Ma Meilleure Amie

This is the archetypal woman's film - but there's nothing wrong with that, with far too few opportunities for women in the key roles in movie-making. So women fill the slots of scriptwriter (the British Morwenna Banks), director (American Catherine Hardwicke) and the two top acting positions (Australian Toni Collette and American Drew Barrymore).

And the subject material is feminine too: breast cancer, infertility, and female friendship. Like "The Fault In Our Stars", this is a frank exposition of what it is like to suffer cancer - in this case, with chemotherapy and its attendant sickness, tiredness and hair loss followed by headaches, vision loss, and pain.

It sounds tough and it is - one the saddest film I've seen in a long while - but there is humour and warmth and superior acting which make it worth viewing this real slice of life. After all, most of us of a certain age have had relatives or friends who have suffered one form of cancer or another, some surviving, some not.

"Miss You Already" follows rebellious Milly (Toni Collette) and her struggle with the cancer, supported by best bud Jess (Drew Barrymore). And special mention goes to Milly's mum, Miranda, a high class woman who barely holding it together (as a mother would) - this role was so superbly played by divine Jacqueline Bisset. This is without a doubt a female driven story but men do play a pretty significant part. The film does a great job of depicting and showing how having a disease like breast cancer can change your life as well as those around you. This movie does however fall into a trap of lifetime clichés and the middle section of the film gently touches boredom why it feels like it could have lost 15 minutes or so. "Miss You Already" is not a perfect movie, but few movies are. It handles a hard subject in a noble way with skill. This makes it able to compensate for some of its shortcomings. 8-/10

Greetings again from the darkness. The theatre was filled with the sounds of sobbing. And by sobbing, I mean bawling … not the typical post-movie sniffles. While I was a little confused on just where my fellow movie watchers thought this story was headed, it's understandable that sometimes a dark theatre is simply the best place to have a good cry. Director Catherine Hardwicke and screenwriter Morwenna Banks deliver an unfettered look at friendship, sickness and loss … and a reason to bring tissues.

Tearjerker movies have quite the history of success. Some of the more popular sob fests include: Love Story, Brian's Song, Terms of Endearment, Beaches, Steel Magnolias, and The Notebook. This latest is probably most similar to Beaches in that the focus is on two lifelong female friends (polar opposites in personality) who ride the roller-coaster of life together – through good times and bad.

Milly (Toni Collette) and Jess (Drew Barrymore) meet in elementary school and experience many of life's "firsts" together. We know this because the film begins with a bit of a clumsy flashback sequence that shoots us through their high school years, heavy partying, and finally picks up after they are married.

There are many mysteries of the female gender that those of us with Y chromosomes will never comprehend. One of those is the close friendship between the vain, center-of-attention type, and the always supportive enabler. Milly is the classic taker, while Jess is a giver. Milly is the high-flying socialite who dresses flashy and draws a crowd, while Jess is the dependable sidekick, always there to make sure Milly is never alone. It's confounding and a bit sad to those of us who view friendship as something much different.

Both Ms. Collette and Ms. Barrymore are strong in their performances, though Collette has the much meatier role. What's impressive about the movie is how it takes head on the horrific travails of those with breast cancer. The emotional and physical and medical aspects are all dealt with no compromise. Some of it is tough to watch, but admirable in its directness. Milly's breast cancer takes center stage, while Jess' struggle to get pregnant is low-keyed. Fitting for their personalities, but each based in real life sagas. Milly's husband Kit (Dominic Cooper), and Jess' husband Jago (Paddy Considine) both provide understandable reactions to the obstacles faced by their spouses. Add in a bleached blonde Jacqueline Bisset as Milly's eccentric mom, and the five lead actors each contribute a relatable element to the story.

Two other actors make an impression: Frances de la Tour as a wise and direct wig-maker, and Tyson Ritter (front man for The All-American Rejects) as a free-spirited bartender who may or may not be a good influence on Milly. Even though Jess is the heart of the story, it's Milly who dominates … just like their friendship. Green vs glamour.

Director Hardwicke will always hold a special place in my movie memories thanks to her sparkling 2003 debut Thirteen. She and writer Banks clearly understand women, and believe it crucial to show the courage required in the fight against breast cancer. Fortunately, their main character is funny and spirited, and pals around with someone we would all be proud to call a friend. And that's nothing to cry about.

This is not like one of those you have already seen cancer themed film, there's two main characters and their two sets of struggles. They both are very close friends since childhood. When they grow up, one settles down comfortably in life, but fall seriously ill and another one struggles to build a family.

I think the film's strength was the development in every scene without wasting a bit. There's always something happens that keeps us alive. I expected the usual, but it gave me a different entertainment. In the movie everything was between two friends, even each had their own family to care about, this story concentrated what came between them and how they fought together.

Great direction, shot in wonderful places, but the actors were decent. They should have been better, especially Toni Collette. To me the sentiments were very weak knowing the theme belong to the tearjerkers. Initially you might think it is a female version of '50/50', almost it was, but tried to be a different with additional story expansion. Overall a good movie, little fun to watch, you might enjoy it, but I can't guarantee.

7/10

Jess (Drew Barrymore) and Milly (Toni Collette) are lifelong friends from childhood. Jess was an American girl fish-out-of-water in England and Milly was the only one who befriended her. Milly's mother Miranda (Jacqueline Bisset) is an often-absent flaky actress. The girls did everything together. Milly has famed rocker husband Kit (Dominic Cooper), a high powered job, and two kids. Jess lives on a boat with Jago (Paddy Considine) desperately trying to get pregnant. The couple's money is drained and Jago has to work on a North Sea oil rig. Then Milly is diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer.

This is solid female friendship material. The breast cancer story has its melodramatic touches but it doesn't go overboard. There are enough surprises to keep it fresh. Director Catherine Hardwicke could have made this tighter. Through it all, Barrymore and Collette create a believable best friends duo. Collette especially shines. In the pantheon of female best friends with cancer, this is one of the better ones.