The appeal of Sisters relies almost entirely on the comedic charms of its stars Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, and their very funny friends. It barely has a plot; the movie basically built around one big party that's mainly an excuse to bring together a bunch of talented comic actors in one room to do all sorts of nonsense. The movie's meager attempts at sentiment and character development don't really work out. But the film is very funny, as it almost gives everything over to some of the funniest people on the planet. The movie doesn't really earn all of its best bits, but it's hard to argue against the comedic talent on display.
The movie concerns the middle-aged Ellis sisters. Younger sister Maura (Amy Poehler) is the one that's always trying to help. Older sister Kate (Tina Fey) is a mess, and is having trouble taking care of her teenage daughter Haley (Madison Davenport). The sisters are freaked out when they learn that their parents have sold their home in Orlando. In a fit of angry nostalgia, the two decide to throw one last big party in the house, just like the ones they threw in high school. They call up all their old friends, and fairly quickly lose control of the situation.
This movie really is just a party. There are certainly subplots that attempt to flesh out the characters: Maura is trying to hook up with hunky neighbor James (Ike Berinholtz), while Kate is put into a position where she has to try to become responsible. At some point, the bond between the sisters has to be tested, the movie contriving a means to put them into conflict. But hardly any of that registers. The movie treats these bits as empty obligation, and affords them little of the energy put into the comedic portions. This movie really comes alive when it holds on to a nonsensical riff, allowing its performers to go on extended bits of zany behavior.
This is very much a modern comedy movie. There appears to be a strong element of improvisation in the scenes, with some sequences built entirely on an actor attempting multiple deliveries of the same punchline. There's a lengthy but in here that has Maura trying and failing to correctly pronounce a Korean name. That's the whole joke, the scene leaning a lot of Amy Poehler's ability to make that premise funny. The movie feels a bit lazy behind the camera, the production basically there to provide a static stage for these performers.
But having said all that, the movie is actually really funny. It probably shouldn't have been two hours, but there are good long chunks of it that elicit plenty of laughs. Your mileage might vary here, given that the humor is so star-dependent. But if you are already a fan of Amy Poehler and Tina Fey, then it's safe to assume that the comedy here will work for you. The two share an easy chemist that becomes a fun platform for the comedy. Some of the best scenes of the movie involve just the two of them bouncing off of each other. The film features an embarrassment of riches in the supporting cast, with Ike Berinholtz, Bobby Moynihan, James Brolin, Maya Rudolph, Rachel Dratch, Dianne Wiest, and too many others lending their considerable talents to the scenes.
It is difficult to say that Sisters is a great movie, but there is almost no doubt that it is a funny one. It is at least as funny as the Apatow comedies that have dominated the genre in the last few years. This movie does have a very distinct voice, and it's put into the hands of some very capable comedic performers. One certainly wishes for something more than a giant improvised set piece, but it would be folly to ignore the pleasures provided by this admittedly shaky context. The answer is much clearer if one is a fan of the movie's two main stars. Perhaps their chemistry is enough to justify the existence of the movie. Just perhaps.
My Rating:
