Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Sad drama has heavy themes about illness, family.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
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My Sister's Keeper
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 20 parent reviews
Based on 73 kid reviews
Kids say this movie is a deeply emotional and heartbreaking tale that revolves around the struggles of a family dealing with cancer. While it delivers important messages about family bonds and resilience, it also contains mature themes, including brief sexual content and strong language, which make it more suitable for older children, typically recommended for ages 11 and up due to its intense and often upsetting scenes.
- emotional impact
- mature themes
- family bonds
- tearjerker
- age recommendation
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Anna Fitzgerald (Abigail Breslin) was a wanted baby -- wanted more than anything in the world, because she was meant to save the life of her sister, Kate (Sofia Vassilieva), who's been battling leukemia since she was 2. The girls' mother, Sara (Cameron Diaz), vows to fend off death at all costs, even if it means using Anna as Kate's lifeline; their father, Brian (Jason Patric), supports her but has to tamp down some doubts. And their son, Jesse (Evan Ellingson), struggles to be relevant in a household where cancer -- and any potential cure -- reigns above all else. Then, one day, Anna declares she's had enough and, with the help of lawyer Campbell Alexander (Alec Baldwin), fights to be medically emancipated -- a move that could eliminate Kate's last hope of survival.
Is It Any Good?
Based on Jodi Picoult's same-named novel, MY SISTER'S KEEPER is a bona fide tearjerker. Given the subject matter, how could it not be? Director Nick Cassavetes has coaxed amazing performances from his first-rate cast, including Diaz, who surprises with the strength of her rage and melancholy as a mother determined not to see her child die. And the film does well what many other dramas about illness don't: examine the toll that a prolonged sickness takes on everyone, not just the patient. The sibling relationships are especially nuanced; power imbalances are believably rendered right alongside deep familial love.
What keeps the film from achieving greatness is largely due to its structure. Characters tell their stories one at a time; it moves the plot along, but sometimes a little coercively. (There's a courtroom case embedded in the plotline, so the voiceovers do seem to make sense here. Nevertheless, they drain some of the power.) The movie tells you how to feel instead of taking you there.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how a serious illness can change a family's dynamics. Does the movie accurately portray a family in distress? Does it find any bright side in a very sad story? How do movies generally depict terminal illnesses? Is this one any different?
Families can also discuss the consequences of teenage drinking, which the movie touches on briefly.
Movie Details
- In theaters : June 26, 2009
- On DVD or streaming : November 17, 2009
- Cast : Abigail Breslin , Cameron Diaz , Jason Patric
- Director : Nick Cassavetes
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : New Line
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 109 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : mature thematic content, some disturbing images, sensuality, language and brief teen drinking
- Last updated : March 14, 2020
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