My Sister's Keeper (film)

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This article is about the 2009 film. For the novel of the same name, see My Sister's Keeper

My Sister's Keeper

Theatrical release poster

Directed by

Nick Cassavetes

Produced by

Stephen Furst Scott Goldman Mark Johnson Chuck Pacheco Mendel Tropper

Screenplay by

Jeremy Leven Nick Cassavetes Doug Liman

Based on

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Narrated by

Alec Baldwin

Starring

Cameron Diaz Abigail Breslin Sofia Vassilieva Alec Baldwin Jason Patric E.G. Daily Lin Shaye Thomas Dekker Emily Deschanel Joan Cusack Luke Wilson

Music by

Aaron Zigman

Cinematography

Caleb Deschanel

Editing by

Jim Flynn Alan Heim Pietro Scalia

Studio

Curmudgeon Films

Distributed by

New Line Cinema

Release date(s)

June 26, 2009

Running time

109 minutes

Country

United States

Language

English

Budget

$30 million

Box office

$95,714,875 (worldwide)

My Sister's Keeper is a 2009 American drama film directed by Nick Cassavetes and starring Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Sofia Vassilieva, and Alec Baldwin. Based on Jodi

Picoult's novel of the same name [1] My Sister's Keeper was released in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom on June 26, 2009.

[edit]Plot

Conceived by means of in vitro fertilization, Anna Fitzgerald (Abigail Breslin) was brought into the world to be a genetic match for her older sister, Kate (Sofia Vassilieva), who suffers from acute promyelocytic leukemia, in order to keep her alive. Her family members are introduced one by one and each tells about how Kate's illness has affected them personally. When Kate turns 15, she goes into renal failure. Eleven-year-old Anna knows that she will be forced by her parents to donate one of her kidneys. She also realizes that she may not be able to live the life she will want to lead - she may be unable to cheer-lead, play soccer, or be a mother. Anna tells her parents that she does not want any of this, and proceeds to sue them for medical emancipation and the rights to her own body. Her extremely overprotective mother, Sara (Cameron Diaz), who leads an obsessive campaign to keep Kate alive, is indignant at Anna's decision and even strikes her across the face when she receives the notice of intended prosecution. Attorney Campbell Alexander (Alec Baldwin) agrees to work for Anna as her guardian ad litem, suing for partial termination of parental rights. It is later learned he agreed to take the case not for the notoriety, but because he has epilepsy and understands her predicament of not having control over her own body. The film is interlaced with flashbacks that detail Kate and Anna's closeness, as well as how Kate's illness has affected her siblings' lives and their relationships. In a flashback, Kate also meets a fellow cancer patient, Taylor Ambrose (Thomas Dekker), whom she begins dating. After a date, they share their first kiss outside Kate's house, with Sara and Kate's father Brian (Jason Patric) watching from their bedroom window. After this, he becomes her boyfriend in and out of hospital and supports her as she undergoes treatment. He then asks her to the hospital's "prom" for teenpatients; there, they slowdance, then proceed to a vacant hospital room to make love. A few days later, Kate is crying because Taylor hasn't called her for several days. Her mother Sara is furious when Kate mentions they did "stuff" after the prom and storms out to ask the nurse where Taylor is, evidently believing that he had dated her daughter merely to sleep with her, and learns that he has died. Kate makes a request to go to the beach one last time, and Brian obtains permission from her doctor and removes her from the hospital to take her and the kids. Overprotective as ever, Sara is furious when Brian shows up at the house with Kate and demands that she be returned to the hospital. Brian angrily refuses and drives off, threatening Sara with a divorce if she does not join them. Sara later shows up at the beach, where they enjoy one final family outing. To Sara's dismay, the judge (Joan Cusack) refuses to grant summary dismissal, and the case goes to a hearing. During the hearing, Anna and Kate's older brother, Jesse reveal that Anna's actions are actually under Kate's instruction; Kate, not wanting to live any longer, and knowing Sara refuses to hear any option other than her

desired one, had gently persuaded Anna to refuse to donate her kidney. Sara is indignant at this discovery, but is finally forced by both Jesse and Brian to realize that Kate had been trying to tell her this for some time. Before the case is decided, Kate dies while sleeping at the hospital with her mother by her side. After Kate's death, Campbell brings the court decision: Anna won the case. The family moves on with their lives, but every year on Kate's birthday they go to Montana, which was her "most favorite place in the world." At the end, Anna says that their relationship continues because she will see Kate again. [edit]Production

and Cast Changes

Upon the original creation of the film adaption, Dakota and Elle Fanning were set in place to play Kate and Anna, with Dakota playing Kate and her younger sister playing Anna. This pairing was especially convenient as the girls already closely resembled each other and were used to working together. However, when Dakota heard that she would be required to shave her head for the role, she dropped out of the film. As a result, Elle dropped too. The two sisters were quickly replaced, with Abigail Breslin taking on the lead role as Anna Fitzgerald and Sofia Vassilieva on the role of Kate Fitzgerald. [edit]Cast

Cameron Diaz as Sara Fitzgerald Alec Baldwin as Campbell Alexander Abigail Breslin as Andromeda "Anna" Fitzgerald Sofia Vassilieva as Katherine "Kate" Fitzgerald Jason Patric as Brian Fitzgerald E.G. Daily as Nurse Susan Lin Shaye as Nurse Adele Evan Ellingson as Jesse Fitzgerald Heather Wahlquist as Aunt Kelly Joan Cusack as Judge De Salvo Thomas Dekker as Taylor Ambrose Jeffrey Markle as Dr. Wayne Emily Deschanel as Dr. Farquad Amit Khanduja as Chief Surgeon Olivia Hancock as Young Kate Fitzgerald Brennan Bailey as Young Jesse Fitzgerald

