The Other Sister (1999)

Garry Marshall (PRETTY WOMAN) co-writes and directs this crowd-
pleasing, relentlessly tear-jerking, romantic dramatic comedy about 
a "slow" young woman (Juliette Lewis), her smothering mother (Diane 
Keaton), and the equally "challenged" young man she meets and falls 
in love with (Giovanni Ribisi).  With it's capable cast, near fairy 
tale tone, and delicate (though not always delicately handled) sub-
ject matter, THE OTHER SISTER is as emotionally wild-firing as any 
film I can recall seeing.  Pain and joy and sadness and suffering 
simply pour off of the screen-- you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll 
try to hide under your seat in discomfort.  (A drunken spectacle at 
a wedding is particularly wince-inducing.)  Unless, of course, you 
stay busy being distracted by a superfluous subplot involving homo-
sexual acceptance.  Or wonder what fates befall the disabled child-
ren of lower-income families.  Or, like me, work overtime trying to 
decide if the whole thing's completely or only partially distaste-
ful.  (Marshall walks a fine, fine line.  We laugh with them-- of-
ten uproariously so-- but we're also encouraged to laugh *at* 
them.)  Well, while we await the inevitable outcry, go have your-
selves a good cry.  With Hector Elizondo, Tom Skerritt, Poppy Mont-
gomery, Sarah Paulson, and a whole bunch of soft-drink product 
plugs.  Disabilities must go better with Coke...  (Rated "PG"/~130 
min.)

Grade: B-
           
Copyright 1999 Michael J. Legeros
Movie Hell is a trademark of Michael J. Legeros     

Originally posted to triangle.movies as MOVIE HELL: February 28, 1999