Sick Product of a Sick System

Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Newfound compassion and affection renewed - Collette and Diaz make fine screen sisters. Shirley Maclaine guides with warm support. It suffers a little from shoehorned modern relationshipspeak that doesn't always hit the mark.

A girl who wants to life an easy life by hooking up with various men has a big fight with her overworking sister and finds refuge on her grandmother's place (whom she didn't know she existed). Since her attitude isn't getting her anywhere, she's about to realize that her newly found relative will help her more than she expected (but also much different than how she'd hoped).This is that kind of movie which you get to see once, endure its exaggerated length and in the end you're just happy that it's over. It was so boring I almost fell asleep a couple of times and I honestly resisted shutting it down. It was so pointless that it made you wonder why it was continuing. Fortunately for me, the last part of it was a bit more interesting, it became more sentimental, also a bit dramatic, which sort of sweetened up a bit the overall feeling. A lot of scenes came out of nowhere, almost retarded, without any logic and superficial, just to be there and prolong the sorrow. You don't feel anything for the characters, you don't feel sorry for them even they when they face situations which in real life would cause a lot of pain.Once again, if it wasn't for Cameron and the happy finale, it would have been a truly bad movie in my opinion.

In Her Shoes (2005): Dir: Curtis Hanson / Cast: Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette, Shirley MacLaine, Mark Feuerstein, Ken Howard: Curtis Hanson has become a director of several genres and he seems comfortable wherever he points the camera. Among his other films are L.A. Confidential and Wonder Boys and here again another example of his talent. It regards relations between sisters who differ. Cameron Diaz plays an irresponsible party girl who cannot hold a job, and Toni Collette plays her sister who is a lawyer. She throws Diaz out of her apartment when she is caught sleeping with her boyfriend. Central plot regards Diaz visiting her grandmother in Florida and the reason behind her grandmother's absence. Screenplay is detailed from beginning to end despite the fact the we know where it is headed. Terrific performance by Diaz who will learn that her actions can bare consequences even at the expense of others. Collette learns to let down her guard to make room for trust. Shirley MacLaine is superb as their grandmother who knows the pains of life and refuses to subdue herself to it. Mark Feuerstein plays a co- worker who eventually proposes to Collette. Ken Howard plays Diaz's and Collette's father who carries much guilt about the circumstances surrounding their mother's death. Entertaining film about the bonds that heal despite difficulties in relating thus placing the shoe squarely on the other foot. Score: 9 / 10

I've seen this a few times now and always really enjoy it. Cameron Diaz is amazing as the irresponsible party girl and Toni Collette is always good, here she plays the responsible driven sister. It lines up like your regular romantic comedy/drama but the story is much deeper and I love discovering why 'Maggie' drinks so much and behaves the way she does.After an indiscretion with 'Rose's' boyfriend she goes to stay with the grandmother they didn't know they had and it gets even better with the inclusion of Shirley MacLain and all the characters at the retirement village. One of my favorite scenes would have to be Maggie struggling to read to the blind, aging professor (Norman Lloyd) Powerful and sad.This movie really is about family and I like how the past is slowly revealed and all members in this damaged family get a chance to heal. I'm also partial to 'Rose' running up those infamous steps in Philadelphia. 03.02.14