Free Your Sister's Sister
Genres: ComedyDr
Starring: Mark Duplass, Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt, Kate Bayley, Jeanette Maus, Mike Birbiglia, Evan Mosher
Available Quality: DivX, Hi Def, Hi Def
Director(s): Lynn Shelton
Country: USA
Year: 2011
IMDB Rating: 6
Iris invites her friend Jack to stay at her familys island getaway after the death of his brother. At their remote cabin, Jacks drunken encounter with Hannah, Iris sister, kicks off a revealing stretch of days.
 |
Your Sister's Sister (Hi Def) | Resolution: 1920x1080 px | Total Size: 6709 Mb |
|
|
 |
Your Sister's Sister (Hi Def) | Resolution: 1280x720 px | Total Size: 4470 Mb |
|
|
 |
Your Sister's Sister (DivX) | Resolution: 624x352 px | Total Size: 702 Mb |
|
Movie Photos:
We have taken some photos of "Your Sister's Sister". They represent actual movie quality.
Visitors Review
John DeSando (22 May 2013)
A Satisfying Indie
An indie film like Your Sister's Sister can make improv dialogue a workof art with nary a complaint from an audience that knows the rules ofinexpensive and impromptu storytelling. Two sisters become entangledwith the same man, resulting in awkward moments and some fierydialogue, but mostly the sweetness of people who actually love eachother.Iris (Emily Blunt) invites best friend, slacker Jack (Mark Duplass, thecurrent mumblecore favoriteÂsee Safety Not Guaranteed), to stay alonein the family cabin on one of Seattle's San Juan Islands for somereflective time a year after the loss of his brother and her love. Asit happens, her sister Hannah (Rosemarie DeWitt) is there at the sametime, and, well, the two connect after a night's heavy drinking. UponIris's arrival, there will be tentative peace until the tryst isrevealed.That's not the only revelation, for each has secrets to tell, most ofwhich are slowly distributed over the 90 min. The art and beauty ofthese complications are in the natural dialogue, generated by 12 daysof production with writer/director Lynn Shelton in several cabins onthe Islands. Because I'm a fan of Brit director Mike Leigh's organicworking out of dialogue with his actors, I found this film as pleasantas overhearing crisp, natural dialogue at the table next to me in aquiet, classy restaurant.Although I also enjoy the witty conversation of well-crafted scripts,the emotional intensity generated by the shenanigans at the cabin isenhanced by the natural dialogue. Nothing strident and very littlecrying as the complicated web takes over the tension and the principalsfigure out who loves whom and how to make the secrets known.Besides the common setup of best friends falling in love, the rhythm ofordinary life coupled with our voyeur role, be it looking through awindow at a partially-clad lady or listening to two sisters do pillowtalk, Your Sister's Sister is a satisfying low-key indie with oodles ofhumanity.
rightwingisevil (22 May 2013)
blah, blah, and blah...........
i've seen several films that were just played out by one character ortwo , such as "Conversations with Other Women (2005)", "The Man fromEarth (2007)" and "The Sunset Limited (2011)", but they were all sogood that i never got bored from the very beginning to the very end.these three movies were all with great dialog and just because theirdialogues were so alive and true, the dialogues themselves had becomethe storyline, the scenarios and the plots. but sadly, this movietotally missed the mark and turned out to be one of most boring moviesi've ever watched. the location was Seattle, the two women one withEnglish accent, one with American and they claimed to be sisters?half-sisters? how come two sisters grew up together would havedifferent accent? this was such a bad casting job. i don't want getinto details of this movie's flaws, i just want you guys to read allthe reviews with the lower or lowest scores, those reviews would tellyou what were wrong about this movie and then, you'd know how stupidand how ridiculous this movie was.
rnorthro14 (17 May 2013)
Character driven dramedy
I generally liked "Your Sister's Sister" due to it's humor andwarm-heartedness. I'd rate it higher than your typical "chick flick"for character development and acting as well maturity and grace. Itdeserves recognition for it's strong but under-used cinematography. Butwhere it owes it's greatest strength is in the development of the threecentral characters.Mark Duplass plays an emotionally insecure but likable Jack, a gentlesoul, who is so self- aware of his foibles, that his awareness feedshis insecurities. His awkwardness during the focal "act" of the filmbelies his insecurity and social isolation. Instead of addressing theseinsecurities, he chooses to flee or, in the case of the opening scene,invoke hostility towards himself from others. Iris (Emily Blunt) is the one character that presents herself as themost "together". She is the only one with a secure job. She providesJack guidance and direction with humor and delicacy. She loves hersister but shows understandable outrage at her actions. She receivesthe least amount of character development because she is the leastflawed of the three. Emily Blunt is charming and beautiful as always,but Iris is probably the least compelling of the three partially due toher relative "perfection" when compared to her two on-screencounter-parts.Hanna (Rosemarie DeWitt), like Jack, is emotionally flawed andvulnerable. Hanna is Iris's older sister and at a vulnerable point inher life finds herself as the one who needs the emotional support thatIris is able to provide. I found her as a flawed but redeemablecharacter for the remorse she demonstrates for her deception. DeWitt,to me, really shines in this role. Overall, I'd give this about a 7.5 which is excellent for a "chickflick". The setting is beautiful; the acting is strong and the blend ofdrama and humor gives it soul. The film's weakest part probably comesat the end. It uses a flawed plot technique for it's conclusion whichdrives me crazy, but leading up to that point, it's funny andheartwarming.
