Full Review

Drab Jewish lawyer Rose (Toni Collette), having a clandestine affair with a higher-up at her Philadelphia law firm, rethinks her life when she catches her more flashy, but alcoholic and promiscuous sister, Maggie (Cameron Diaz), in bed with him.

The incident drives the sisters apart where, for the first time, they blossom. Rose quits her high-powered job and becomes a dog walker, while Maggie, who can never seem to hold down a job, flees to Florida to seek out the maternal grandmother, Ella (Shirley MacLaine), neither of them knew. Their father, remarried to the frosty Sydelle (Candice Azzara), kept Ella away, and hid her letters, after his wife's premature death when the girls were young.

Ella now lives in a retirement community, and Maggie gradually gives up her bad habits and thrives among the too-cute-for-words oldsters in the home, even learning to overcome her dyslexia -- a condition that rendered her virtually illiterate -- by reading to a blind ex-English professor (Norman Lloyd). Meanwhile, back home Rose is pursued by an understanding lawyer from her old firm.

Both sisters were scarred by their mother's fatal auto accident, and, like Ella -- who blames herself for her daughter's passing -- need to reconcile themselves to the past and each other as well as their father. It's not giving away too much to tell you that they ultimately do.

The chameleon-like Collette -- bespectacled, hair pulled tautly back, with a toothy grin -- embodies her part well, though her gawky smile eventually grows a little tiresome. Diaz -- who seems to come from another family -- is nonetheless extremely touching as the strung-out sister who cleans up her act, including a propensity to rustle through people's bureau drawers looking for cash. And how nice to have MacLaine in a meaty role, and playing it in an admirably low-key style.

The elderly residents are a characterful -- if stereotypical -- bunch, and it's pleasurable to see them warm to Maggie and vice versa.

Truth to tell, none of this is remotely believable, and the outcome is fairly predictable -- but it's the kind of story to which you can willingly surrender nonetheless. The underlying bond between these two very different sisters is affecting. (The title, by the way, is derived from Rose's penchant for buying -- if not wearing -- shoes when she's feeling low, while Maggie, much to Rose's annoyance, has no compunctions about using them.)

If the Jewish milieu isn't entirely convincing, director Curtis Hanson's unabashedly sentimental film --written by Susannah Grant based on the novel by Jennifer Weiner -- eventually imparts good messages about family and forgiveness, with a morally sound, feel-good conclusion.

Chick flick or not, men should have no trouble responding to the very human elements of the story.

The film contains sexual banter and situations including one rough encounter in a restroom, an irreligious remark, permissive view of premarital sex, partial nudity, a suicide theme, scattered profanity, and crude language and expressions. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG-13 -- parents are strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

These movies have been evaluated for artistic merit and moral suitability by the media reviewing division of Catholic News Service. The reviews include the CNS rating, the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and a brief synopsis of the movie.

The classifications are as follows:

A-I -- general patronage;
A-II -- adults and adolescents;
A-III -- adults;
L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. L replaces the previous classification, A-IV.
O -- morally offensive.

Note: Some movies previously were designated A-IV. Older films with this classification should be regarded as classified L.