THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELLING PANTS 2

US. 2008, 117 minutes, Colour.
Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bleydell, America Ferrera, Blake Lively, Rachel Nichols, Tom Wisdom, Rachel Ticotin, Leonardo Nam, Michael Rady, Shohreh Aghadashloo, Blythe Danner, Jesse Williams, Lucy Hale, Ernie Lively.
Directed by Sanaa Hamri.

It seemed best to do some googling on the Internet Movie Data Base to check what fans, especially American fans and, especially, female American fans, felt about Sisterhood 2. Many of them had read the books and knew the lives of the characters very closely, had enjoyed the first film and responded very positively to this one. For them, the two hours running time passed quickly.

For others, it passes – eventually.

With its four stories of Tibby, Lena, Carmen and Bridgid being intercut all the way through with no particular reason for taking up one bit or another even though they are sometimes interconnected and, of course, came together at the end, it is the kind of material that is familiar from many a television series (and the actresses themselves are better known for the television series they have starred in). This gives plenty of distraction time to thinking about the reasons why soap opera material is popular and wonder just how it is different from more solid drama – always acknowledging that audiences can enjoy both soap opera and solid drama if they wish. Watching episode after episode in this film, I realised that the important thing was 'that it happened' rather than delving into character and showing 'why it happened'.

So, here we have a succession of events involving the four girls going to college, spending a summer artistically, Bridget on an antiquities dig in Turkey, Carmen acting Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale in Vermont, Lena studying drawing somewhere on Long Island and Tibby writing a screenplay in New York while being bitchy to customers in a video store and experiencing a 'pregnancy scare' (although in wonder when she has to assist at the birth of Carmen's half-brother).

There are some men in their lives to larger or lessening degrees.

The other thing is that when the story shows 'that it happens' then you can make a fair guess as to what will happen. With a 'why it happens' drama, there can be all kinds of unexpected twists in character and plot.

It is best to be an aficionado of the books and the original film to enjoy this sequel.

1.The popularity of the film? The original novels? Characters and situations?

2.The niche audience, women, girls? Their response?

3.The episodic style of the film? Reminiscent of television soap opera episodes, characters and styles?

4.The title, the pants and the way they travelled, the history with the girls, the effect of the pants on each of the girls – and their belief in their efficacy?

5.The original film? The characters, the situations? Relationships?

6.The graduation, the prospect of the summer for each of them, deciding on individual studies? Carmen expecting them to be together?

7.Carmen, her expectations, her mother and her pregnancy, going to Vermont, the play, Julia and her encouragement? The work, meeting Ian, behind the scenes, her awkwardness, Ian persuading her to do the audition, the reaction of the director? Getting the part? Julia, her seeming niceness, her jealousy? Bad-mouthing her? Her mother, Tibi’s visit, the clash between the two? Her mother’s giving birth, Tibi being present, sending the DVD? Her poor acting, the director and his frustration, her moods, Julia going out with Ian, Ian supporting her? Everything coming together – and her performing well in the play?

8.Bridget, the summer, her sports, going to Turkey, the archaeology? Playing ball, falling into the vault? The adviser and her wisdom, talking about the ancients? Her father, the clash with Greta? Her father being inarticulate? The memory of her mother’s killing herself? Going back to Greta, finding the letters from Greta, Greta’s help, going home and reconciling with her father?

9.Lina, at the funeral in Greece, meeting Kostos, his being married, her upset? Her sketching, going to art school, Leo and the encounter, his posing, his being nice to her, the meals, his not being in love with her? Effie and her relationship with her sister, Effie wanting to go out with Brian? Her losing the pants? Going to Greece? Finding Kostos again, his coming to America? The failure of the marriage, the false pregnancy?

10.Tibi, writing her film, her Gothic appearance, working in the shop, cantankerous with the customers, relationship with the boss? Her relationship with Brian, the encounter, the condom, her being sullen, her seeing the babies everywhere, the effect on her, breaking with Brian, Effie going out with Brian and coming to her parents’ party? Going to see Carmen, Carmen’s indifference and her anger? Carmen asking her to assist with the birth, the DVD? Going to Brian and apologising?

11.Bridget’s father, the clash with Greta? Bridget’s mother and her death? The family background, Greta and her kindness towards Bridget?

12.The play, the director, his relationship with the actors, rehearsals, frustration, happiness at the end?

13.Brian, his character, love for Tibi, the night together, her rejecting him, his not understanding, with Effie, the reconciliation? Ian and his British background, the play, attraction towards Carmen, taking Julia out because she pressurised him? Julia and the ultimate frustration? Kostos, in Greece, the pregnancy, the marriage, coming to America, the fishing, the possibility of studying in England? The girls and the pants, in Greece, and setting up Lina with Kostos?

14.The final episodes in Greece, the girls coming together – and the final symbolic dive?