wxgirl55 (16 May 2013)
A relationship movie that feels fresh
My rating: 88/100I ended up seeing this movie at the Toronto film fest in a rathercircuitous way but I'm awfully glad I did.Nary a car chase nor explosion, but instead a quiet and thoughtfulfilm. It touches on relationships, death, siblings, betrayal,unrequited love, honesty, fears, and forgiveness and does so in a verybelievable and refreshing way.Most of the movie takes place at a secluded rustic waterfront cottage,a family cabin that Iris (Emily Blunt) has suggested her 'bestie', Jay(Mark Duplass) visit to clear his head; he's still emotionally stuck atthe one year anniversary of his brother's death. The secluded locale - without phones, computers and the usually dailydistractions - is the conduit which allows the abundance of emotionsand introspective feelings bubble up and expose themselves to a trio ofcharacters connected in various and interesting ways.These three individuals are both frustrating with their flaws, yetendearing with their fragility and weaknesses. How easy it is toidentify with all of them!  which can perhaps be attributed to theimpromptu conversation Director Lynn Shelton nurtured and encouragedfrom the mere 70 page script. She confessed that 75% of the dialoguewas improvised allowing a unique honesty to develop within eachcharacter, thanks to a stellar cast.I'm thankful Shelton stuck around Toronto for this third screening Âshe's originally from Seattle which is where this was filmed - and wasmore than willing to open up to the audience at a post Q&A where weheard her speak passionately and reflectively about the 12 day shoot(wow!) with almost no funding and how she lucked in to Emily Bluntcoming on board (thanks to a shared agent) who was keen on thechallenge and experience. Also it was nice to hear that during thefestival the film had found distribution through IFC, and that cast andcrew would now be compensated for this wonderful collaboration.This film's a winner to me. I hope you have an opportunity to see it.
cynthiahost (15 May 2013)
A good ,simple independent film
Ironically the actor who plays Jack, Mark Duplass,Duplass? looks alittle like an ex friend of mine, although he was more crazier thanJack.I'm sure that this movie would offend some lesbians and thepolitically correct when it shows character Hannah,who is supposed tobe a lesbian,who broke up with her lover, casually has sex withJack,without recognizing it as bisexuality.Not having any secondthought that it was not a women.Only to discover later on that she UNpurposelessly put holes in the condom cause she want to have a baby.Theway to cure a lesbian.This would be the fear that this movie ispromoting this message ,in the film.But really this is puresubjectivity Duplass plays Jack who's Brother Tom had died and hedoesn't know what to do next,how to live.In the party or wake he'sacting so sarcastic.Then Toms girl friend Iris, played by EmilyBlunt,who has this virgin Mary look, suggest he dust off his 10 speedbicycle and go on the ferry and stay at her families vacation lodge atthe lake for a while to start thinking about what to do with his .Butwhen he does,he discovers that the lodge is not empty,Iris's sister isthere ,Hannah,played by Rose Dewitte, after hitch hiking from her exlovers place.Oh another stereo type,Hannah is a vegetarian.Well afterthey both drink and chat,she invites him to bed.The next day he gets upto discover that Iris has showed up and is on her way to the door.Hequickly gets up to go to the other room.So the rest of the focus istrying not to tell Iris what they both did .Hannah don't care.But goesalong with him and not tell Iris,but Iris want to know how he feltabout her sister. It's when Iris and Hannah take a little walk in thewoods to the old cabin ,which is dilapidated, that she tells Irish thetruth.This is when Iris gets mad cause ,as it turns out Iris is in lovewith Jack.Once Jack finds out, he feels bad that he has come betweentoo sisters. He then finds out that Hannah's possibly pregnant .Wellafter every body forgive each other .Jack takes a bike ride to thinkwhether he can handle father hood.The scene I hate was when he blamedhis bike for the problem and tore it up with his helmet.Being a bikerider my self I would not of done that.This is a good movie .A Corpcatting film studio would not have made this film.Worth seeing .I sawit on show time on demand.02/22/13
mzs321 (15 May 2013)
Strong Delivery and Intriguing Story
The idea that a film can be made intriguing by just three characters init does seem unrealistic. But Duplass along with Blunt and Dewitt showthat it is doable. The whole film revolved around the three and onlything that keeps the watcher in loop is the strong delivery of actor.Loved the scenes where Blunt engages her sister and Duplass inconversation on the bed. These dialogues are so powerfully performedthat the observer just immerse him/herself in the movie.Although the story is simple, it is unique in many ways. I mean, justhow many movies stealing show a lesbian character sperms. Indie film lovers will really like this one. Overall 8/10.
