Spaceygirl An adaptation of Chekhov's "The three sisters" which is a wordy and depressing play, "The Sisters" is a film that packs a powerful punch into its short 113 minutes. The script is verbose and dialogue heavy, allowing for wonderful interaction between the characters. The characters themselves are well fleshed out, allowing us insight to their strengths and flaws. As an ensemble cast the acting is simply outstanding, Maria Bello giving a searingly honest performance as a self-obsessed, self-hating, unhappy woman stuck in a loveless marriage. Mary Stuart Masterson matches her scene for scene and the interaction between these two characters are some of the most powerful in the movie. Erika Christensen, however, seems miscast in the role of a meth addict, being too baby-faced and plump for the part, but its a minor quibble. Eric McKormack from TV's Will & Grace comes out of nowhere with a performance that simply dazzles with intensity and passion. Rip Torn rounds out the cast with a more mannered performance than usual and his character is simply there to observe and be our eyes to this family drama. Not a very happy film and the ending leaves one feeling slightly unsatisfied, it is nevertheless a wonderful example of independent film making.

mitchabramson It's not enough for the director to parade overeducated ill-tempered females into the imagined space of the faculty lounge, he seeks to imbue them with imagined glamor or "righteousness" in that they interrupt one another (even when making birthday speeches) with criticisms on grammar. His knowledge of drug-use is even more distressingly inadequate than his shocking misunderstanding of the intellectualism his characters demonstrate. The young sister, her face full of baby fat and a demeanor more akin to someone tranquilized is portrayed as a meth addict, and the educated elite can do nothing but tell her "it'll be alright." Maria Bello's character seems to enjoy cuckolding her husband for months at a time, but that part of the movie is simply skipped, and we never learn a thing why she enjoys (loves) the man she is having an affair with. The most tragic part of the movie is the director's mis-use of "Nancy," the somewhat trashy salesgirl marrying the weak brother. It was as if Seidelman was afraid this character might come-alive and eat his lunch, so she also was muzzled and made somewhat impotent. We learn nothing from Mr. Seidelman other than he needs an education (in life) before he starts another pretentious effort at biting off more than he can chew.

Ed Uyeshima When I think about it, there have been quite a few cinematic variations on Anton Chekhov's classic "The Three Sisters" from Woody Allen's austere "Interiors" to Diane Keaton's execrable "Hanging Up". Playwright-turned-screenwriter Richard Alfieri provides a more literal adaptation by updating the original play to the present and resetting it primarily in a Manhattan faculty lounge on the Upper West Side. Longtime TV director Arthur Allan Seidelman guides an impressive ensemble of actors in the proceedings, but the result unfortunately feels like a stagy TV-movie brimming with overripe theatrics. The abundance of characters and multi-layered set-up seem to make the actors chew the scenery excessively, though a few still make indelible impressions.The structure and themes of the Chekhov play remain the same. The plot focuses on the four Prior siblings - Marcia, Olga, Irene and Andrew - and their clashing destinies and unraveling secrets furnish the drama as they get together for Irene's 22nd birthday party. Maria is the beautiful, vitriolic older sister unhappily married to a passive psychology professor while embarking on a torrid affair with Vincent, their father's former teaching assistant who has come unexpectedly for a visit. Irene is the buttoned-up middle sister, an English literature professor and by default the family conciliator. Irene is the protected baby sister whose sunny disposition masks deeper insecurities that lead to a crystal-meth overdose. Andrew is the weak, emasculated brother who has brought home Nancy, his slatternly fiancée, whom his sisters, especially Marcia, despise. There are others who encircle the family like a vise with their own histrionics - kindly department head Dr. Chebrin and dueling professors Gary Sokol and David Turzin, both in love with Irene and seething with rage against each other.There are plenty of fireworks, but with so many characters to track, Seidelman produces a truncated flow to the story while making the movie itself feel overlong. The performances are all over the map, though each seems to have at least one bravura set piece. As she proves in David Cronenberg's "A History of Violence", Maria Bello is one of the strongest actresses on screen today and makes Marcia a memorably fiery character, especially as she lays into the vulgar Nancy or succumbs to Vincent's ardent attention. As Irene, the underused Mary Stuart Masterson brings a coiled sense of repression that makes the contrast between her and Marcia biting and poignant. Less interesting is Erika Christensen, who makes Irene sweetly vulnerable but cannot transcend the trite arc of her character. Chris O'Donnell barely registers as the romantically obsessive David, but Eric McCormack - who will have a challenge overcoming his pervasive Will Truman persona - is all sarcastic blather as Gary until he manages to convey the character's pathetic jealousy.Elizabeth Banks - memorable as the lusty bookstore clerk in "The 40-Year Old Virgin" - makes the vulgarity of Nancy palpable if rather obvious with a wavering Bronx accent, while Alessandro Nivola - equally memorable as the pampered rock star in "Laurel Canyon" - is effectively passive as Andrew. Tony Goldwyn seems oddly stilted as Vincent, making him a dispassionate match for Marcia's voracious self-destruction. At times, the dialogue is insightful with clever zingers. At other times, it sounds laughably mannered, and the general dysfunctional situation gets wearing over time. A few cathartic moments shine through, especially toward the end when Marcia and Olga come to terms with each other. The DVD is short on extras - just the original trailer and an overly earnest commentary from Seidelman and Alfieri.

ctfilmreview After seeing "The Family Stone" on a recent airline flight I though I had seen the worst film ever made (after "Waterworld" of course). I unfortunately just sat through "The Sisters" as a part of the Key Cinema program.This film can best be described as a high quality audio-video recording of a mediocre play employing small screen actors. I imagine that the play might be considered "good". As a movie, it's just awful. The dialogue between the actors actually becomes annoying. I love plays. I love good theater actors. But I want to see them "in" the theater, not when I go to a movie!!As for the actors.... Let's see - Eric McCormack as a brooding professor who only speaks in sarcastic remarks - what a stretch! I kept waiting for Grace to show up. Rip Torn? Chris O'Donnell? Mary Stuart Masterson?? WOW - what a powerful big screen cast - NOT!! I'm sure that there is a demographic that will enjoy this movie on Lifetime or Oxygen. However, I'm not so sure after my wife overheard comments in the ladies room from several "mature" women who also thought the movie was "dreadful"!!I imagine Anton Chekhov is turning over in his grave about now.........