My Sister's Keeper
Based on the Jodi Picoult novel, My Sister's Keeper is a drama following Sara (Cameron Diaz) and Brian (Jason Patric) whose daughter, Kate, is diagnosed with leukaemia at the age of two. The only hope to keep Kate alive is to conceive another child, specifically intended to save her life. Their second daughter, Anna (Abigail Breslin), is genetically conceived as a bone marrow match for Kate.
Throughout their young lives, the united sisters endure medical procedures and hospital stays as Anna supplies transfusions for Kate. But the strained, close-knit family is rocked when Anna, now 11, says 'no'. She hires a lawyer (Alec Baldwin) and initiates a court case demanding the rights to use her body as she wants.
From the director and screenwriter of The Notebook.
- Director:
- Nick Cassavetes ('The Notebook', 'Alpha Dog')
- Writer:
- Nick CassavetesJeremy Leven
- Cast:
- Cameron DiazAbigail BreslinAlec BaldwinJoan CusackJason PatricEvan EllingsonSofia Vassilieva
Reviews & comments
Variety
pressUnsubtle, uneven and undeniably effective, this take-no-prisoners cancer weepie poses a fascinating moral quandary.
Total Film
pressFull of clunky voiceovers, corny music and maudlin montages, this manipulative yarn plays with issues of medical morality and parental duty only to discard them in favour of a manipulative paean to valuing life and accepting death.
The New York Times
pressMy Sister’s Keeper takes on a very tough subject -- and has, in Anna and Kate, two pretty tough characters played by strong young actresses -- but ultimately it is too soft, too easy, and it dissolves like a tear-soaked tissue.
Roger Ebert
pressThe movie never says so, but it's a practical parable about the debate between pro-choice and pro-life. If you're pro-life, you would require Anna to donate her kidney, although there is a chance she could die, and her sister doesn't have a good prognosis. If you're pro-choice, you would support Anna's lawsuit.
Otago Daily Times
pressLots of people love the angst-filled novels of Jodi Picoult and lots love a great weepy movie, so merging the two should be a success. Sadly, the insipid mess that is the filmed version of My Sister's Keeper does not deliver.
New Zealand Herald
pressLife versus death debate is stifled by corny casting and washy songs.
Los Angeles Times
pressThere is always a fine line between moving and manipulation in telling heartbreaking stories, and it is here that Cassavetes largely fails us. Where restraint might have raised up My Sister's Keeper, a heavy hand has brought it down.
Hollywood Reporter
pressIf you're going to make a weepy, there's no reason you can't make it with intelligence and insight as the makers of My Sister's Keeper have done.
Empire Magazine
pressIt's quite an impressive feat to fail to move audiences with a premise like this but this manages it.
I read the book some time ago and was totally blown away by the ending. Never saw it coming. Why on earth would the author have agreed to changing the ending? BIG LET DOWN.
This could've been one of the best adaptations of a book. The casting was perfect, the acting fantastic. They even cut out the right parts of the book to fit this original story into a movie. BUT WHY CHANGE THE ENDING?! The ending is the ESSENCE of the book and is what makes it ORIGINAL and DIFFERENT to every other 'cancer themed' story. Total Hollywood...
I expected this movie to just what it is. Lightweight and not true to the book (which was great - my advice - read the book and skip the movie)
I found this movie so real! it captures the emotions and problems that people encounter with cancer..I found it very emotional and could relate to it as my best friend was in the same situation as Kate. It seemed so real and brought back many memories.. Defiently welldone its good to see a movie which you can relate to and shows the true effects that cancer...
Girls seem to like this movie, probably it is because of the book. The movie has a different ending apparently, more inline with perceptions of reality being somehow just or fair. Cameron Diaz also likes this movie. Therefore Cameron Diaz must be a girl. My logic is infallible.
a really great movie...it covers a very important and serious topic while still managing to be uplifting and it definitley has the WOW factor. See it. Its great! Well acted, really well presented and if you dont see this, you're missing on of the awesomest films in a long time...
I can't put it down... even when I'm at work haha. Trailer looks awesome. I have also heard that the end is different.
Variety
pressUnsubtle, uneven and undeniably effective, this take-no-prisoners cancer weepie poses a fascinating moral quandary.
Total Film
pressFull of clunky voiceovers, corny music and maudlin montages, this manipulative yarn plays with issues of medical morality and parental duty only to discard them in favour of a manipulative paean to valuing life and accepting death.
The New York Times
pressMy Sister’s Keeper takes on a very tough subject -- and has, in Anna and Kate, two pretty tough characters played by strong young actresses -- but ultimately it is too soft, too easy, and it dissolves like a tear-soaked tissue.
Roger Ebert
pressThe movie never says so, but it's a practical parable about the debate between pro-choice and pro-life. If you're pro-life, you would require Anna to donate her kidney, although there is a chance she could die, and her sister doesn't have a good prognosis. If you're pro-choice, you would support Anna's lawsuit.
Otago Daily Times
pressLots of people love the angst-filled novels of Jodi Picoult and lots love a great weepy movie, so merging the two should be a success. Sadly, the insipid mess that is the filmed version of My Sister's Keeper does not deliver.
New Zealand Herald
pressLife versus death debate is stifled by corny casting and washy songs.
Los Angeles Times
pressThere is always a fine line between moving and manipulation in telling heartbreaking stories, and it is here that Cassavetes largely fails us. Where restraint might have raised up My Sister's Keeper, a heavy hand has brought it down.
Hollywood Reporter
pressIf you're going to make a weepy, there's no reason you can't make it with intelligence and insight as the makers of My Sister's Keeper have done.
Empire Magazine
pressIt's quite an impressive feat to fail to move audiences with a premise like this but this manages it.
I read the book some time ago and was totally blown away by the ending. Never saw it coming. Why on earth would the author have agreed to changing the ending? BIG LET DOWN.
This could've been one of the best adaptations of a book. The casting was perfect, the acting fantastic. They even cut out the right parts of the book to fit this original story into a movie. BUT WHY CHANGE THE ENDING?! The ending is the ESSENCE of the book and is what makes it ORIGINAL and DIFFERENT to every other 'cancer themed' story. Total Hollywood...
I expected this movie to just what it is. Lightweight and not true to the book (which was great - my advice - read the book and skip the movie)
I found this movie so real! it captures the emotions and problems that people encounter with cancer..I found it very emotional and could relate to it as my best friend was in the same situation as Kate. It seemed so real and brought back many memories.. Defiently welldone its good to see a movie which you can relate to and shows the true effects that...
Girls seem to like this movie, probably it is because of the book. The movie has a different ending apparently, more inline with perceptions of reality being somehow just or fair. Cameron Diaz also likes this movie. Therefore Cameron Diaz must be a girl. My logic is infallible.
a really great movie...it covers a very important and serious topic while still managing to be uplifting and it definitley has the WOW factor. See it. Its great! Well acted, really well presented and if you dont see this, you're missing on of the awesomest films in a long time...
I can't put it down... even when I'm at work haha. Trailer looks awesome. I have also heard that the end is different.
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