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Amazon.co.uk Review
In Her Shoes just gets better and better as it goes along. As adapted by Erin Brockovich screenwriter Susannah Grant, this is one of those rare movies that actually improves on its source material (Jennifer Weiner's "chick lit" bestseller), with thoughtful direction by Curtis Hanson, the L.A. Confidential Oscar-winner who approaches any chosen genre with Hawksian versatility.
At first it seems like Weiner's novel might yield a standard melodrama of sibling rivalry, but the polar opposition of smart, plain-looking Philadelphia lawyer Rose (the always-excellent Toni Collette) and her sexy, illiterate, irresponsible sister Maggie (Cameron Diaz) is just the starting point. In Her Shoes becomes a moving, richly developed character study that deals with painful loss, long-term guilt, negative self-image, and the discovery of a heretofore unknown grandmother named Ella (played with delicate nuance by Shirley MacLaine), whose re-entry into the sisters' lives sets the stage for the well-earned emotions of a satisfying reconciliation.
As Maggie takes stock of her dismal life while staying with Ella at a Florida "retirement home for active seniors," Hanson never condescends to these likable characters, and never goes for the easy laughs in a setting that could have devolved into Cocoon-like comedy. The movie's all the more endearing for treating its male characters (played by Mark Feuerstein, Ken Howard, and Richard Burgi) with equal depth and sympathy, further enhancing a classy tearjerker that viewers of both genders can thoroughly enjoy.-- Jeff Shannon
Product Description
In Her Shoes [DVD] [2005].
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
43 of 46 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Curtis Hanson wouldn’t be the most likely choice or the first to adapt the Jennifer Weiner novel about girls and shoes ‘In Her Shoes’. The dramatic comical tale of two sisters and how their lives differ after a harsh betrayal in the sisterhood. This at first glance isn’t the perfect material for the director of the violent testosterone driven ‘LA Confidential’. How wrong that initial thought is.
Toni Collette plays Rose, a work driven, frumpy and downright depressed lawyer. Cameron Diaz is Maggie, the opposite cliché, the free spirited party girl. Maggie is ever dependent on her sibling, but when she crosses the line when Rose finally hits the jackpot romantically, a painful feud and separation ensues.
Collette boasts her undisputable star power, as she brings new life to her superb character that could have been a daft stereotype in the hands of a less established actress. Rose is always looking out for her sister, considering job possibilities before her own personal indulgences. Collette portrays this element of her character deftly and powerfully. The murmurs of Best Actress Oscar just keep getting louder. Diaz is of a similar strength, avoiding the cliché in like Collette in her believable and poignant role.
Hanson moulds wonderful and unexplored elements of the family drama, intertwining the serious and amusing features into a genre type that switches between the sisters’ lives.
There is no violence present, yet certain parts of the frame can easily appeal to the male viewers (and no, not just Cameron Diaz in a skimpy bikini). On the surface, all the qualities that structure the chick flick are there, but internally, the film contains a brutal frankness
about it and snappy humour to entertain the boys.
There is an effective transition between the cold Philadelphia cityscape and the colourful Florida resort. Shirley Maclaine doesn’t surprise in her wise old grandmother role, and she shines as the legend she is, being one of the key players in Hanson’s scheme to teach the importance of family emotions. In fact the whole quartet of elders (particularly the hospitalised ex-professor) are rewarding to the film.
By turns it ‘s heartwarming yet at particular times heart wrenching, and the film’s leads teach the integral values of family, love and human emotions.
As mentioned several times previously, the potential clichés have been avoided, by Weiner’s skill to restore the characters to compelling people, and Erin Brockovich scribe Susannah Grant does justice to the gifts that the sophomore aimed novel gave us.
Compassionate, moving yet hilarious. Through the hardest negative efforts to find a flaw to this, I just can’t insult this honest faultless gem.
Toni Collette plays Rose, a work driven, frumpy and downright depressed lawyer. Cameron Diaz is Maggie, the opposite cliché, the free spirited party girl. Maggie is ever dependent on her sibling, but when she crosses the line when Rose finally hits the jackpot romantically, a painful feud and separation ensues.