Ollie Antipode (10 May 2013)
L'Enfer est Les Autres, or, What's to like?
An hour and a half of my life during which I could have been readingabout macroeconomics, calling up my abusive ex and having a nice chat,looking at videos of kittens on the internet, or even ripping the hairsout of my arms one by one. I'll never get that time back.Instead, I spent it in the claustrophobic company of these people whoseobvious discomfort with each other had me waiting for things to get alot more vicious than they ever did.The male lead was a self-proclaimed mess and emotional cripple. Fairenough, most male leads are. But at least they make you love them orhate them--or both. This guy was just blandly creepy and unlikable. Hehad the screen presence of a slice of whole-grain Wonderbread which thedirector wanted to pass off as some sort of seeded artisan baguette.And strangely, a foxy femme lesbian (admittedly a very drunk andheartbroken one) falls for his creepy straight-dude "I was spying onyou and you're hot" act long enough to bed him and create all kinds ofawkward for the rest of the movie.Really? I mean, really? Even in the despair of a recent breakup, shewants to hear about some strange straight guy spying on her? Some guywho also insists on getting her way too drunk and then jokes about hispower over her, and how he can also make her sister drink too much? Ican attest that no lesbian I know would put up with this kind ofb.s.--most would be calling him a skeezy dude bro at this point andleaving the island to find some sweet butch to rebound with.I was rooting for the foxy lesbian at the start, as I had to root forsomeone in this mess and the grainy shots of the scenery didn't getmuch screen time, until she turns out to also be an opportunisticcreep. Which could have been interesting, except as soon as she's outedas one she just cries and apologizes, then spends a tediously longmontage making coffee, wearing flannel, and apologizing again. Nodiscussion of how to rebuild trust, or what it means to be the kind ofperson who blindly rearranges the lives of others on a selfish whim, orhow to make amends. Just some coffee and potatoes and wistful glances.And gentle indie rock soundtrack.After everyone cries a lot and we're supposed to care, the male leadwanders off and assaults his bicycle, whose chain had fallen off. Andthen he returns and they all decide to be happy creeps who love eachother at the end, clearly undisturbed by how blithely they've betrayedeach other's trust and revealed themselves to be ethically crippled,opportunistic narcissists. Nope. Just I'm a creep, you're a creep, andthat's OK.Also, when can we have movies in which lesbians sleep with and buildlives with each other--like in real life? Instead of being charactersthat exist to sleep with straight men--like in Penthouse letters? Thank god there was a rainstorm when I left the theater so I could washthe sliminess of this movie off of me.
edwagreen (09 May 2013)
Sister's Sister-If This is Contemporary Living-Forget It *
Miserable story compounded by an abrupt ending which furthercomplicates this terrible 2011 film.The best scene of this weird picture is the first one where a group ofpeople get together at the anniversary of the death of their friend,also attended by the deceased's brother.One of the friends,who the brother likes romantically, tells him to goup to her mountain place. There he meets her sister. The two get drunkand passionate love follows, only for the sister to show up at theplace herself the following morning.Is the girl, a lesbian, who wanted a child pregnant? What will happenas our guy professes his love for her sister but is willing to take theresponsibility of a parent-whether it be as the father or some sort ofuncle.The picture happily ends as the three anxiously await to see if thesister is pregnant. Who wrote this mess? Is this what our society hascome to? I hope not for the sake of humanity.
