Movie Review: Sisters
From the director of Pitch Perfect, a flawed yet memorable sing-song flick full of crude comedy and unhinged antics, comes Sisters, a slightly more flawed and less memorable party-fueled flick full of even more crude comedy and unhinged antics. With comedy stars Tina Fey and Amy Poehler fueling its every desperate plea at being funny, the film manages to deliver a worthy comedy for the year, but ultimately isn't as lively as it could've been. With an array of sex jokes and uproarious partying to keep the film moving, Sisters could have been something like a brilliant mix of 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation, but in the end was just your typical run-of-the-mill R-rated comedy.
When a sudden move of residence for their parents shakes up their whole worlds, sisters Maura (Poehler) and Kate Ellis (Fey) are brought together after years of being apart. Prompted to take the only action they can to save their childhood home from being sold away, the Ellis sisters must do whatever it takes to leave their mark of their home. With their ideologies initially conflicting one another's, as Maura's goody-two-shoes attitude battles against Kate's careless, adventurous side, the two eventually agree that the only way to save their home is to throw one last party. What results in some ill-advised actions, from a coked-up maniac running amok to a sexual encounter gone wrong, the mark meant to leave the sisters' legacy on the house might just end up being a stain that will haunt them forever.
Going into this film, one probably wouldn't expect much from its plot, as the entire film truly rides on the epic hilarity to unfold between stars Tina Fey and Amy Poehler once the party begins. To my surprise, the film relied less on vulgarity and sick jokes, and more on the fundamental chemistry between its two leading ladies. Whether that chemistry is worth while, you'll just have to wait and see. But as I said, going into this film, one shouldn't expect this to be the best film of the year -- by far -- as it only serves one purpose: to make you wet your pants. Whether that be by you laughing too hard or spilling your drink on your crotch as you get up to leave the theater in the middle of the movie, I don't know. What I do know, is that Sisters delivers what it came to deliver, but definitely could've delivered something much more meaningful.
Apart from its party-centric plot that fuels the film's second half, it can be said that the story underneath the film's crude facade is somewhat genuine in nature. Based on the teenage journals of comedy writer Paula Pell, who wrote the screenplay for the film, the fundamental and emotional ideals that fueled the creation of this film is one of the things I have to praise. While it may not be as masterful a screenplay as some other comedies out there, the heart behind Sisters makes it ten times as special as any other crude comedy this year. With enough emotional weight to make the film enjoyable in that regard, the film manages to pull on your heartstrings just enough to make the film feel even more important.
Aiding in pulling on the heartstrings is the undeniably hilarious duo of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. With the SNL alums winning over audiences together for nearly 20 years, through everything from their accounts of autobiographical literature to their numerous quips as hosts of the Golden Globes, Fey and Poehler never seem to cease to make us laugh our asses off. A major fan of their past adventures -- both together and apart -- from their respective TV shows to their other slapstick comedies together like Baby Mama, there's no surprise that I would heavily enjoy their latest reunion. Making for a meaningful relationship between these two "sisters", the film -- aided by Pell's brilliant background story -- allows for an even closer look inside just what makes these two so lovable. While the duo may not be in their top form, flawed by a script occasionally washed over by crude jokes, the two deliver worthy performances for this types of film.
The remaining cast, which mostly consisted of fellow comedy alums like Maya Rudolph, Bobby Moynihan, and Rachel Dratch, as well as a few oddities like pro-wrestler John Cena, performed well, but we're mostly outmatched by the leading duo of Fey and Poehler. That being said, the film wasn't without its surprises, as numerous SNL alums like Rudolph, Moynihan, Kate McKinnon, and Chris Parnell gave hilarious -- yet fairly brief -- performances to the film. In the end, however, it's the comedic duo leading the show that truly make Sisters enjoyable.
Overall, ranked among the other comedies of the year, Sisters may be one of the best. While others like Trainwreck and Spy may have sold me with the comedic styles of Amy Schumer and Melissa McCarthy, this film managed to grasp my attention long enough for me to greatly enjoy it in theaters. Flawed by a weak plot of crude comedy and partying, but underlined by an emotional tale of two real siblings, Sisters holds a fluid mix of both genuine heart and generic comedy for any comedy fan to enjoy.
I gave this film a 6 out of 10 for its genuine story of siblings and their conflicts, its hilarious (yet not too overboard) array of crude comedy, and its delightful duo of Fey and Poehler who -- even as they get older -- continue to light up our hearts with their hilarity.
Aiding in pulling on the heartstrings is the undeniably hilarious duo of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. With the SNL alums winning over audiences together for nearly 20 years, through everything from their accounts of autobiographical literature to their numerous quips as hosts of the Golden Globes, Fey and Poehler never seem to cease to make us laugh our asses off. A major fan of their past adventures -- both together and apart -- from their respective TV shows to their other slapstick comedies together like Baby Mama, there's no surprise that I would heavily enjoy their latest reunion. Making for a meaningful relationship between these two "sisters", the film -- aided by Pell's brilliant background story -- allows for an even closer look inside just what makes these two so lovable. While the duo may not be in their top form, flawed by a script occasionally washed over by crude jokes, the two deliver worthy performances for this types of film.
The remaining cast, which mostly consisted of fellow comedy alums like Maya Rudolph, Bobby Moynihan, and Rachel Dratch, as well as a few oddities like pro-wrestler John Cena, performed well, but we're mostly outmatched by the leading duo of Fey and Poehler. That being said, the film wasn't without its surprises, as numerous SNL alums like Rudolph, Moynihan, Kate McKinnon, and Chris Parnell gave hilarious -- yet fairly brief -- performances to the film. In the end, however, it's the comedic duo leading the show that truly make Sisters enjoyable.
Overall, ranked among the other comedies of the year, Sisters may be one of the best. While others like Trainwreck and Spy may have sold me with the comedic styles of Amy Schumer and Melissa McCarthy, this film managed to grasp my attention long enough for me to greatly enjoy it in theaters. Flawed by a weak plot of crude comedy and partying, but underlined by an emotional tale of two real siblings, Sisters holds a fluid mix of both genuine heart and generic comedy for any comedy fan to enjoy.
I gave this film a 6 out of 10 for its genuine story of siblings and their conflicts, its hilarious (yet not too overboard) array of crude comedy, and its delightful duo of Fey and Poehler who -- even as they get older -- continue to light up our hearts with their hilarity.
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