At a time when Star Wars dominates the box office, this little comedy risks going unnoticed, but Sisters deserves to be noticed. Take it from me.
The plot is a simple one, allowing Tina Fey and Amy Poehler to shine in comedic roles tailor made for them. The premise is that Poehler and Fey are the Ellis sisters who, although very different on a personality level, are very close. Fey plays Kate, the former wild child, now single mum, struggling to put her partying days behind. Poehler is Maura, the reserved, responsible, geeky younger sister desperately seeking some excitement after her divorce. When their parents announce they are selling their childhood home, the act of clearing out their old rooms allows for a crazy series of events to unfold. The two sisters are sent on a journey down memory lane and realise they both have a lot of growing up to do.
The Ellis sisters decide to host one last ‘Ellis Island’ party to say goodbye to their childhood home and this is where the fun really begins. The sisters decide to swap roles, allowing Maura some much needed fun while Kate becomes the ‘party mom’, staying sober and looking out for her guests. The party starts off subdued; classmates that were once the life and soul of the party are now business men and women with three children. But after some gentle coaxing, everyone decides to go back to the teens they once were, resulting in one unforgettable night of drunken debauchery.
Amongst all the crazy party shenanigans, the sisters’ bond is tested and made stronger. Brilliant support is provided from Poehler’s love interest, Ike Barinholtz, who allows the two female leads to shine whilst being able to withstand being the literal butt of their jokes. When you go see this you’ll know what I’m talking about. You will never look at a ballerina music box in the same way ever again.
Put simply, this movie is really funny and nothing is forced or highbrow. Fey and Poehler are famed for their quick witted crude humour and Sisters is no exception. They carry the movie equally with an ease that is beautiful to witness. The scene where they read their very different teen diaries to one another was one of many that just felt like a natural catch-up between two old friends or, in this case, siblings. I went to see this expecting it to be funny and silly which it definitely was, but there were also surprisingly sweet, heartfelt moments that never become overly saccharine.
Sisters‘ strength lies in the power of its two leads and their brand of unique comedy perfected over years of working on stage and on SNL. These ladies know what works for them and their audience and their bond is what makes this work. They manage to illustrate how important the bond between sisters is. It doesn’t matter how different they are, the bond between sisters can never be broken, no matter how much change the relationship experiences over time.
Well, this is where I usually write about what was wrong with the film, but to be honest, I couldn’t find anything worth saying. It may not be Oscar worthy but it’s funny, it’s feel good and you should definitely catch it. Don’t go into Sisters expecting something groundbreaking, but it’ll put a smile on your face in these dark, dreary nights if nothing else.
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