Sisters

Name: Sisters
Item: Sisters
Rating: 3
Author: S. Jhoanna Robledo

Movie review by

S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media

Common Sense says

age 16+

(i)

Fun but predictable comedy has swearing, drinking, sex.

R
2015
118 minutes

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Parents say

age 15+

Based on 10 reviews

Kids say

age 16+

Based on 9 reviews

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A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

Positive Messages

Amid the rowdy chaos is the message that while sisterhood has its highs and lows, in the end, nobody supports you more than beloved siblings. Other themes include building a life after divorce and forging a stable relationship with your child after a rocky start.

Positive Role Models & Representations

Maura is disciplined, meticulous, and caring (perhaps a bit too much so), while Kate is ill-tempered and irresponsible -- but her heart is in the right place, and she's supportive of her sister no matter what.

Violence

A rowdy party gets out of hand, and windows, doors, and other things get broken. Long scene in which a character falls onto a child's toy, which results in two other characters trying to remove it from his rectum. Sisters tussle when an argument escalates. Yelling between family members.

Sex

Lots of crude gestures and innuendo, and in some scenes characters openly discuss their sexual exploits. Many references to male genitalia, and one character, while on drugs, dips his penis into a bucket of paint and uses it to paint a portrait of said penis on the wall; the painting is shown throughout the movie. One character reads a high school diary out loud, detailing the many guys she bedded. Two adult sisters walk into their parents' apartment and nearly catch them in the act. Their mother is seen in a robe and heels, and the father appears to be hiding in a corner, seemingly nude, though viewers don't see more than his bare chest.

Language

Frequent use of every expletive you can imagine, from "f--k" and "sh-t" to "ass," "d--k," "c--t," and more.

Consumerism

Brands/products mentioned or shown include Apple, Skype, Diet Coke, Jose Cuervo, Kohl's, YouTube, and more.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Lots of drinking; some drug use. The sisters throw a party and offer booze to their guests, who proceed to get pretty drunk pretty quickly. Pot use, and one character, a drug dealer, opens a bag to reveal his extensive inventory, which he then describes in detail, mentioning drugs like Molly, OxyContin, and heroin. A character appears to have snorted way too much of a substance called Cloud 10, a Molly/Adderall blend.

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Sisters is a rowdy comedy starring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler about growing up, growing old, and learning how to be a better sibling. Though it does touch on some serious concerns -- such as building a life after divorce and forging a stable relationship with your child after a rocky start -- ultimately it's an over-the-top comedy with tons of swearing ("f--k," "s--t," and much more), lots of sexual innuendo and crude references (including some detailed descriptions of past sexual exploits and scene in which a man who's high uses his genitalia to paint on a wall), and frequent partying/drinking (definitely to excess) and drug use (mainly pot and a substance that mixes "Molly" with Adderall). There's also a long scene in which a character falls onto a child's toy, which results in two other characters trying to remove it from his rectum.

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User Reviews

Parents say
Kids say

Parent Written byDan G. December 18, 2015

age 18+

Way too much objectionable material to be for kids of any age

The whole movie is one objectionable piece after another. I would not even want my 20 year old daughter to see it. The movie portrays random casual sexual ac... Continue reading

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Adult Written byOddball20 January 5, 2020

age 16+

Boring and inappropriate

This movie was boring throughout. Lots of sexual material including a scene of a man sticking his penis into a paint.
I could not watch the whole thing but from... Continue reading

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Kid, 8 years old April 7, 2018

age 16+

I'm 8 and I wasn't supposed to be watching this but I herd everything from my bedroom the adult party topic was completely inappropriate but great mov... Continue reading

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Teen, 17 years old Written byvatieman March 18, 2017

age 16+

Could've been better, but not too bad.

First off, it does contain a lot of substance abuse and sexual content (hence, the R rating).

Second: the movie felt lackluster, rushed, overly vulgar (to the... Continue reading

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What's the story?

Kate Elllis (Tina Fey) and her sister, Maura (Amy Poehler), find themselves plunged back into their high school years when they discover that their parents (James Brolin and Dianne Wiest) are selling their family home. Maura, a disciplined nurse with a big heart and a need to take care of everyone, is overwhelmed by nostalgia and realizes she spent much of her teenage years not taking any risks; for Kate, a trip back home could be just the reset she needs after a string of job misfortunes -- some of which is of her own doing -- and an estrangement from her daughter. But being home reminds Kate of just how long she's been irresponsible. Can the sisters host one last big party and reinvent themselves at the same time?

Is it any good?

It wouldn't be fair to say that SISTERS is a disappointment, because it's plenty funny; but it wouldn't be right to say it's a proverbial home run, either. No question, Fey and Poehler elevate the film with their spectacular chemistry, which may be the best reason to see the movie in the first place. But there's nothing much here that we haven't seen before. Audiences will spot the ending a football field away. And the jokes, though funny, aren't really surprising, save for a few gags that escalate into true can't-stop-laughing hilarity. Go for the the stars, not for transcendent comedy.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about how Sisters depicts drinking and drug use. Are they glamorized? Are there realistic consequences?
Is Maura and Kate's relationship a healthy one? How does it change over the course of the movie? How is Sisters different from -- or similar to -- other films about sibling relationships? Teens: If you have siblings, how do you think your relationship will change as you get older?
Is Kate an irresponsible mother or just one who's having a hard time? How does the film characterize her relationship with her daughter?

Movie details

In theaters: December 18, 2015
On DVD or streaming: March 15, 2016
Cast: Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Ike Barinholtz
Director: Jason Moore
Studio: Universal Pictures
Genre: Comedy
Topics: Brothers and Sisters
Run time: 118 minutes
MPAA rating: R
MPAA explanation: crude sexual content and language throughout, and for drug use
Last updated: October 10, 2019