THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELLING PANTS
US, 2005, 119 minutes, Colour.
Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera, Blake Lively, Genna Boyd, Bradley Whitford, Nancy Travis, Rachel Ticotin, Mike Vogel, Michael Rady, Leonardo Naam.
Directed by Ken Kwapis.
Not exactly the title that leaps to the top of the list for review and recommendation. But, here it is.
The novel (which already has two sequels) by Ann Brashares was published in 2001 and remained on the US best-seller list for over a year. Obviously, a candidate for a movie. One of the writers adapting the novel is Delia Ephron who co-wrote the comedy, Bewitched, as well as You’ve Got Mail. The film has sound credentials for a romantic comedy.
In fact, The Sisterhood is much more. The question is: who is the target audience? Since the four central characters are sixteen year olds, then younger teenage girls is one answer. But, the answer will also have to include parents. In fact, the recommendation would be for parents and their daughters to watch the film together and see what issues arise and have a good discussion. With not a crass word to be heard and a PG rating, grandparents and aunts, especially, might feel easy about going along as well.
And, the travelling pants?
That is soon explained. One of the four girls, Carmen, narrates how their mothers attended pregnancy classes together, how they grew up as friends and have bonded, always supporting each other. They are about to have their first summer vacation away from each other. When they go giggle-shopping, as girls this age inevitably seem to do, they find a pair of jeans which mysteriously fits them all, despite tall, skinny, plump and ordinary. They pledge a sisterhood, articulate their rules and agree that each of them will have the jeans for a week. They expect happy results.
The film intercuts the four summer stories, nicely pacing them so that we are equally interested in all the stories – and has a nice visual refrain for each week as the pants go through the mail.
Lena (Alexis Bledel) is of Greek origin. Shy, she finds the extended family in Greece rather overwhelming. When she is rescued after falling into the sea by a student helping with fishing, she is attracted, despite a family feud, and gradually gains more self-confidence.
Carmen (American Ferrera) has a Puerto Rican mother. Her father left years earlier. She decides she wants to spend the summer with him. He wants to surprise her with his wedding to Lydia who has two children. This, of course, is the story of rejection and favouritism, racism and anger.
Bridget’s (Blake Lively) mother killed herself, her father is distant. She goes on summer camp to Mexico, puts all her energies into running and soccer matches and throwing herself at the young coach. This is the story of loneliness and problems of sex.
Tibby (Amber Tamblyn) is a rebel (with dyed hair streaks), resentful of having to babysit her much younger sister, working in a supermarket for the holidays and trying to make a video on losers. When she helps a twelve year old who has fainted, Bailey, she finds the young girl wants to be with her and help with video interviews. This is the story of breaking through hard exteriors for emotional expression and connection.
The young actresses bring their characters to life (although Jenna Boyd as Bailey almost steals the show with her young Julia Roberts’ look and acting like an audition for a remake of Erin Brockovich in twenty years’ time). Audiences can readily identify with them.
This is a very positive film about bonds of friendship. It raises issues of identity, relationships, family, hurt, sexuality and handles them with sensitivity and sound insights into values.
1. A popular novel? Transferred to the screen? The intended audience, girls, teenagers, adults, parents?
2. The Maryland setting, the city, homes? The contrast with Greece and its light and beauty, the sea, the village? Mexico and the summer camp? Carolina and the affluent homes? The musical score?
3. The structure of the film: Carmen and the introduction to the characters, her voice-over? The scene with all the mother pregnant, the birth of the children, the children as teenagers, the bonds together, Bridget’s mother’s death? The first holiday away from each other? Intercutting the four stories? The interludes with the pants in the post office? Bringing the girls together, the wedding?
4. The tone of the film, happy, audiences identifying with the characters? Carmen and her story? Identifying with the mothers, the girls at school, Bridget hitting the others? The funeral and Bridget’s mother?