ASlightlyRedDisturbance (03 May 2013)
Very well acted, but it's DeWitt's picture
Your Sister's Sister is a well made, well written, very well acteddramedy. I think especially in its first half, it's just intriguingwatching these characters interact and seeing what developments unfoldnaturally. As it is, I think the third act of the film goes throughsome pretty rough edges. It never falls off the rails completely, butit also verges on the tone of a soap opera, with one too many natureshots and too much of the same melancholic music. Still, by the end itworks and I think the ending works for what the film was supposed tobe. It's the journey that matters.I think the three leads are all great. I've never seen Duplass beforebut he has some real talent, and Blunt of course delivers. But I wantto give a shout-out to Rosemarie DeWitt, one of my absolute favoriteunknown actresses. I first saw her in the short-lived TV seriesStandoff, where she was always impressing me. Then I saw her in MadMen, where her acting ability made me a real fan. Then came RachelGetting Married where she was, once again, superb, better than almostall of the Oscar nominees that year in Supporting Actress aside frommaybe the eventual winner, Penelope Cruz. Here, she gives her bestperformance to date, instantly illuminating the film in ways it hadn'tbefore. Her portrayal of Hannah easily makes her the most interestingof the bunch, and as it is, she blows the other two (who were stillgreat) out of the water. I really want to see DeWitt get more and moreinteresting projects.
chaz-28 (02 May 2013)
A well written and acted indie comedy; enjoy characters developed over time and with care
Even though Your Sister's Sister is set mostly in the open air of asecluded area of a Puget Sound island, it feels a bit claustrophobicbecause of the very small cast. There are only three characters whoperform 99% of the film's interactions and there are only so manycombinations a screenplay can invent to pair two of them off at anygiven time. There are long, drawn out conversations which have animprovisational feeling about them and are enjoyable to sit back andwatch. Audiences conditioned to expect quick cuts, brief sequences, andpointed dialogue may grow impatient with the extended length of scenes,but for those who relish real situations and characters who take morethan a few minutes to develop will enjoy getting to know these people,quirks and all.Jack (Mark Duplass) appears, just by looking at him, to be having arough time. There are bags under his eyes, he has a few extra pounds,probably from too much booze, he is unemployed, and socialconversations he attempts to contribute to have a way of endingawkwardly and uncomfortable for all in the room. His brother died ayear ago and he still has no idea how to move on from that. His bestfriend happens to be his deceased brother's ex-girlfriend Iris (EmilyBlunt). Perhaps this is Jack's way of hanging on to something hisbrother once had. Iris cares for Jack and after one of his completelyinappropriate diatribes, she orders him to get on his old bike, peddledown to the Seattle ferry, and go spend a week alone in the woods ather father's cabin. Perhaps some solitude and introspection will kickhim out of his funk.The cabin is not empty though. Someone else with life problems decidedto squirrel away there; this is Iris's sister, Hannah (RosemarieDeWitt). Jack and Hannah recognize a bit of themselves in each other,mainly the self loathing bits, and realize that first night together atthe cabin that talking about your problems to a stranger over a bottleof tequila is oddly cathartic. Hannah just walked out of a verylong-term relationship with her girlfriend and all of their long-termplans they had together. Both Jack and Hannah are searching for whatthey should do next in life, where to go, and how to change to getthere; so maybe this is why they drunkenly end up in bed together.The film sets itself up to go in many directions. It could have beenself-destructive depression for Jack. It could have been a modern westcoast version of Walden for lost souls. However, it chose to become asomewhat comedic love triangle. Iris shows up at the cabin early thenext morning and Jack decides she does not need to know what happenedlast night with Hannah. Each of them maintains their own respectiveagendas and watching them emerge and conflict with one another isamusing and intriguing to wonder how it may play out. Jack is nervousabout the truth being revealed, Iris has her own secrets, and Hannahmay be trumping them all. This talk about secrets makes Your Sister'sSister sound devious and manipulative but it is not; somehow, thescript keeps the atmosphere light and airy.Writer/director Lynn Shelton has worked with Mark Duplass previously(Humpday) and the summer of 2012 appears to be his emergence to a widerindie public. He has three films in theaters simultaneously (YourSister's Sister, Safety Not Guaranteed, People Like Us) and reminds meof Jessica Chastain from 2011 who came out of nowhere and seemed to bein a new release every single weekend. British actress Emily Bluntkeeps her accent for this film and the plot noticeably includes a fewsentences as to why that is. Her being British is not necessary to thefilm so waiting to see how they end up explaining away her accentcauses a bit of an eye roll but it is not too distracting. RosemarieDeWitt comes out the winner of the three. She has the benefit ofplaying the most well written character and she has the acting chops topull it off. Jack is more the clumsy oaf while Iris is more thesounding board for his issues, but Hannah is in on both of theirsecrets and therefore benefits screen time wise.Your Sister's Sister is much better than its recent cinematic cousinSafety Guaranteed and aims for more depth in its characters. The filmlacks any particular punches which may have catapulted it into moreprofound waters; however, it is a worthwhile indie film to enjoy in anair conditioned theater on a hot day when the just the thought ofanother version of Spiderman will not do.
Steve Pulaski (02 May 2013)
Should he be? Why would he? Can he?
