Iffy for 14+
Sad drama has heavy themes about illness, family.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this tearjerking drama explores some heavy themes thatyounger audiences may find difficult to process without guidance.A teenager is terminally ill, and her march to the end is painful: She vomits after chemo, her hair andeyebrows fall out, and more. The effects of her illness on her family are are similarly heartbreaking to watch. The film also touches onteenage sexuality and drinking and has some fairly infrequent swearing, including "f--k" and "s--t."
- Families can talk about how a serious illness can change a family's dynamics. Does the movie accurately portray a family in distress? Does it find any bright side in a very sad story? How do movies generally depict terminal illnesses? Is this one any different?
- Families can also discuss the consequences of teenage drinking, which the movie touches on briefly.
The good stuff
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Messages: A child sues her parents for medical emancipation while her terminally ill sister waits for her to donate a kidney. It sounds grim, but there’s actually a lot of love here -- the family is supportive of one another, though they're also suffering from the worries and fears attendant to the situation.
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Role models: Family members stick together through thick and thin and are able to mine a deep wellspring of love and understanding.
What to watch for
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Violence: A mother screams in anger and frustration at her husband and tries to block the van he’s driving. A mom slaps a child.
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Sex: A teenage girl falls in love with a boy and nearly consummates their relationship (they're shown under covers holding each other, but later on, she intimates that she didn't go all the way). They also kiss and make out. Parents trade mild sexual innuendoes.
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Language: "Goddammit," "s--t," "bitch," "hell," "damn," "oh my God," and one "f--k."
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Consumerism: Products shown/mentioned include 7-Up, Dr. Pepper, and Chevrolet.
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Drinking, drugs and smoking: A teen is briefly shown tipsy and holding a bottle, seemingly having gotten drunk because she's angry at her condition. Social drinking by adults.
Fan Reviews provided by
5
Looking In A Mirror (My Sister's Keeper) by Reenie by jerry1227
I was able to see My Sisters Keeper on the opening night of 6/26/09, which is also my birthday.
I was amazed at how closley the movie resembled my own story with my daughter, (Tracy) who passed away on 4/20/09 at the young age of 23 from a long term illness. My daughter had all of the same symptons, emotions, highs and lows, struggles, and even down to the same name of the hospital that the daughter in the movie was treated at .
My daughter always told me that she wanted to write about her life story and share her feelings and emotions she had to endure through 13 of her 23 years. I feel that Tracy wrote this movie from up above to share with all.
This is one of the best birthdays I have ever had. So I thank everyone in the movie for the roles you played and how real you made the movie out to be.
Keep fighting for your children and love them every day, for you never know what tomorrow will bring.
Sincerely,
Reenie from Chicago
5
Bring Tissue by taraleeg
I was crying in the first 5 min till the very end, happy and sad tears. I took my 9 yo daugher and she loved it also, it is a great message about life and living to your fullest. Loved it! a Must see
3
BOOK READERS BEWARE by jeanine89
If you read the book your going to hate the movie.
If you didn't read the book your going to like the movie.
5
My Sisters Keeper by Pheynophilia
A very sad but beautiful movie about sisterhood and the lengths one will go to for the love of a sister. This is definitely a "MUST GO". Not necessarily a date movie, but a great movie to go see with your best friend, sister, or mother.. Don't forget the box of tissues. You will surely be sobbing by the end of this one!
5
WOW everyone was crying in the theater! by Rodri
Amazing story with a perfect cast and director. A must see. Just know that you are going to cry!
5
most amazing movie- until the end by mileycyrusfanxo
i have been counting down the days until this movie came in theaters. i have read almost every jodi picoult book and this one was by far my favorite. i was crying the whole entire movie and it was seriously amazing.... until the end. This end of this movie killed it for me. I was finally thinking that the movie was equally as good as the book until the ending of this movie was 100% different then the book. The ending of the book made the whole story amazing and unpredictable. They changed the ending in the movie and made it predictable. So if you have not read the book you will absolutely love this movie but if you have read it..the ending will disappoint you.
4
Heart Wrenching by dtwrites
Even if you have read the book, this movie is still worth seeing. It is a 10 hankie film though to warn you up front! Very well done considering it was only an hour and 45 minutes long and I was impressed by the performances by all the actors!
Definitely worth seeing but you won't leave with dry eyes....
2
Disappointing adaptation of an amazing book by lkdc816
If you read the book - DO NOT GO SEE THE MOVIE. I read the book just a few weeks ago, and was completely captivated by it. The story was touching, ending surprising and tear jerking. The movie completely changed the true meaning of the book and took away from the integrity of the original story. The acting was great, but it was all a bit of overkill. They should have let the original story speak for itself and not try so hard. So disappointing.
3
My Sister's Keeper by Booklover174
I am a very big Jodi Picoult fan, have read ALL of her books so far and was so looking forward to seeing this novel on screen (since Twlight turned out so well!) Well, the ending was totally different and that really disappointed me. If I hadn't read the book, the actors and actresses in My Sister's Keeper were excellent.
4
My Sisters Keeper by kristiflys
My daughter and I rushed out to the midnight performance and enoyed the movie all the way up to the end, I don't want to disappointed you and give any thing away BUT the just of the story leads up to the end and then the change comes. WISH it would have ended like the book.......