YOUR SISTER’S SISTER

US, 2011, 90 minutes, Colour.
Emily Blunt, Rosemarie De Witt, Mark Duplass.
Directed by Lynn Shelton.

This review will try to be fair since it did not appeal to the reviewer at all.

It is certainly crafted with some care. The credit to Lynne Shelton is ‘written and directed by’. However, the three stars and actor, Mark Birbiglia, who makes the opening speech, are credited as ‘creative consultants’.

This means that she gave them situation information and they improvised. When Mike Leigh has done this with his casts, he hones what they have improvised into a finely wrought script. Here, the improvisation is filmed as such (edited later, of course). Which means that a lot of it (most of it) is like a home movie, actors interrupting or talking over each other – not helped by the sound engineering which makes it sound as if taped while it is happening. (Fortunately, the director does not use hand-held camera – which would be too much).

So, praise to the experimental approach, to the performances and the skills that went into the improvisation. But not to the sometimes over-pounding guitar score.

The trouble for this reviewer is that the whole thing is not particularly interesting. Mark Duplass plays Jack, the middle-aged slacker of a brother, Tom, whose memorial is being celebrated. Emily Blunt plays Iris, Tom’s girlfriend who is devoted to Jack. Rosemarie de Witt plays Iris’ sister who has just broken with her lesbian partner of seven years. Most of the action takes place at a holiday house on an island off Seattle (wonderful scenery). Lots of talk, lots of misunderstandings. The sisters have a strong bond. Jack finds himself in the middle of an emotional tangle which leads to questions about pregnancy, sperm donors and bringing up the children.

For the audience for whom this all clicks, satisfaction and praise. For those who are not drawn into the lives of this trio, who feel that they are trapped on the island and being forced to listen in to and observe what is going on, it will be a film difficult to sit through and be as interested in the characters as all that.

1. Critical acclaim? And the response of the average audience?

2. The Pacific coast settings? City? Island? The woods? The atmosphere of nature and the woods? The holiday house? The musical score?

3. The title? The reference to Iris? To Hannah? Jack’s perspective?

4. The improvised style of the film? The actors and their own dialogue? The sound engineering – making the film quite natural but yet artificial?

5. The focus on Tom, the year’s memorial? The group gathered together? Jack and the memories of his brother, his wanting to withdraw? His awkwardness? Iris, her relationship with Tom? Memories? Separation? Her fondness for Jack? Al and his speech in honour of Jack? The memories?

6. Iris and Jack? Their friendship? Jack being lugubrious? His being something of a slacker? Not able to keep a job? His personality, his size, manner of speaking? Iris, ordinary, friendly, self-confident?

7. The recommendation for Jack to go to the island? The holiday house? For him to get his bicycle? His going to the island, the ferry, the bike? Arriving at the house? Finding it occupied? Hannah’s reaction? Her letting him into the house after the recognition?

8. Hannah and Jack, their talking, getting to know each other? Drinking late in the night? Hannah and the break-up of the relationship? The further drinking, the sexual encounter, the repercussions afterwards? Their awkwardness, yet getting along well? The decision to keep the matter secret?

9. Iris’s sudden arrival? Bright and breezy? The reactions of Hannah and Jack? The talk, the memories, a happy trio? Yet the secret?

10. Hannah and her relationship with Iris, strong bond, discussions, mutual help? Jack and his awkwardness? The revelation of the truth, the consequences?

11. Iris, her upset, unable to respond to Jack? Hannah, her embarrassment, yet the reconciliation with her sister? Jack, his decision to leave? His camping in the woods?

12. The final reconciliation, discussion of things, forgiveness, understanding? The possibilities for the future?