"Mumblecore" is increasingly becoming my favorite genre in film. Itsconcepts are simple, but its executions are deep and meaningful. Two ofthe pioneers, Jay and Mark Duplass, respectively, kicked off theirdebut in 2005 and are continuing to make warm, vibrant pictures withstunning naturalism and depth.It's nice to see Mark in Lynn Shelton's Your Sister's Sister, awonderfully nuanced and engaging film that can't help but get itsaudience members thinking. The opening scene takes place at someone'sfuneral, with close friends reminiscing about their deceased friend whodied just a year ago when the late man's brother Jack (Duplass) comesdownstairs to point out his brother's true side, which was more raucousthan people are admitting. He hates how people tend to embellish thedeceased and wants to provide a moment of honesty and clarity.He is quickly reprimanded by his friend Iris (Emily Blunt), whobelieves he needs to spend some quiet time in solitude to clear hishead. She offers the key to her father's isolated cabin in WashingtonState to which he accepts. He rides his bike to the house to findIris's sister Hannah (Rosemarie DeWitt) staying there as well in anawkward, surprising sequence.The two have never met before and begin to make small talk overwhiskey. The talk gradually transcends from typical relationshipconversation, being that Hannah reveals that she was recently dumped byher girlfriend of many years, to more intimate dialogs about sex,leading both of them to become a little tipsy, adopt a "what the hell?"mentality, and have what appears to be protected intercourse.They plan to shake it off. It was only a small little fling, right?Jack wore a condom, Hannah is presumably clean, etc. But when Irisshows up to the cabin in a surprise visit, she is shocked to see hersister and begins to learn of her recent breakup. In the mix of allthis, or when they get alone time, Jack implores Hannah not to tellIris what they did. Is he embarrassed? Is he protecting her? Possibly.But why should he be? Jack and Iris have no relationship history andare simply just close friends.This is where that little thought process is kindly handed to theaudience. What should Jack do? Revealing it may cause an uneasy bump inthe friendship between Jack and Iris, but is that better than holdingon to a secret that isn't a big deal. Or is it? Improvisation was usedin some of the conversations between Hannah and Jack and it greatlyshows. Mumblecore is all about naturalism, so conversations are usuallyconducted fluently, with very few interruptions, and openly. When it isapparently not scripted (not like we can tell, because Shelton'swriting is controlled and subtle), the film still carries a veryvibrant and easy-going tone, not conforming or boasting difference.This is simply a human film with an unusually human agenda.Your Sister's Sister spends its third act, after a believable twist isrevealed, showcasing its characters in montage, doing what they do andhow they cope after they are burdened with such an event. This seemslike sort of a hokey way to end the film, almost as if Shelton wasunsure of how to carry out the characters after that. The film endslike most mumblecore films; silently and creatively, and we are left tocontemplate the experience we just had. The three leads are engagingand thoughtfully cast (I'm growing ever-so fond of Emily Blunt), thecinematography is an ode to nature and its simplicity, and the writingis revealing and crafty.Starring: Mark Duplass, Emily Blunt, and Rosemarie DeWitt. Directed by:Lynn Shelton.
Chris_Pandolfi (01 May 2013)
Three Decent Leads in a Rather Good Sitcom
Up until now, whenever I said that a film is like a sitcom, I alwaysmeant it in a negative context. I now realize how shortsighted that wason my part, because the truth is there have been and still are verygood sitcoms being aired. I came to this realization after seeing "YourSister's Sister." This movie plays like a particularly well-writtensitcom, manufactured and unrealistic but nevertheless funny, nicelycast, decently performed, and ultimately redeemed by the charm andlikability of its characters. When necessary, it eases up on the laughsand allows for some good poignant moments. The events depicted in thefilm exist primarily in the minds of writers, although that isn'tnecessarily a bad thing; all that matters is that we become invested inthe plot, that we feel something for the players and their roles, andthat we're entertained.We're introduced to a man named Jack (Mark Duplass) as he loses hiscool at the memorial service of his brother Tom. He continues to grievea year after the death, having lost control of his emotions and hisability to work. Iris (Emily Blunt) is Tom's ex-girlfriend and Jack'scurrent best friend; understandably concerned over Jack, she offers himthe keys to her family's secluded cabin, which is nestled in apicturesque island somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. Jack reluctantlyagrees to go. When he arrives, he's surprised to see someone else, awoman, staying in the cabin. She too is just as surprised to see him,and she wastes no time in threatening to ward him off with a boatpaddle. The confusion is quickly cleared up; the woman is Iris' sister,Hannah (Rosemarie DeWitt), a lesbian who's in her own emotional rutfollowing an abrupt end to a seven-year relationship.That night, the two begin bonding over a bottle of booze. As they satat the dining room table downing shot after shot, I was amazed to findthat their dialogue became more absorbing as they got drunker. It hadmore to do with the delivery than with the actual choice of words; withits free-flowing style, I had a sneaking suspicion that writer/directorLynn Shelton allowed DeWitt and Duplass