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Review by: Jack Foley | Rating:
Two
IT'S rare to find a 'chick flick' with universal appeal but Curtis
Hanson's absorbing character study is so well-heeled that it should
delight men and women in equal measure.
Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette play two sisters, Maggie and Rose
Feller, who share little in common except shoe size. One is quiet,
reserved and miserable, the other slutty and manipulative.
While Rose struggles to find romance and create a comfortable
life for herself, Maggie is continually drifting from one job
to another, generally being promiscuous and depending on her older
sister to provide the emotional rescue.
Things come to a head, however, when Maggie comes to stay with
Rose and ruins a prospective romance by sleeping with the object
of Rose's affections in a moment of jealous spite.
The only person left for Maggie to turn to is her long-lost grandmother
(played by Shirley Maclaine), so she ups sticks and heads for
her Florida-based retirement community to seek some temporary
shelter.
Once there, however, she begins to bond with her grandmother,
who provides her with an unlikely source of self-help and sets
Maggie on the path to improving her prospects.
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Rose, meanwhile, has quit her job
as a lawyer and embarked on a new relationship - but quickly yearns
for some sisterly guidance and sets off to be reunited with her
sibling.
In Her Shoes, while certainly overlong, thrives on the chemistry
between its three charming leads, as well as a bubbly script that
provides a winning mix of laughter and tears.
It may tug at the heart-strings in the way that all good Oscar
contenders should but it never overdoses on sentiment and keeps
its characters plausible and above all identifiable.
Of the two leads, Collette has the more understated role but
remains luminous throughout, providing an endearing mix of insecurity
and determination that is both funny and easy to sympathise with.
Diaz, meanwhile, gets to flash her body on numerous occasions
but grows in stature the longer the film lasts - transforming
from selfish bitch to caring sibling in believable fashion.
MacLaine, meanwhile, lends the film an extra element of class
as the caring grandmother - a woman still harbouring her own demons
for past misdeeds.
As director of this spellbinding character study, Hanson deserves
the utmost praise for avoiding the obvious pitfalls of the genre
and creating a genuinely emotional journey that's both warm and
inspiring.
For while it may scream out for Oscar recognition, its sensitive
portrayal of life's ups and downs provides plenty of heart and
sole besides.
Related stories: Cameron
Diaz interview
Toni Collette interview
Curtis Hanson interview
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