In Her Shoes

"In Her Shoes" is noteworthy for its crisp dialogue, lively repartee, and multi-dimensional characters, For her novel and for her screenplay, Jennifer Weiner and Susannah Grant, respectively, both deserve an extra curtain call for exemplary work.

Because of the careful scripting, all three of the leading characters played by Toni Collette, Cameron Diaz, and Shirley MacLaine were strong roles with no single character dominating the script. The two sisters, Rose and Maggie, shared the focus in the first half of the film, and MacLaine's grandmother Ella provided a strong impetus in the latter portion.

While all three performances were superb, the trickiest role was Maggie the tomcat. Cameron Diaz brought depth to the role, and one scene especially stood out when Maggie's learning disability was revealed. As she struggled with her reading of the poem in the hospital room, a new dimension of the character suddenly emerged. The scene was sensitively played by Diaz, and the dialogue was, once again, dynamic, sustaining dramatic interest at a point when the impetus of the film could have been lost.

It was impressive as well that the screenplay offered some delectable dialogue for the small parts, especially in the members of the retirement community of Florida. There were many delightful and humorous moments. Yet, the screenplay provided depth and detail in a rich emotional tapestry.

One character that deserves special acknowledgment was the Professor, blind and dying in the Florida hospital. The role was played with great understatement by Norman Lloyd, a veteran character actor who performed with Orson Welles' celebrated Mercury Theatre. Prior to his stunning success in "Citizen Kane" and even before his notorious "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast, Welles was a luminary in the New York theatre. One of the great Shakespearean productions in America in the last century was Welles' 1937 production of Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" that was part of the Federal Theatre Project. Norman Lloyd played the small but crucial role of Cinna the Poet, and, although Lloyd battled with Welles during the rehearsals, the death scene of Cinna the Poet underscored the theme of fascism that Welles wished to evoke. "In Her Shoes" provides Lloyd with another small, but memorable role. Lloyd's was a riveting performance, and the film would not have been the same without it.

Part of the genius of Shakespeare was his ability to individualize and make memorable even the tiniest roles in his plays. This was the strength as well of "In Her Shoes" and an example of some of the finest screen writing in recent years.

Enjoyable but slightly flawed, In Her Shoes is definitely deeper than a chick-flick in the handling of the characters. Toni Collette is excellent as usual, as well as Shirley MacLaine, yet I couldn't help thinking while watching that I should read the book it was based on and get a deeper look at these people and their lives. I felt the film could have gone into more detail and I expected it to be longer, as so many plot developments felt somewhat simplified to fit them all in to a 2-hour running time. That's my biggest criticism of the film, but it was enjoyable in general and I had a wonderful time watching. A few other things I enjoyed: the Rocky reference (my favorite), and the opening sequence during the credits. I have to credit this last one to both screenwriter and director for this incredible opening, which in completely visual terms sets up the film's themes. The titles are presented in cuts between the two sisters, highlighting both their conflict and their connection to one another. Generally, it has a nice balance between dead-seriousness and light drama, but I wish there was more of it to comment on.

I was very surprised by this movie. I try not to expect too much of films my girlfriend can't wait to see. I was surprised this didn't follow the usual 'mills & boon' formula with sisterly love hate peppered loosely. Certain references in particular to the shoe thread throughout kept the interest of the majority of girlie's around, but the evolving relationships of the main characters were finely crafted and kept the interest of non-chick-flicking shoe-loving shopaholic minority. The music was nice backdrop to the lives of Rose and Maggie, but for my money, the use of E.E. Cummings poems took this past the norm and into the quite enjoyable category.

If you're not a chick flick fan worth the viewing time.

If you are, well worth the entrance fee too.

Old wounds, family secrets, screwed up relationships with perfectly logical explanations. A film that starts beautifully and then spends an inordinate amount of time meandering to finally arrive to its soft but beautiful center. Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette have wonderful moments as the star crossed sisters. Their feelings as genuine as they are, never seem to find a common ground until Shirley MacLaine makes her entrance. I must confess I was very moved by her, by her performance. Her most human and real in many, many years. She is the glue that keeps all the elements together and presents them to us with that unmistakable flair of hers for feisty truths and uncompromising tough love. I don't know quite how I feel about Curtis Hanson as a director. Personally, my favorite of his films is "Wonder Boys" and in a way "In Her Shoes" is closer to that one, without being as good, than any of his other movies. However, I'm recommending it wholeheartedly, specially to my sisters.

Don't be too harsh on this film. A chick-flick? Perhaps, but lots more than that! This film is about women relationships with just the right touch of comic relief many of these films normally lack. Hats of for everyone who contributed to this film! A good script, great acting and stellar craftsmanship of director Curtis Hanson make this one hit the bulls-eye, or very close indeed. I expected a decent comedy, which - in part - it certainly is, but the performances are so good and the characters so alive and breathing that I soon forgot about the initial comic aspect of the film. Right from the start, the film sucks you into the story, which just ring true.

Two sisters with quite opposite characters, sexy, uneducated party animal Maggie (Cameron Diaz) and the somewhat dull responsible lawyer Rose (Toni Collette), are unwillingly confronted with each other. They learn that they can actually learn something from their deficiencies and combine the strands they have - with help from their grandmother - to improve their lives.

Curtis Hanson expertly directs in an appropriately modest fashion He knows his job and manages to focus on character development but doesn't forget to add the occasional comic relief. The cast shines with Cameron Diaz in what might be her best role so far. The still vastly underrated Australian Toni Collette, who shined as the vulnerable ugly duckling in MURIEL'S WEDDING (1994), is just perfect in her role a Rose, and there's Shirley Maclaine as the sister's grandmother with a somewhat low-key part, but she knows how to handle it, expertly. A treat!

Perhaps some minor flaws: The story takes some time to get going. A bit too much focus on Cameron Diaz's legs, which is completely unnecessary and Maggie's partial illiteracy and incapability to get a job might have needed somewhat more background or explanation. What beautiful woman, no matter how stupid she might be, could have any difficulty finding a job? Highly unlikely. But these are minor quibbles.

Worth your time, even if you are one of three guys in a crowd of three hundred women in the cinema;)

Camera Obscura --- 9/10