Sister My Sister

"Sister My Sister" tells of two live-in sibling housemaids working for a stingy, authoritarian dowager and her homely adult daughter in 1930's France. A dark, trudging, and eerily claustrophobic psychodrama, the film's compelling story waxes in severity as unspoken pressures and silent circumstance tear a rift between maids and mistress. Although the film deals with repressed sexuality, incest, pent-up hostility, and madness, it relies more on atmosphere and finely nuanced behavior to tell its story than in-your-face graphic sex, nudity, and mayhem. A masterwork of the less-is-more school film making which shows how so much can be accomplished with so little, "SMS" is a paradigm for indie auteurs and a spellbinding watch for the few. (B+)

I liked everything about this movie, the story, casting, acting, direction, everything. Some frames are so beautiful that they look like paintings (think Degas and one frame, Seurat). The casting was perfect and Richardson delivered one of the bravest and best performances I've ever seen. The tension between both pairs of women--it was an amazing way to build suspense. Even if you don't completely understand the relationship between the two sisters, their passion is obvious. What a great find this movie is.

A film featuring lesbian incest and violence could easily descend into a sensationalist mess. This film avoids such pitfalls and is exceptionally good.

The atmosphere throughout the film is extremely dark and is absolutely fitting for such a disturbing tale. Very rarely do any of the characters smile. Tension, guilt and suspicion are present throughout. Most of the film takes place in dark interiors and even the outdoor scenes are marked by grim weather.

There are only four significant characters and all are splendidly written and acted. The direction and design are very strong. Very sensibly, explicit sex and violence scenes are avoided to allow concentration on character and atmosphere.Particular commendation should also go to Stephen Warbeck for his melancholy, sparse, music which fits the action perfectly.

This is a notable film in another respect. No male character is seen at all - there are a couple of male voiceovers but otherwise this is an exclusively female performance. This is a bold move, but very successful. "Sister My Sister" should certainly appeal to any discerning viewer who appreciates thoughtful drama.

The song at the start lets you know it won't be all pretty, it's a film loaded with repression, fears, despair and a developing mental breakdown.

I strongly recommend everyone (who likes that kind of things) to watch it and are looking for a film that will make you think about how society can isolate it's members from both sides.

I do not think homosexuality is the big factor here, watch closely and you'll see it's more about hitting bottom line.

There are other movies based on sisters Papin, unfortunately I haven't watched any of these, I can tell all of you tho, that these British actresses are of very fine quality, the entire ambient is dark and makes you inhale deeper.

This is my first review ever, so I hope it helps anyone to decide on whether watch Sister my sister or not.

Long, long time ago people used to care what was happening to others. Today people just don't bother to think about anybody but themselves. Maybe it's because the populations is growing and communications bring whole world in our homes. We got used to big stuff. If it's an earthquake it must peak at least 8 on Richter scale. If a plane crashes it must be a 747. If a murder happens, only massacres or terrorist attacks reach the audience.

But there are still parts of world where people are not so used to big events, still live in their small local community and if something shatters it they still ask themselves - how could it have happened? 'Sister, My Sister' analyzes a crime, a murder that today wouldn't be heard of further than district or maybe a (smaller) state border. But back in 30's, more than for cruelty itself, people were shocked because of circumstances, it was committed where no one could expect it. Two girls raised by nuns, working for a respected family that never have complained, in fact was even proud how good servants they had, suddenly murdered mother and daughter they've been working for. Being a drama and not a crime movie, this film doesn't let us know something so drastically would happen till the very end. In ordinary crime movie we would see a murder scene in opening sequences and than some detective or forensic would investigate till, at the end of the movie, a whole puzzle could be revealed and a long flash-back would show us what preceded the crime. In this movie, however, we see everything grow, develop, boil in a pot with no valve to let any steam out. Four woman with hidden or undeveloped emotions fail to build any human relations. Mother and daughter just live under the same roof, in same room, but don't contact further than aristocratic rules permit. Daughter has nothing to do with servants, though she is a bit attracted to younger sister. Mother won't talk to them unless a special occasion occurs. Even when not pleased with their work she just shows with finger in a glove what has to be done better. In a great scene she talks to her daughter for a few minutes what should be done or corrected, not a single word addressed to servants who were standing next to her. Sisters, suffering from lack of love and emotions till early childhood, rejected first by mother, than by nuns, and having no chances to meet anyone in such environment, turned their emotions to each other crossing a line of sister's love. This relationship leads them to break the last connections with family, and hide in a shell of their room.

Three interesting, different characters in a hermetically closed hypocritical house. Nothing should be changed, such a world must stay calm for centuries, or otherwise it loses its position in its hypocritical community. The trouble is that four characters are credited, and one of them, Isabelle, the daughter, is a weak corner of a square. Nothing interesting, just a few scenes and lines, she is there like a piece of furniture. But, then, maybe it's not a failure in a script, but one more strong accusation against such a society. She was the only one born in the house. She had no chance to become different from a stylistic chair or a piece of expensive tea set. She had no chance to become a person. And that is the most terrible thing in forming of a human being. Children raised to be objects of an exhibition, praised by other same-type parents who expect praises for same-type children they have.

Lea and Christine had emotions deprived throughout their childhood. In this environment their emotions became free but uncontrolled, in a wrong but only possible way. In forbidden relations and in crime. Their emotions, as Paul Simon wrote, "echoed in the wells of silence". And this echo was too strong, again as all the years before. Mother didn't listen. Nuns turned their back. This echo committed the murder.

This is the best all-woman movie I've ever seen. Only one man I can think of is capable of doing this type of movies. If you like Chabrol, don't miss this one: his legacy lives. If you're an action-movie lover suffering from insomnia, buy this one instead of Valium. It's healthier. You won't get addicted.