5. The situation, their age, going shopping, trying on the pants, their fitting everyone? The decision about the sisterhood, the articulating of the rules, each girl to have the pants for a week and send them around? The effect, the bad, the good with each? Bailey and her becoming part of the group? Carmen’s final comments about the good that happened and her comment on the pants as the symbol of what really had to happen in each of their lives?
6. Lena’s story: no parents, going to Greece, riding on the mule, language issues, her grandparents, the range of cousins, the lifestyle? Her drawing, shyness, awkwardness about clothes? Falling into the water, the pants caught, Kostos rescuing her? Lending his shirt, the grandmother seeing it? The information about the feud, her trying to return the shirt? Touching the fish? Friendship with Kostos, moving in her sketching so he would see her, going out, the dancing, riding the bike? Her grandmother’s anger, her sketches? Her decision to confront her grandfather, his relenting? The farewell, the tears? The issue of the jeans, finding Bridget’s letter, hurrying back?
7. Carmen’s story: her father leaving when she was young, her strong mother? Weeping and talking on the phone? The holiday with her father, few meetings with him? The shock of meeting Lydia and her children? The awkwardness in the house, all the wedding plans, the meals? Her father watching Paul and his soccer, her playing tennis and hitting him? Her response to Paul’s visits every month to his alcoholic father? The sister, her giggling and commenting on Carmen? Trying on the dress, her exasperation, feeling neglected, her anger, expecting that they were searching for her, seeing them at the table, throwing the rock at the window? Going home, her mother’s consolation – and ‘told you so’? With Tibby, the outburst, her criticisms of Tibby? Her apology, Tibby making her phone her father, not wanting to go to the wedding, everybody forcing her to go, the pants, her wearing them, her being called up by her father to assist at the wedding? Her tears?
8. Tibby’s story: staying home, her resentment, the colours in her hair, hard style, working at the supermarket and resenting it, making the documentary, the interviews with losers? Encounters with the staff, the critical boss, the friendly lady? Bailey and her fainting, helping her? Bailey delivering the pants, talking, her anger with her, Bailey following her? The help, Tibby’s reaction, Tibby and her babysitting her sister, the video with her friends expressing hostility towards her mother? Her discovery of Bailey’s skills, finding it awkward when she interrupted? Brian and the video games and the interviews? The older worker and Bailey’s sympathy? Bailey trying on the pants and the video, speaking to Tibby? Tibby’s reaction to Bailey’s sickness, visiting her in the hospital? Bridget and Carmen and their needs, her helping, Carmen’s outburst against her? Her mother helping her, with the visit to Bailey, the emotional effect, the video being called Bailey?
9. Bridget’s story: her being bossy when young, taller than the others, her mother’s depression, suicide, her father’s distance, the funeral and her running away? The father’s letter to the camp and its lack of feeling? Putting her energy into sport, setting her eye on Eric, showing off, running with him, the soccer games, the coach quietening her down? Discussions with the girls, going to the Cantina, dancing with Eric? Their sexual encounter, her letter to Lena in the aftermath? Coming home, sad, Carmen and Tibby helping her? Lena’s arrival? The discussion about sex, her expecting it to have been different, the effect on her and the critique of premarital sex? The dog taking the pants, her chasing the dog, finding Eric in the street, the talk about what happened, the plans for the future, putting the episode in a perspective?
10. Carmen’s father, his leaving the family, the new family situation, giving more attention to Lydia and her children than to Carmen? His inability to see? Lydia, affluent, her children, her alcoholic ex-husband? Their reticence, the girls’ gossip, not making Carmen welcome? The marriage sequence, the father seeing his daughter and inviting her up, Lydia welcoming her?
11. The subplot with Bailey, her character, the fainting in the shop, delivering the pants, staying, blunt talk to Tibby, helping her with the work, something to do, her skill at the interviews, bringing the best out of people? Trying on the pants, their not fitting, the talk to the video and Tibby watching it later? Illness, her philosophy of time, the stars, her death?
12. Themes of friendship, values and bonds, help? This friendship as a foundation for life?