to veer away from the finishedscript and indulge in improvisation. If this was the case, these actorsdeserve extra praise. Anyone can breathe life into a role by followinga script to the ink, but it takes a special kind of actor tospontaneously create his or her own dialogue while keeping itconsistent with the story at hand. If this wasn't the case, thenShelton should be commended for writing especially believable dialogue.We fully expect that Jack and Hannah will lose all their inhibitionsand have sex, and so they do. We may even expect some of the inevitableconsequences, none of which I will examine in great detail. But don'tdelude yourself into believing that "Your Sister's Sister" lackssurprises. I'm not referring to outlandish twists of fate dependententirely on actions; I'm referring to unexpected decisions based onemotions. The rest of the film, which cannot be discussed without theissuing of a spoiler warning, is refreshingly mature and level-headedin its approach to a contrived scenario. You know in the back of yourmind that what happens is rather unlikely, but you still savor thesharpness of the dialogue and the evolution of the characters. You alsocome away with the hope that, if such a thing were to happen in reallife, the people involved would handle it as well as the people in thismovie.Iris will eventually reenter the picture. This creates a good deal ofhumor, as both Jack and Hannah are torn over their decision to keeptheir one night of passion a secret. The relationship between Iris andJack is fairly solid and nicely developed, but what I responded to morewas the relationship between Iris and Hannah. They have their issueswith one another, as most siblings tend to have, but that doesn't meanthey're treated as soap opera caricatures, in which they're needlesslyvindictive towards each other. We see a fairly convincing depiction oftwo women who love each other despite the fact that they're different.Even when Iris mixes some butter into a bowl of mashed potatoes andknowingly serves a spoonful to the vegan Hannah, nothing devolves intoa prolonged episode of nasty sibling rivalry.Some audiences are not going to respond well to the ending, as itleaves one very big question unanswered. From my perspective, theemotional closure more than makes up for the lack of narrativeresolution; we may not know the outcome of a particular scenario, butwe do know how all three leads will respond should it turn out thatway. In other words, everything that needs to be said is actually saidbefore the end credits start to roll. I now realize that my initiallystraightforward review has long since become annoyingly vague, but"Your Sister's Sister" is the kind of film that demands a certaindegree of secrecy. Rightly so; some movies are better the less you knowabout them beforehand. If you're receptive to the material, improbablethough it may be, you should be able to leave the theater feelingperfectly satisfied.-- Chris Pandolfi (www.atatheaternearyou.net)
MediaboyMusings (22 April 2013)
One of the best films I saw in 2011...
Written last year after screening it at the Toronto film fest:"Lynn Shelton" - get used to hearing the name of the Seattle-basedwriter/director/producer/actor, because if her newest work is anyindication, she's got a very bright filmmaking career ahead of her. Herfourth film and the follow-up to 2009's acclaimed Humpday, YourSister's Sister is one of the smartest, most engaging relationshipdramas (laced with charming humour) I've ever seen. Yes, it's thatgood.The story doesn't exactly jump off the page, perhaps reading as thetype of standard chick flick material that audiences have seen over andover again, with a subdued tone and pace that some viewers might findchallenging. The magic in the film lies with the honesty and naturalismthat Shelton derives from her characters and their interplay, deliveredby equally outstanding performances from the three leads who improvisedabout 75% of their words. Emily Blunt plays Iris, the best friend ofJack (played by Mark Duplass) and the former girlfriend of Jack'sbrother, who died roughly a year before the movie begins. Jack, who'sunemployed, just can't seem to get out of his mourning funk, so Irisencourages him (practically forces him, actually) to spend some time ather father's cabin on an island in Puget Sound. Jack takes her up onthe offer and, upon arriving at the remote cabin, finds a houseguestalready there. That would be Hannah, Iris' sister (played by RosemaryDeWitt), who is also seeking a little solitude to clear her head afterjust ending a seven year lesbian relationship. Mix a bottle of tequilawith some bad judgement and the pair end up having awkward sex. Thefollowing day, Iris unexpectedly shows up, thus setting in motion thecomplex triangular dynamic that forms the core of the film.Blunt, DeWitt, and Duplass have an immediate, winning chemistry witheach other and they'd better. Aside from its first fifteen or sominutes, the film almost exclusively features just the three actors onscreen and most of that time is spent within the four cabin walls,which gives the film a very intimate theatrical feel. DeWitt and Blunt,in particular, find a familiarity and comfort with one another thatsuccessfully sells us on their sisterhood, despite the curious factthat Iris has an English accent and Hannah an American one. I lovedthat Shelton holds off on revealing the reason for the accentdiscrepancy until well into the film, as the puzzling detail just kindof hangs there in an intriguing and only mildly nagging way. It mightseem like an odd creative choice on Shelton's part, but it actuallystems from the fact that Rachel Weisz, a Brit, was originally supposedto play Hannah before pulling out at the last