Collette boasts her undisputable star power, as she brings new life to her superb character that could have been a daft stereotype in the hands of a less established actress. Rose is always looking out for her sister, considering job possibilities before her own personal indulgences. Collette portrays this element of her character deftly and powerfully. The murmurs of Best Actress Oscar just keep getting louder. Diaz is of a similar strength, avoiding the cliché in like Collette in her believable and poignant role.
Hanson moulds wonderful and unexplored elements of the family drama, intertwining the serious and amusing features into a genre type that switches between the sisters’ lives.
There is no violence present, yet certain parts of the frame can easily appeal to the male viewers (and no, not just Cameron Diaz in a skimpy bikini). On the surface, all the qualities that structure the chick flick are there, but internally, the film contains a brutal frankness
about it and snappy humour to entertain the boys.
There is an effective transition between the cold Philadelphia cityscape and the colourful Florida resort. Shirley Maclaine doesn’t surprise in her wise old grandmother role, and she shines as the legend she is, being one of the key players in Hanson’s scheme to teach the importance of family emotions. In fact the whole quartet of elders (particularly the hospitalised ex-professor) are rewarding to the film.
By turns it ‘s heartwarming yet at particular times heart wrenching, and the film’s leads teach the integral values of family, love and human emotions.
As mentioned several times previously, the potential clichés have been avoided, by Weiner’s skill to restore the characters to compelling people, and Erin Brockovich scribe Susannah Grant does justice to the gifts that the sophomore aimed novel gave us.
Compassionate, moving yet hilarious. Through the hardest negative efforts to find a flaw to this, I just can’t insult this honest faultless gem.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I've been surprised at the extremely mixed reviews for this film. Personally i loved it. It had the makings of being a sloppy chick flick but somehow just missed the mark, which i think is to its credit.
Toni Colette is an amazing actress, few are as adabtable as she is. She portrays Rose, the older, slightly uptight sister, perfectly - and i'd know, being the eldest of three girls!! Her character is normal and insecure and makes mistakes. Her love interest is also an interesting choice, as he's shorter than her and not the typical rom-com hunk! Again i feel this works to the films credit.
I like Cameron Diaz anyway, but in this she gave a really top notch performance. Despite playing the party girl, she gave her character Maggie a depth not often seen in her usual roles. It's interesting to see the change in Maggie as the film progresses and she learns to be self sufficient.
I may be biased as i have sisters, and can really relate to the very realistic relationship between Maggie and Rose, but i love this film.
Toni Colette is an amazing actress, few are as adabtable as she is. She portrays Rose, the older, slightly uptight sister, perfectly - and i'd know, being the eldest of three girls!! Her character is normal and insecure and makes mistakes. Her love interest is also an interesting choice, as he's shorter than her and not the typical rom-com hunk! Again i feel this works to the films credit.
I like Cameron Diaz anyway, but in this she gave a really top notch performance. Despite playing the party girl, she gave her character Maggie a depth not often seen in her usual roles. It's interesting to see the change in Maggie as the film progresses and she learns to be self sufficient.
I may be biased as i have sisters, and can really relate to the very realistic relationship between Maggie and Rose, but i love this film.
52 of 59 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
After reading some of the other reviews of this film on this site, I felt compelled to write my own review. Sure, everyone has their own tastes but, in my opinion, it is ridiculous to award this film 1 star. Sure, feel good chick flicks may not be everyone's cup of tea, but there is a lot more to this film than that and I say that as a 29 year old male.
I have watched this film 5 times. I hired it from my local video store on 2 occasions and watched it twice, both times. I really can't recommend this film enough. To criticise this film for being shallow, or unemotional or too long, I think you either have to be a psychopath, devoid of all human emotion, or a bitter resentful female, who is just jealous of Cameron Diaz and her beauty!!!
Perhaps I love this film for personal reasons, but the issues it deals with, loss, insecurity, redemption, forgiveness as well as mental health and literacy are all dealt with a great deal of tact and the film never comes across as cheesy. Even the bit where Diaz reads the poem is well done and the poetry featured in the film is really beautiful too.
