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“In Her Shoes”: More Than a Chick Flick

By EMILY BALDWIN

I come from a large family, and I can testify that it isn’t always easy to navigate the various personalities and the miscommunications that flourish in a family as big as mine. The universal theme of sibling rivalry and the unmistakable bond that is inherent within families is the basis for the new movie “In Her Shoes.”

“In Her Shoes” is a story about two sisters who couldn’t be more different from each other and the ups and downs that come with their relationship. Cameron Diaz plays irresponsible Maggie May Feller, a beautiful 28 year old who relies on her looks to get by in life. Maggie’s older sister, Rose (played by Toni Collette), is an uptight, frumpy lawyer. After screwing up once again, Maggie finds herself living in her sister’s apartment, stealing her sister’s money and borrowing her possessions without any sense of respect or remorse. Rose, who feels responsible for Maggie since their mom died 20 years before, begrudgingly allows her sister to crash for the time being, but never quits attempting to improve her along the way. From circled classifieds ads left in the refrigerator to asking the waitress at a diner if they are hiring, Rose tries desperately to shove her sister into responsible adulthood.

Maggie, on the other hand, thinks Rose needs to spend more time living life and less time trying to run other people’s lives. When Maggie crosses her sister in an unforgivable way, Rose kicks her out for good. In her desperation, Maggie goes to live with her grandmother whose existence she only recently discovered. Maggie and Rose must learn to sink or swim without the other. Throw in a wicked stepmother, a father who has never fully dealt with the loss of his late wife, and a retirement community for active seniors, and you have a film that will make you laugh and depending on your mood, may even make you cry.

This story will probably ring true for anyone who knows the joys and pains that come with family. Families may drive you crazy, but at the end of the day they are your foundation. What happens when bad decisions or circumstances of life threaten to pull apart that foundation? And at what point do we quit blaming others for our own failures and mistakes and start taking responsibility for our lives? These are just a few of the issues director Curtis Hanson (8 Mile, L.A. Confidential) addresses.

Diaz and Collette both give notable performances in their respective roles, and Shirley MacLaine does an articulate but understated job as the absentee grandmother.

For those who have read the novel by Jennifer Weiner from which the story originates, the film does diverge at points, but Hanson does well putting the 400-plus page book onto the silver screen.

Although to some this film may appear to be a predictable chick flick, I found it to be a bit more complex. I doubt this movie will be winning any Academy Awards, but it is one of the better movies I’ve seen in the recent past. From laughter to a few nearly-tearful moments, I went through a range of emotions while watching this film. I highly recommend checking out this heartfelt tale of the ties that bind a family together.

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