minute. DeWitt, usuallyone of the best things in anything I've ever seen her in (especiallyher work on Showtime's United States Of Tara), deserves even morecredit for her performance, considering the lack of preparation she hadbefore jumping into the movie's lean twelve day shooting schedule.Along with Shelton's work, another major revelation taken from the filmis Duplass, who I'd never heard of. He proves more than capable ofhandling the movie's demanding dramatic material, while alsodemonstrating a real flair for its comedic requirements via his goofycharm. And it turns out that like his director, Duplass also writes,directs, and produces films with his brother, Jay. Their latest movie,Jeff Who Lives At Home, premiered at this year's TIFF.The film's soundtrack deserves special mention. Composed by Vince Smith(who handled all aspects of sound recording and design on thisproduction), it meshes nicely with Shelton's visuals featuring thescenic Pacific Northwest, and his score plays a key role during anextended montage sequence at the end of the movie that has next to nodialogue. The sequence is a bit of a gamble on Shelton's part, but it'snicely put together and doesn't sap the film's momentum as the storycomes to its conclusion.Your Sister's Sister was picked up for distribution at TIFF by IFCFilms for a summer 2012 release. Hopefully, a movie this quiet andclever can find an audience amidst the clatter of the studio tentpoleofferings. Those who do discover it will be treated to a film thatwasn't just the best thing I saw at the festival, but the best filmI've seen this year.
t-pitt-1 (21 April 2013)
Who cares?
I was looking forward to seeing this film, having read severalfavourable reviews. So this afternoon I took myself off to my localcinema to check it out. I waited patiently through the first half- hour or so of the movie,hoping it would start getting interesting - soon! Please! When issomebody going to say or do something that takes my attention and makesme think? Or care?It is about a bunch of young, rich, smug, self-indulgent, middle- classpeople (I used a different word to describe them) sitting aroundtalking, having sexual intercourse (again I used a different word forthis activity), analysing themselves and each other ... Sorry. I just didn't care about any of it. So I got up and left. Thisfilm was just a) boring and b) irritating. Don't waste your time ormoney on it.
mviola-55-39810 (18 April 2013)
Surprisingly Human
Bland and predictable were my expectations for this film. Anotherover-melancholy, indie dramedy about love and family set on a cold, yetbeautiful island full of memories of happier times. This setting wouldbe complimented with scenes full of silence and angst that have no realheart or meaning, just there to add more minutes to complete an hourand a half. I thought this film would be cold and dull. Surprisingly,it isn't. Mark Duplass, Emily Blunt and Rosemarie DeWitt manage tocombine both the dry humour with the drama of the storyline so wellthat film doesn't take itself too seriously and is actually reallyfunny. The three actors' chemistry is illustrated strongly throughoutand the movie oozes with these honest and hearty moments. Even when thecharacters are completely malicious to each other, you still find themendearing. There is something honest to their relationships. The twosisters in bed discussing life in the middle of the night. The two bestfriends who bicker and fight, but are constantly worried about eachother's wellbeing. It's sweet, and watching the three charactersinteract, you can't help but want them to be happy. The storyline islacking though, and the film at times lags because the story is sotightly centered around the two sisters and Duplass. However the flipdialog and often black humour allows you to forget about that and justenjoy. Your Sister's Sister is a simple, but endearing film full ofhumanity.
Maarten Debacker (18 April 2013)
A beautiful tale of emotional acceptance
This film is rather hard to put your finger on. If you've ever beenchallenged in a way that you'd feel would cross all borders making youunable to tell anyone, then you'll enjoy this flick. Otherwise some mayfind this a rather average viewing although the acting is superb. Thedepth of this film is certainly its moral content: putting yourselfaside in the scheme of bigger things, acceptance of missteps andunconditional love are weaved throughout. That's what sets it asidefrom other drama. I can imagine the lower than felt rating is mostlydue to the lack of empathy of its audience. There's isn't a whole lothappening in terms of action or strong dialog. In the hindsight of atragic loss of his brother a man loses it. His best friend- hisbrother's former girlfriend- offers him to go on a vacation in solitudeto her cabin. However, he bumps in on the sister of the woman that alsosuffered from a personal loss. Some new developments occur and later onhis best friend joins in. A series of complicated understandings arethe result. As far as the storyline this is where it stops withoutspoiling anything. The human interactions are however excellent, thisat any level: body language, the stories their eyes tell and theresonance in their voices. The three main characters perform each oneof them a stunning performance to say the least. There's so much youcan do with words, but a true actor knows how to evoke emotions withoutample of them. The events feel so real and this is when you know thecast does a tremendous job. Although Mark Duplass and Rosemarie De Wittboth do an extraordinary job at portraying their strongest feelings,it's Emily Blunt that's the epitome of method acting. With only aglance she's able to nail you to your seat. Speaking is silver...
