[Cassavetes] refuses to let the material speak for itself, putting a famous-for-making-women-cry song behind almost every scene, and lingering on every sentimental moment.
Comment
07/31/09
My Sister's Keeper (2009)
47
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:127
Fresh:60
Rotten:67
Average Rating:5.6/10
Consensus: My Sister's Keeper gets fine performances from its adult and child actors, but the director's heavy-handed approach turns a worthy emotional subject into an overly melodramatic tearjerker.
Australian Theatrical Release:
Jul 30, 2009 Wide
US Box Office: $49,069,310
Synopsis: THE NOTEBOOK's Nick Cassavetes directs another tearjerking literary adaptation with this drama based on Jodi Picoult's novel. Cameron Diaz takes a detour from comedy to play Sara, the domineering... [More]
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Alec Baldwin, Sofia Vassilieva
Director: Nick Cassavetes
Reviews for My Sister's Keeper
Top CriticBring the tissues. This film works.
07/31/09
Top CriticThere's no question that this is a really intriguing drama and a drama that I think deserved better treatment than it gets here because I think Nick Cassevetes -- I don't think he's a very good director, really.
07/29/09
Top CriticThere is a touch of contrivance to the set-up that is not totally convincing and the film avoids much of the ethical arguments in favour of family drama. But I must admit to being affected.
07/29/09
Top CriticA morally ambiguous tearjerker with a twist.
07/29/09
Top CriticThough the motives of My Sister’s Keeper will seem dubious to some, there is no denying the performances on display keep everything in the realm of the watchable.
07/29/09
Top CriticAs manufactured Disease of the Week weepies go, Nick Cassavetes's drama based on a Jodi Picoult bestseller, is surprisingly moving.
07/29/09
Top CriticThe decision to avoid unnecessary sentimentality defines this film, elevating it to a more thoughtful if a touch less engaging arena, sacrificing emotional escapism for conversation provoking tragedy.
07/29/09
Top CriticThe obnoxious calculation smothers what should’ve been a pure articulation of melancholy and a potent debate of morality.
07/27/09
Top CriticClick to read the article
07/24/09
Top CriticStrong performances, and a subtle script make director Cassavetes film one of the better tearjerkers of the year...
12/11/09
The film has its flaws and swims in meticulously crafted schmaltz... yet also has well-conceived tender moments hiding in the fringes.
12/06/09
My Sister's Keeper demands nothing less than a tidal wave of tears.
11/28/09
The film has a profound and compelling premise. Regrettably, it seems intent on being about everything but that premise.
11/16/09
I tried to keep an open mind, hoping something would win me over. It didn't happen.
11/14/09
[I]ntelligent, moving and even occasionally funny, although you might want to bring along a few tissues just in case.
08/11/09
Cassavetes...shows great skill in weaving bright moments -- even an adolescent romance -- into the gloom. It's still bittersweet, but like mass-produced crème caramel, never too bitter.
07/31/09
Top CriticWhat starts as an exploration of the ethics of organ-donation and genetic selection, rapidly disintegrates into a sloppy, unstructured, tear-jerking mess.
07/30/09
Sometimes, a sad story isn't just a manipulative venture that makes you cry. Sometimes, as in 'The Notebook,' it's a tale well told that brings out honest emotions. Sometimes, it's in a movie such as 'My Sister's Keeper.'
07/15/09
Navigates a minefield of emotional explosives intelligently and sensitively, with excellent performances that strike the right balance between heartfelt and hand-wringing.
07/15/09
Latest News for My Sister's Keeper
July 26, 2009:
Win a poster signed by Cameron Diaz
How would you like to have a poster of Cameron Diaz on your wall -- signed by the lady herself? To celebrate this week's release of Cameron's latest film, My Sister's Keeper,... More...
June 27, 2009:
Easily the most poignant picture of the year, achieved without resorting to manipulative soap opera devices. 
More...
June 25, 2009:
Critics Consensus: Transformers 2 Is Less Than Meets The Eye
This week at the movies, we've got robots in disguise (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, starring Megan Fox and Shia LaBeouf) and a family in disrepair (My Sister's Keeper,... More...
June 25, 2009:
Box Office Guru Preview: Transformers Set to Smash Records
This summer's major artillery has taken over North American multiplexes with the mid-week launch of the action tentpole Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen which aims to become... More...
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