All 3 of the main characters are acted out with a great deal of emotion without anyone milking it in situations where that could so easily have been the case.
I will probably end up watching this film another 50 or 60 times. The last film that made me do that was American Beauty and there are certain similarities between the 2 films in my opinion. The humour in "In her Shoes" is subtle and the way that the film alternates from really funny scenes straight to very emotional scenes (ie Collette and Diaz talikng about their mothers death) is done in a way that allows the film to flow in a very inteligent way. I've cried every single time I've watched this film.
Don't be persuaded by the negative reviews of this film. As I say, everyone has their own preferances but it does seem a bit odd that someone should mark this film so lowly when it got great reviews from Empire and Heat.
I have watched this film 5 times. I hired it from my local video store on 2 occasions and watched it twice, both times. I really can't recommend this film enough. To criticise this film for being shallow, or unemotional or too long, I think you either have to be a psychopath, devoid of all human emotion, or a bitter resentful female, who is just jealous of Cameron Diaz and her beauty!!!
Perhaps I love this film for personal reasons, but the issues it deals with, loss, insecurity, redemption, forgiveness as well as mental health and literacy are all dealt with a great deal of tact and the film never comes across as cheesy. Even the bit where Diaz reads the poem is well done and the poetry featured in the film is really beautiful too.
All 3 of the main characters are acted out with a great deal of emotion without anyone milking it in situations where that could so easily have been the case.
I will probably end up watching this film another 50 or 60 times. The last film that made me do that was American Beauty and there are certain similarities between the 2 films in my opinion. The humour in "In her Shoes" is subtle and the way that the film alternates from really funny scenes straight to very emotional scenes (ie Collette and Diaz talikng about their mothers death) is done in a way that allows the film to flow in a very inteligent way. I've cried every single time I've watched this film.
Don't be persuaded by the negative reviews of this film. As I say, everyone has their own preferances but it does seem a bit odd that someone should mark this film so lowly when it got great reviews from Empire and Heat.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Pleasant
I was unsure what to expect when I watched this, but I really enjoyed it! I haven't read the book, but I am sure I will get to it soon. Read more
Published 7 months ago by London Girl
Not your Average 'Chick Flick'
My husband bought this as 'light entertainment' to distract me when I was ill - happily for me it turned out not to be your average 'chick flick' but a more of a lovely... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Bookbug
GORGEOUS
A gorgeous movie, and yes I am a guy. For me the best moments in this film are Maggies scenes with her elderly patient, who teaches her some valuable lessons. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Kenneth S. Bishop
Soulful movie
I fully agree with all previous reviews. This is a wonderful - soulful - movie to watch. I don't understand why people think it belongs to chick flicks, is that because Cameron is... Read more
Published 24 months ago by Hasifuzzi
Cameron Diaz's Best Role? Family Comes First...Again.
I can't remember being more impressed by Cameron Diaz's acting. She makes the plight of shallow, delinquent Maggie more touching than the strain endured by put-upon older sister... Read more
Published on 14 Mar 2010 by Philoctetes
ONE FOR THE MORE DISCERNING "CHICK FLICK" LOVER
Saw this at the cinema and subsequently bought on DVD. I loved the story and the performances. Never get bored of watching it. Read more
Published on 13 Mar 2010 by Mrs. T. Wilson
Diaz and Collette shine in raw emotional romance
On scraping cash together homeless and helpless Maggie (Diaz) looks to start a new life away from her controlling sister (Collette)
Romantic comedies/dramas are... Read more
Romantic comedies/dramas are... Read more
Published on 7 April 2009 by Stampy
Three women become a family
A great film. Not a cryer normally I was wet-eyed at the end of this one. The film concerns the relationship between two sisters; the wayward pretty one and the older sister/clever... Read more
Published on 25 July 2008 by focada
Amazing
I love romantic comedies but this was great, it must be good if Shirley McClaine is in it!! It is one of the best films I've seen in ages. The story is really good. Read more
Published on 4 May 2008 by Anna W
Wonderful Film
One of my favourite films. Have watched it numerous times, and introduced it to all my friends, who also love it. Read more
Published on 28 April 2008 by JMac, England
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