IN HER SHOES

RATING:

Starring: Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette, Shirley MacLaine, Mark Feuerstein, Brooke Smith, Francine Beers, Richard Burgi, Norman Lloyd, Eric Balfour, Andy Powers, Marcia Jean Kurtz, Anson Mount, Nicole Randall Johnson, Kateri DeMartino, Brandon Karrer. Written by: Susannah Grant. Directed by: Curtis Hanson.

Rated PG-13 for thematic material, language and some sexual content

On the surface, In Her Shoes has all the ingredients of a quintessential chick-flick. Following the story of Rose (Toni Collette), a hard working, straight and arrow lawyer, and her younger sister Maggie (Cameron Diaz), a party drawn free spirit approaching 30, the film sets itself up as a tale of female bonding and empowerment from the opening credits. While it’s true women may be rightfully pulled to the on-screen, love/hate relationship between the two sisters, the film, at its core, should appeal to anyone who knows all too well of the complications and rewards that accompany family.

There is a scene in the picture when Toni Collette’s character is asked why she puts up with the constant disappointment and, at least in one instance, disloyalty from her junior sibling. Mulling over the question for a brief moment, she simply shrugs and says, “She’s my sister.” There is an inexplicable bond between people who share the same blood. While you might not have anything in common, or might not even approach each other if not related, the fact that you share the same history, upbringing, or origin with that person connects you in powerful ways. For better or worse, this person is an inescapable part of your existence and forever will be. Director Curtis Hanson, versatile as well as unpredictable in his project selection (L.A. Confidential and 8 Mile), explores these ties. While never presuming to have a definitive answer for such relationships, he uses the sister pair to demonstrate the unconditional acceptance and forgiveness that can only be applied to someone who shares your last name.

Partnering Toni Collette and Cameron Diaz was an inspired bit of casting. Both actresses convincingly relay the idea that part of who you are in life has to do with how you are perceived. When it came time to portray the irresponsibility of a semi-young woman who drinks too much for her own good, Diaz didn’t seem to be stretching any farther in range from her other characters in previous roles. Maggie, however, needed a certain amount of vulnerability and capacity for change. Diaz impressively evolves throughout the course of the film. She brings a change in her performance that, much like her character, you might not be sure she was initially capable of. Toni Collette is amazing as always. Hers is a challenging part. It might be hard to understand or accept that her character, with all her strength, intelligence and togetherness, truly needs Maggie in her life. Collette earns this belief, however, hitting all of the right notes. Unlike her sister, Rose discovered early on the shadow of mental instability that falls over her family history. Collette is fascinating to watch as you learn that her character incessantly reminds herself of this dark secret and privately fears that it may one day claim her as well. One of the most honest and engaging moments in the film comes when Maggie learns not only the tragic truth behind her mother’s death, but that her older sister discovered the fact on her own. The scene explains much about the separate courses these respective women have traveled and how they, different as they are, came to live the lives they chose for themselves.

Finally, what cinematic story of female initiative would be complete without Shirley MacLaine. A veteran of Terms of Endearment and Steel Magnolias, the woman’s very presence brings a sense of unexplainable wisdom and validity to the film. Playing the grandmother Maggie and Rose never knew they had, MacLaine’s character not only proves vital in healing the relationship between the two younger girls, but relays a certain helplessness that comes along with familial dealings. While unconditional, the love of family teeters between selflessness and selfishness. You want more than anything to help and rescue the ones you love. All your efforts, however, are in vain if the person chooses not to be helped. The painful dilemma is deciphering or coming to grips with the situations that are out of your control. While fault may not rest with you in the slightest, the hardships of family can fill you with guilt and regret. This, essentially, serves as the underlying principle of MacLaine’s character. As she teaches the younger girls a thing or two, the actress delivers a subtle mastery in her performance that’s worth taking notes on. In Her Shoes is heartbreaking at some moments and hysterical at others. At all times it is wonderfully acted and constructed. The film believes and delivers a convincing argument that forgiveness and empathy can bring any family redemption and ultimate happiness.