***+
Director: Ken Kwapis
Writer: Delia Ephron based on the novel by Ann Brashares
Principle Actors: America Ferrera, Blake Lively, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn
Cinematographer: John Bailey
Music By: Cliff Eidelman
I am a very straight guy and I enjoyed this film, and I think the reason I enjoyed it is because I had to admit that this was a well-acted and well-written film that actually understood girls. Is this a great film? No. But it's one that I feel like deserves to be watched by its target audience. I wouldn't really *recommend* it to other straight guys because I know that most would not find it overly appealing, but if they are asked by their girlfriends to watch it with them, they may be pleasantly surprised to find it not only tolerable, but quite moving.
Ferrera, Tamblyn, Bledel, and Lively
Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants is about four best friends: Carmen (America Ferrera), Bridget (Blake Lively), Tibbey (Amber Tamblyn), and Lena (Alexis Bledel). They are forced to spend a summer apart from one another, so, in order to keep each other close, they send a pair of pants to each other to wear during their summer adventures. Each of these girls has her own story to tell that deals with a variety of issues including love, loss, family, betrayal, and (of course) the power of friendship.
I think the first thing that any audience member will agree on when watching this film is that the four lead actresses have a lot of chemistry together on screen. This is very surprising given not only the young talent of the actresses on screen but also with the occasionally quite cheesy screenplay that they must work from. But because the actresses handle the screenplay very well and work together so believably, the audience is able to believe the relationship among the four friends very well.
Each of the lead characters has her own story and her own issues that she must deal with. One must try to keep a relationship with her father while feeling replaced by his new fiance and her children. Another is experiencing her own Romeo And Juliet story with the young man from a family her family has hated for years. Another girl must come to terms with death and friendship. While yet another girl is dealing with her own sexuality as she begins a relationship with her soccer coach.
But what I admired about the film is the way that is seemed to really, genuinely understand girls. It understands girls so much more than many different other films out there that aim for the same target audience like Twilight. It tries to bring a message of comfort to girls as well as trying to really understand how they feel. This, to me, is commendable to say the least and falls nothing short of admirable.
I enjoyed watching Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants. Will it become one of my favorite films of all time? Of course not. It's still a film that aims very directly to one particular group and as such is difficult to bring to a wide audience. Still, for a film that does lend itself to one audience as heavily as it does, it is still entertaining and I feel like people outside that audience will be able to find it just as watchable as any other.
I enjoyed watching Sisterhood Of The Traveling Pants. Will it become one of my favorite films of all time? Of course not. It's still a film that aims very directly to one particular group and as such is difficult to bring to a wide audience. Still, for a film that does lend itself to one audience as heavily as it does, it is still entertaining and I feel like people outside that audience will be able to find it just as watchable as any other.
