My Sister's Keeper
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My Sister's Keeper
Generally well-acted if sometimes soggy family drama about a strong-willed mother (Cameron Diaz excellent in a not-always-likable part), in denial about her teenage daughter's (Sofia Vassilieva) losing battle with cancer; the loving but conflicted father (Jason Patric); and sister (Abigail Breslin), who hires a lawyer (Alec Baldwin) for "medical emancipation" so she won't be forced to donate her kidney to her sister. Affecting, despite basic plot contrivances and a couple of morally questionable elements, co-writer and director Nick Cassavetes' tear-jerker ultimately presents a positive view of marriage and family. A nongraphic nonmarital sexual encounter, in vitro conception, disturbing hospital imagery, brief rough and crude language and a couple of profanities, domestic discord, some mild sexual talk and brief teenage drinking. L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. (PG-13) 2009
My Sister's Keeper (Full Review)
The moral issues of "My Sister's Keeper" (New Line) are laid out for us even before the opening credits have finished rolling.
Narrator 11-year-old Anna (Abigail Breslin) explains that she was genetically engineered, created by her parents, Sara (Cameron Diaz) and Brian (Jason Patric), to provide an exact genetic match for her older sister, who, as a toddler, was diagnosed with leukemia.
In her opening voice-over monologue over onscreen visuals of the galaxy and a microscopic view of fertilization, Anna discourses on the "coincidence" of birth as souls hover in the universe waiting to enter a body below.
Once past this morally puzzling opener, the film -- adapted from Jodi Picoult's best-seller -- proves a generally well-acted if sometimes soggy family drama. It should appeal to those who wept happily over movies like "Terms of Endearment" and "Beaches." Others may find it heavy going.
Devoted but strong-willed mother Sara is in serious denial about teenage daughter Kate's (Sofia Vassilieva) losing battle with cancer, and as one of the girl's kidneys is failing, she assumes Anna will supply the transplant. But after years of blood transfusions and bone marrow transplants (since she was 5), Anna has had enough.
The spunky girl seeks out media-savvy lawyer Campbell Alexander (Alec Baldwin) to sue her parents for "medical emancipation."
Alexander, like all the characters here, has some issues of his own, though the reason for a service dog's presence is not revealed till late in the film. There's also a passing reference to his having once been involved in a case against the church.
Firefighter dad Brian and older brother Jesse (Evan Ellingson), who suffers from more maternal neglect than Anna, are powerless to fight Sara's single-minded determination.
When Sara -- a former lawyer -- discovers her daughter's obstinacy, she goes ballistic and represents herself in court against Alexander. The case is presided over by a judge (Joan Cusack) who is herself emotionally fragile after her young daughter's recent death in a car crash.
The story flips back and forth in time, with some awkward transitions, though as we learn more of the back story we come to a greater understanding of the family dynamic and the factors that have driven Sara.
During Kate's chemo treatments, for instance, we observe a sweet love affair between the girl and fellow patient Taylor (Thomas Dekker), though the puppy-love affair turns physical at one point. Sara registers appropriate indignation when she learns of the encounter.
Diaz is excellent in a not-always-likable part. Her love for her ailing daughter is never in doubt, but it comes at the expense of her other children and husband. Breslin gets co-star billing, and she's fine as always, but Vassilieva does the heavy lifting as the suffering but wise big sister.
The sad story can't help but be affecting despite basic plot contrivances that would be more at home on a Lifetime television movie. One can't quite believe that such loving, intelligent parents would so heartlessly "create" another child to mine her for body parts. Nor having done so, and the girl being such a beloved part of the family, that they would continue to risk her well-being.
Though genetic engineering is clearly against church teaching -- even Brian admits they "went against nature" -- it provides the story hook and provocative food for thought on the ethical issues involved. It also should be noted that the film's ending is radically different from the book's.
Beneath the discord, co-writer (with Jeremy Leven) and director Nick Cassavetes' tear-jerker does ultimately present a positive view of marriage and family.
The film contains a nongraphic nonmarital sexual encounter, in vitro conception, disturbing hospital imagery, brief rough and crude language and a couple of profanities, domestic discord, some mild sexual talk and brief teenage drinking. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.
Movies have been evaluated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishop's Office for Film and Broadcasting according to artistic
merit and moral suitability. The reviews include the USCCB rating,
the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and a brief
synopsis of the movie.
The classifications are as follows:
- A-I -- general patronage;
- A-II -- adults and adolescents;
- A-III -- adults;
- A-IV**
- L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. L replaces the previous classification, A-IV.
- O -- morally offensive.
** Discontinued classification. All archived movies that were originally in the A-IV category are now classified as L.