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My Sister's Keeper Review

Release Date: Jun 26, 2009
Rated: language, brief teen drinking, mature thematic content, sensuality and some disturbing images
Runtime: 1 hr. 48 min.
Genres: Drama
Director:Nick Cassavetes
Cast:Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Alec Baldwin, Jason Patric, Sofia Vassilieva. Full cast + crew

Movies.com Critics

4.5

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Summer Bummer '09! Read full review

Other Critics provided by Metacritic.com

Critics scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

3.0

51

out of 100

Metascore^®
Mixed or average reviews
based on a weighted average of all
critic review scores.
50

out of 100

USA Today Claudia Puig
Abigail Breslin and Sofia Vassilieva are terrific. But the performances by the older actors are largely forgettable.

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58

out of 100

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum
Their message (Cassavetes and screenwriter Jeremy Leven) in My Sister's Keeper? Cancer sucks, but there's always the balm of beach scenes and an emo soundtrack.

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70

out of 100

The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt
If you're going to make a weepy, there's no reason you can't make it with intelligence and insight as the makers of My Sister's Keeper have done.

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80

out of 100

Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern
For all its awkward structure, the film is heartfelt and deeply affecting.

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88

out of 100

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert
The movie never says so, but it's a practical parable about the debate between pro-choice and pro-life. If you're pro-life, you would require Anna to donate her kidney, although there is a chance she could die, and her sister doesn't have a good prognosis. If you're pro-choice, you would support Anna's lawsuit.

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See all My Sister's Keeper reviews at Metacritic.com

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For Families provided by Common Sense Media

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

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.
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

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.
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.
Language: "Goddammit," "s--t," "bitch," "hell," "damn," "oh my God," and one "f--k."
Consumerism: Products shown/mentioned include 7-Up, Dr. Pepper, and Chevrolet.
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.

Common Sense Media

An independent nonprofit dedicated to providing families the information they need to help kids thrive in a world of media and technology.

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Fan Reviews provided by

Average Rating: 3.84

Read all reviews Write a review at Fandango

My Sister's Keeper Movie Review by Asianfreak
70 out of 100 Not as good but as sad as "The Notebook".

My Sister's Keeper review by POODLELEEDEE
great movie go see or buy it

by Punk_Kanellis

Read all My Sister's Keeper reviews at Fandango