DARKMATTERS - The Mind of Matt

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Sunday, December 13, 2015

Darkmatters Review: Sisters


Sisters (15)

Dir. Jason Moore

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (@Cleric20)

“Let’s all say a non-denominational prayer silently in our heads!”

Yes, prayer might be necessary as it takes a very brave film to go up against the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens and yet that’s exactly what Sisters – a 40-something-em-up female focus comedy drama featuring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler is doing.

"look natural!?"

Sisters comes on with a crude blast of hit and miss humour based around the two leads, each who have somehow failed to adequately grow up and now face the emotional prospect of their family home being sold.

Kate (Fey) is a beauty school drop out, more interested in partying than anything sensible - mother of spunky young Haley (Madison ‘Noah’ Davenport) but a loser in life with no job and no house.

"happy days"

Her younger Sister Maura (Poehler) has always been the sensible one, a loveless divorcee who is keen to save the planet by helping homeless people and animals rather than having any fun.

So when Kate and Maura are tasked with clearing their childhood bedroom – it leads to them deciding to throw a kick-ass party as a send off, cue their middle aged school friends turning up to party like their inner 18-year-olds always wanted to.

It’s a fun premise but Pitch Perfect director Jason Moore flounders as the very obvious and well worn clichés of the beloved family home getting torn apart by wild partying antics (which we’ve seen this done much better in films like Project X) are ticked off. The film is certainly funny in places but equally much too long at almost two hours and cursed with dull periods that really don’t work and awkward shoehorned dramatic turns that just don’t fit.

"say 'cheese'"

So sex jokes, drug use and drinking are wheeled out to amuse the viewers, some of it is funny – just watch the trailer if you want to see all the best jokes – but other bits are cringe worthy (and I’m not just talking about the music box ballerina model stuck up the bottom gross out finale)…

Sisters is very mixed bag, I laughed out loud at some of the well observed age related humour e.g. when a cop tells the sisters that they ‘don’t look at day over 25’, then shines his torch at them and changes his view to ‘a day over 35!?’ I’m also hoping that Hollywood will one day realize that you can have a comedy which isn’t rude, offensive and full of ‘very strong language’ as the 15 rating notes warn.

This probably isn’t the Christmas comedy you’re looking for...

Out of a potential 5 you have to go with a Darkmatters:

öö1/2

(2.5 - Foul mouthed sisters regress!)

Awesomeness ööö – Occasional fun scenes but not enough

Laughs ööö –  funny in places

Horror öö – gross out cringe factor

Spiritual Enlightenment -öö - includes a swear word that isn't even a word!?

"buff drug dealer? yep"

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