[edit]Reception [edit]Critical

response

The film received mixed reviews from critics. Rotten Tomatoes reports that 47% of reviews for the film were positive, based on 126 reviews.[2] another aggregate review site Metacritic reported 51% positive reviews based on 28 reviews.[3] [edit]Box

office

In its opening weekend it placed 5th with a total of $12,442,212, behind Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, The Proposal (second weekend), The Hangover (fourth weekend), and Up (fifth weekend).
[4]

The film left theatres on October 8, 2009 with a domestic total of $49,200,230 with a further

$46,459,927 from foreign markets. It has grossed $95,660,157 worldwide .[5] [edit]Awards

Year

Award

Category

Recipient

Result

2009 Teen Choice Award

Choice Summer Movie Drama

My Sister's Keeper

Won[6]

2009 ALMA Awards

Outstanding Actress in Motion Picture

Cameron Diaz

Won

Best Performance in a Feature Film - Leading Young Actress Abigail Breslin

Won

2010 Young Artist Awards Best Performance in a Feature Film - Supporting Actor

Brennan Bailey

Nominated

Best Performance in a Feature Film - Supporting Actress

Sofia Vassilieva

Won

[edit]Changes

from book

The director decided to make the ending of the movie different than the book against Picoult's wishes. Four major story threads were altered:

Julia Romano - In the book she's an adviser to Anna, she is also romantically involved

with Campbell, and heartbroken by him when they were younger.

The relationship between Jesse and Brian is not explored in the film, where as in the

book Jesse's character is a lot more complex as he started a lot of the fires that Brian had to put out, eventually he finds out and confronts Jesse about them.

The history of Campbell and Judge is explained towards the end of the book, during a

conversation Campbell and Julia have.

The end of the book has Anna been killed in a car accident, Campbell steps in and

Anna's usable organs are harvested for reuse including the vital kidney for Kate who goes into remission, Campbell and Julia end up marrying.

[edit]Soundtrack

Trailer :

TV Spot :

Vega 4 - Life Is Beautiful

Movie:

James Blunt - Carry You Home Plain White T's - 1, 2, 3, 4 Tyrone Wells - More

Don Ho - Tiny Bubbles E.G. Daily - Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries Priscilla Ahn - Find My Way Back Home Jimmy Scott - Heaven Regina Spektor - Better Jonah Johnson - With You Greg Laswell - Girls Just Want To Have Fun Pete Yorn - Dont Wanna Cry Phil Xenidis - Kill Me Jeff Buckley - We All Fall In Love Sometimes Edwina Hayes - Feels Like Home Hana Pestle - These Two Hands

Directed by Nick Cassavetes, and based on the national best selling novel by acclaimed author, Jodi Picoult, My Sisters Keeper tackles the nature of the human condition, the unconditional loyalty of family, and the vitality of free will. Starring Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Sofia Vassiliveva, and Alec Baldwin this ensemble cast will blow you away.

Lets take a deeper look at the film

The Plot:

When Sara Fitzgerald (Diaz) discovers her five year old daughter, Kate (Vassilieva), is diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia, medical options are limited. Kates struggle to survive

became the sole priority of the Fitzgerald family, ultimately inspiring the genetically contrived conception of their youngest daughter, Anna (Breslin). After eleven years of having her genetically matched parts donated to her sister through countless medical procedures, Anna is on a mission to seek medical emancipation from her parents. She hires a lawyer (Baldwin), and decides to sue her parents for the rights to her own body. The sacrifice? Kates life.

The Good:

Awww Moments: The commentary on the power of family is almost overwhelming in this film. Justified or not, the emotional investment the Fitzgeralds have in each other is moving. I sent a mass Ahhhhhh I love you text-message to my entire family the second I walked out of the theatre. Try not to vomit.

Performances: The Oscar-nominated Abigail Breslin offers another deeply impressive, seemingly effortless performance. The emotional range of this seasoned 12-year old is truly unparalleled by any actress well within her age group. The audience really feels for Anna were dying to understand her, because the conflict shes presented with is so outrageously taxing for anyone, let alone a child.

Honesty: While Cameron Diaz is no stranger to over-acting, she has some surprising moments of honesty. You believe in her characters strength of conviction shes consumed by her own unrelenting drive to save Kates life, and the level of commitment is absolutely apparent to the audience.

The Bad:

Better Read and Not Seen: There are definitely stories that were meant to be read and NOT seen. My Sisters Keeper is a prime example. Picoult is noted for her intricate story-lines and her pervasively explored characters. Her ability to present the complex issues featured in her story with an impartial, unbiased resonance is both refreshing and impressive .BUT, its far too much to accurately translate into screenplay structure and still do the nature of the story justice. We only have two hours, and this is a heavily emotional story. Your eyes are glazed with tears from the opening voice over until the credits roll. Talk about being maxed OUT.

Script: While the film and the novel end differently, Jeremy Levens (screenwriter) overall commitment to try and parallel Picoults novel ultimately did the film a disservice. The uplifting, redeeming qualities of Picoults novel (that an audience craves) simply would not fit into Levens script without eliminating a fraction of the dramatic, pivotal turning points in the story. And, please, what is a Cassavetes film without the plethora of melodramatic moments?

Overall:

While I have faith in the essence of this story, the film on the whole fell short of expectations. If youre a fan of the book, I strongly suggest you avoid the theatre but if you need a good cry, spend the ten bucks!

Rating: 6