poehler's Maura being the responsible/uptight one while Fey got to let her hair down a bit with Kate. It showed off their talent as well as their chemistry.
As far as the plot is concerned, it was over-the-top but also not farfetched to the point of disbelief, especially since the party took a life of its own in a way that worked, starting out dull but then growing into something uncontrollable thanks to party guests who were now adults with responsibilities and kids who were getting an opportunity to blow off some steam. I could relate to that.
While Fey and Poehler were clearly the stars, the ensemble cast only makes the movie all that much better. Cena is awesome as the local drug dealer while Bobby Moynihan's unpredictable and drugged-up Alex was causing just enough chaos throughout the movie to make me wonder what would happen next. Casting Rudolph as Kate's bitter and jealous rival, Brinda, also added a little something extra because it was one of those characters who could cause some real damage but at the same time, felt as though it was a relationship that could be mended.
I think my only problem with this movie is the clear disfunction in the Ellis family that honestly makes it hard to like any of them, even during the comedic scenes. Maura and Kate, for example, know their parents have a buyer but decide to throw a party they know will likely jeopardize the sale. Meanwhile, their parents (Brolin and Dianne Wiest) sell their house before telling their daughters. Who does that?
And don't even get me started about the decision not let a worried Kate know Haley was safe and living with her aunt. The third act conflict that resulted from Kate finding out was a lot tamer than it probably should have been and it felt as though maybe the family should seek some professional help, happy ending or not.
Final Opinion: The movie has some flaws it is best not to think too much about but is a funny film with some great performances from both the stars and their supporting cast. It's worth watching if you're looking for a laugh.
My Grade: B+
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Here are some reviews of other movies from 2015:
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