Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette play Maggie and Rose,
the most unlikely pair of sisters you’re ever likely to meet, in this
film adaptation of the popular novel by Jennifer Weiner. Getting by on her
good looks and inherent charm, Maggie has never had to earn anything
she’s ever needed and has come to rely on others to take care of her.
To say that Rose is resentful of this is more than a bit of an
understatement: Though she’s on the fast track to success at the law
firm where she’s employed, her workaholic ways hide the low
self-esteem she’s fought while standing in the shadow of her more
attractive sister. Their tenuous relationship is torn asunder when
Maggie makes the mistake of sleeping with Rose’s boyfriend, an act
that completely alienates them. Seeking refuge at her father’s home,
Maggie finds a stack of unopened greeting cards, sent years earlier,
addressed to her and her sister. Opening them, she discovers that they were
sent by her grandmother Ella (Shirley MacLaine), a woman she’s never
met and presumed was dead. With nowhere else to go, Maggie decides to head
to Florida to track Ella down and ask her for money with which to start
over. To say that Maggie gets something far more valuable
than money from Ella is no great surprise. What is a surprise is the way in which
director Curtis Hanson and his cast suck us in slowly, allowing us get to
know each of these women. Shoes is one of those rare movies in which character development
takes center stage. Equally enjoyable is the story, which is in no hurry to
reveal the treasures it contains and is the better for it. There are no
cheap plot gimmicks or melodrama here; rather, Shoes offers moments of compassion and growth that make it easy
to relate to three remarkable characters.
Also in theaters this week. . .
The Gospel [PG] An R & B singer turns away from religion and the church he grew up in, only
to return years later with the congregation in utter chaos, and his
childhood rival at the center of the turmoil. Parkway
Pointe
Proof [PG-13] After
Catherine’s father, a disturbed math genius, dies, she tangles with
the idea of sharing his legacy of mental illness. Stars Anthony Hopkins and
Gwyneth Paltrow. ShowPlace West
Two For the Money [R]
Brandon Lang gave up his life to work for the most sought after sports
bookies in the business – but, what happens when Lang’s luck
runs out? Parkway Pointe, ShowPlace East
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit [G] Wallace and Gromit are back in this stop-animation
comedy where an overzealous rabbit threatens the annual Giant Vegetable
Competition. ShowPlace West, ShowPlace East
This article appears in Sep 29 – Oct 5, 2005.
