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PAGE 12, JULY 6, 2009, THE ISLANDER
“Goin* to
the Show...”
with...
Roland
Willis
MY SISTER S KEEPER
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Sofia Vassilieva,
Jason Patric, Even Ellingson & Alec Baldwin
Directed by Nick Cassavetes
Written by Jeremy Leven & Nick Cassavetes
Based on a book by Jodi Picoult
Running Time: 1 hour, 46 minutes
Rated PG-13 - realistic hospital scenes
Long before the successful cloning
of a mammal, Dolly the sheep by Ian
Helmut in 1996, science fiction writ
ers have toyed with the idea of clon
ing for spare body parts and the psy
chological problems this might create
for the donor-clone.
Kazuo Ishiguro’s recent novel,
“Never Let Me Go” addresses this
issue and the movies Parts: The Clo
nus Horror and The Island delve into
reaction of the clones once they dis
cover their true purpose.
In this new movie, My Sister's
Keeper, an adaptation to the screen
of the popular novel by Jodi Picoult,
Anne Fitzgerald (Abigail Breslin) is
not a clone but a genetic match cre
ated by her parents via in vitro fer
tilization of her older sister Kate who
has leukemia.
As My Sister's Keeper opens, Anne
is 11 and Kate (Sofia Vassilieva) is
16-years old. Together with their par
ents Sara (Cameron Diaz) and Brian
(Jason Patric) and their older brother
Jesse (Even Ellingson), they are try
ing to live as much of a normal life as
Kate’s illness will allow.
However, Sara’s crazy determi
nation to keep her daughter alive
regardless of the cost is destroying
the family.
Kate has one life-threatening epi
sode after another and will die if she
doesn’t get a new kidney.
The parents created Anne to pro
vide body parts, as needed, for Sara.
So far it has been stem cells, blood
and bone marrow but now a kidney
transplant is involved and Anne hesi
tates.
It is not that she doesn’t love her
sister or is unwilling to donate a kid
ney; she believes that it should be her
decision.
In other words, she is pro-choice.
“It is my body and I should have the
right to use it as I please. I realize
that I am only 11 years-old and am
physically under the jurisdiction of
my parents and they have the right to
control my food, my school, my dress
but a harvesting a body part through
very invasive surgery should be my
call.”
So, Anne hires a hot shot lawyer,
Campbell Alexander (Alec Baldwin),
to sue her parents for the custody of
her own body.
Her father understands but her
mother goes ballistic and there is a
court battle before Judge De Salvo
(Joan Cusack).
Throughout this we watch Kate’s
physical deterioration in graphic
detail. We also see her having a
touching romance with a fellow can
cer patient, Taylor (Thomas Dekker).
The religious, moral and ethical
issues around producing a donor for
body parts via in vitro fertilization,
genetic engineering or cloning are
not addressed and Kate’s torment
overwhelms the calm arguments in
court.
The natural anger that Kate should
direct at her parents at being created
for the sole purpose of saving her
sister is missing. Abigail Breslin is
her usual Miss Sunshine effervescent
self and it is difficult to take her case
seriously.
My Sister's Keeper is designed to
wring every tear from your body and
this is not an entertaining film.
This is very much a chick-flick dom
inated by screaming mother/daughter
issues. Couples should split up at the
door.... gals go see My Sister's Keeper
and guys go see the Transformers.
Meet afterwards for a nice meal and
romantic evening.
My rating is C. □
Movie Night
at the Casino
Sponsored by the St. Simons Library League
I’ve Loved You
So Long
Thursday, July 30
7 p.m.
Casino Theater
"I've Loved You So Long." France, 2008,
directed by Philippe Claudel. Kristin Scott
Thomas shines as a frail, haunted woman
who has served time in prison for an
unspeakable crime. She comes to live with
her estranged sister and together they take
a redemptive journey back from life's darkest
edge. In French with English subtitles; i il
minutes; Rated PG13.
Movies are free, but contributions are appreciated.
3sknd CINEMAS
Sea Island Rd. at Frederica Rd.
www.hollywood.conn
MOVIES INFO.
634-9100
BARGAIN
MATINEES DAILY
r ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE
DINOSAURS (PG)
Mon-Thurs 11:45,2:15,4:45,7:15,9:45
PUBLIC ENEMIES (R)
Mon-Thurs 1:15,4:15,7:25,10:15
MY SISTER'S KEEPER
(PG-13)
Mon-Thurs 1:30,4:30,7:15,9:45
TRANSFORMERS:
REVENGE OF THE FALLEN
(PG-13)
Mon-Thurs 12:15,3:30,6:45,10:00
THE PROPOSAL (PG-13)
Mon-Thurs 1:00,4:00,7:00,9:30
THE HANGOVER (R)
Mon-Thurs 12:30,2:55,5:20,7:45,10:10
UP (PG)
Mon-Thurs 12:50,3:50,6:50,9:20
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