lynnfriedman (15 April 2013)
Take Two Sisters, Add One Love Interest
We're not in Hollywood blockbuster big-budget-explosion-land anymore.Apparently there are other ways to wash away the dull moments withoutexplosions and gigantic budgets. The plot begins as a simple weekend inthe country. The dialog is mostly unscripted. Shooting without a bigHollywood budget and a crazy tight schedule, Your Sister's Sister holdsour interest with the relationships of the characters. Take two sistersand one love interest and you've got the classic play of betrayal andforgiveness, the rivalry that's only paired with siblings, love that'snot returned, and all sorts of human relatable fears. This is the kindof film that stays in your head long after the credit roll.
Hellboy973 (15 April 2013)
So this is Mumblecore
My wife's a sport; she'll watch all of my odd picks. Most recently Isubjected her to 'Oldboy' (a re-viewing for me, a last viewing for her)so I figured I owed her one. Hence, 'Your Sister's Sister'. Besides, areviewer here that I respect recommended it, the premise did not soundunpalatable & I dig Emily Blunt (loved her in 'Prada').'Unpalatable' is, however, the perfect word for this dull, obvious andtotally un-charming film. It didn't ruin Emily for me, at least notirrevocably, but it did ruin a certain Mark Duplass. Beware the'auteur' who's driven to act in his own films. He 'produced' this onewhich, if the result equals the effort, amounted to rounding up all hisfriends and saying, 'Hey kids, let's put on a show!' I understand thatmuch of this was improvised, and it shows. The difference betweenbrilliant improv (Woody Allen, Mike Leigh & the Second City 'Best inShow' bunch') & this slight effort is that the former featurecharacters with multiple dimensions and actors capable of exploringtheir characters. To me that sounds a lot harder than reading wordsfrom a script verbatim.Or, a lot easier if the characters are cutouts and you have nothingmuch to say. Dull characters, dull dialogue, predictable results. Atthe end, which features a literal 'result' that should be of greatimport, my wife and I just looked at each other and said,'Feh'.She did like Mark Duplass, which surprised me. She thought he was cute.As for me, I was interested in seeing 'Safety Not Guaranteed' until Isaw that he was the lead. Another 90 minutes with this sad sack and I'mgoing to need three back-to-back viewings of 'Ichi the Killer' just toget over it.
keniget (12 April 2013)
Pretentious indie flick
I suppose I should state, as other reviewers have felt the need to,that I have watched and enjoyed my fair share of indie movies - twohours of meandering dialogue is fine as long as it's done well. Thiswasn't.There are some amusing moments sure, but it didn't come togetheroverall. The characters are generic and ultimately went nowhere and theplot tying them together is fantastically absurd.** Spoiler **Iris' sister purposely lies and manipulates a situation to try and getherself pregnant by Iris' best friend. Not only does Iris find itwithin herself to look past this after a day or so of solitude andsilence but also offers to help raise the baby (if there is one). Now perhaps I'm missing the point and this is a story of forgivenessand the value of keeping important relationships in your life going,however the message I took away from it is that you can be a prettycontemptible person, do nothing in the way of seeking forgiveness otherthan a shrug of the shoulders and a "oh, aren't I terrible" and you getthe rewards you were ultimately after. Brilliant!
shalimar-4 (12 April 2013)
ugh
Short version: Nicely acted.. nicely directed etc etc.But worst F'ing ending.End of story(size limit sucks etc etc_) (size limit sucks etc etc_ ) (size limitsucks etc etc_) (size limit sucks etc etc_ ) (size limit sucks etcetc_) (size limit sucks etc etc_) (size limit sucks etc etc_) (sizelimit sucks etc etc_) (size limit sucks etc etc_ ) (size limit sucksetc etc_ ) (size limit sucks etc etc_)(size limit sucks etc etc_) (size limit sucks etc etc_ ) (size limitsucks etc etc_) (size limit sucks etc etc_ ) (size limit sucks etcetc_) (size limit sucks etc etc_) (size limit sucks etc etc_) (sizelimit sucks etc etc_) (size limit sucks etc etc_ ) (size limit sucksetc etc_ ) (size limit sucks etc etc_)
Review total: 20, showing from 1 to 20