In Her Shoes (B- or 2.5/4 stars)
'In Her Shoes' is a dramedy directed by Curtis Hanson. Rose (Toni Collette), a lawyer, is dowdy, lonely, and has a hankering for good shoes. Maggie (Cameron Diaz), her party-girl sister, is pretty, selfish, & an irresponsible drunk. Their mom is dead, their dad's remarried, and they hate their vile stepmother. Maggie's poor behavior gets her banned from her dad's house. And she's ejected from her sister's apartment after fouling up Rose's potential love match. While searching for loose cash in her father's desk, Maggie stumbles upon the address of a grandmother she & Rose never really knew. Their past & future will never be the same after they unknowingly, individually search for their grandma, Ella (Shirley MacLaine). This is a chic chick-flick that's effect diminishes as it goes.
Aside from unconditional sisterly love, the only thing Rose & Maggie have in common is their shoe size. After moving in with Rose in Philadelphia, she goes job hunting, & screws up everything she tries. She can't wash dogs for a living, ruins Rose's shoes, etc. They have a big falling out and she's kicked out, again. In an act of desperation, Maggie flies to Florida to seek her long-lost grandma, Ella (hoping she's got some nice digs & some $$). Back in Philly, a disgusted Rose leaves her firm, & takes-up Maggie's failure ... dog watching; leaving Maggie & the firm is a huge weight lifted off her shoulders. Back in Florida, Maggie & Ella aren't getting along, but they work through their issues, and Maggie finds a place to live at Ella's retirement community.
Luckily, Maggie begins to mature into a responsible young lady. She's befriending the elderly & doing things 'for' them. They like her more than Ella does, but that begins to change. The tricky Ella sends for Rose to meet her in Miami. Rose is ultimately furious to see Maggie again. But time goes on & they start to grow on each other. Much to everyone's delight, both of them are changing for the better. Ella unleashes a string of family revelations (which only bonds the threesome more so). And thanks to Maggie's elderly professor friend, she closes out the film on a poetically poignant moment.
Based on a popular novel, this film pulls on the heartstrings. The direction is astute. The cast is great. Diaz impresses more & more. Shirley MacLaine is, well, Shirley MacLaine. Her guilt-ridden Ella is priceless. Collette is the heart of the film. Her lack of confidence, vulnerability, and adaptability really shines here. The dialogue (in most cases) is touching and/or funny. I guess the best part of the movie is that it's earnest, & relatable to a lot of people. Maybe you're not in Rose & Maggie's situation, but you could see it happening to you or people you know. There's a sappy-ish ending, but this IS a chick-flick, after all.
But it's that sappy, saccharine tinge that won't jive with most men and some women. It's a contemporary drama about mismatched sisters, but it uses it's time wisely to cater to all those viewers who want to see some goofy, cliched popcorn fare. Forget meaningful independent cinema, this is a Hollywood film ... through & through. Because of this, the film doesn't take the risks that it should. It's a tad too long (maybe the saccharine tinge sent me glancing at my watch). And without Collette's calm performance, the film 'could' grate on some people. But overall, the appealing beginning, and intriguing ending makes up for a lot.
Aside from unconditional sisterly love, the only thing Rose & Maggie have in common is their shoe size. After moving in with Rose in Philadelphia, she goes job hunting, & screws up everything she tries. She can't wash dogs for a living, ruins Rose's shoes, etc. They have a big falling out and she's kicked out, again. In an act of desperation, Maggie flies to Florida to seek her long-lost grandma, Ella (hoping she's got some nice digs & some $$). Back in Philly, a disgusted Rose leaves her firm, & takes-up Maggie's failure ... dog watching; leaving Maggie & the firm is a huge weight lifted off her shoulders. Back in Florida, Maggie & Ella aren't getting along, but they work through their issues, and Maggie finds a place to live at Ella's retirement community.
Luckily, Maggie begins to mature into a responsible young lady. She's befriending the elderly & doing things 'for' them. They like her more than Ella does, but that begins to change. The tricky Ella sends for Rose to meet her in Miami. Rose is ultimately furious to see Maggie again. But time goes on & they start to grow on each other. Much to everyone's delight, both of them are changing for the better. Ella unleashes a string of family revelations (which only bonds the threesome more so). And thanks to Maggie's elderly professor friend, she closes out the film on a poetically poignant moment.
Based on a popular novel, this film pulls on the heartstrings. The direction is astute. The cast is great. Diaz impresses more & more. Shirley MacLaine is, well, Shirley MacLaine. Her guilt-ridden Ella is priceless. Collette is the heart of the film. Her lack of confidence, vulnerability, and adaptability really shines here. The dialogue (in most cases) is touching and/or funny. I guess the best part of the movie is that it's earnest, & relatable to a lot of people. Maybe you're not in Rose & Maggie's situation, but you could see it happening to you or people you know. There's a sappy-ish ending, but this IS a chick-flick, after all.
But it's that sappy, saccharine tinge that won't jive with most men and some women. It's a contemporary drama about mismatched sisters, but it uses it's time wisely to cater to all those viewers who want to see some goofy, cliched popcorn fare. Forget meaningful independent cinema, this is a Hollywood film ... through & through. Because of this, the film doesn't take the risks that it should. It's a tad too long (maybe the saccharine tinge sent me glancing at my watch). And without Collette's calm performance, the film 'could' grate on some people. But overall, the appealing beginning, and intriguing ending makes up for a lot.