Review of Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002) by Aliya D — 31 Aug 2008
I'm not O.K. and you're not O.K. and that's O.K." That's one of the messages of this funny, profound, honest film. The flawed humanity of its characters stands alongside the transcendent miracle of friendship.
After all the hype and comparisons to Steel Magnolias, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, sadly, did not do much at the box office, which was a shame, as it is a more intimate, realistic vision of women and life-long friendships than the glossier Steel Magnolias.
Flanagan, Knight, and Smith are delightful as Vivi's three friends, and James Garner contributes a fine performance as the quiet, forbearing husband and father. Most memorable of all is the wounded beauty of Ellen Burstyn as the tempestuous Vivi, who has grown up with two kinds of savagery - the naked brutality of her father and the merciless piety of her mother.
Through the whole film shines the keen emotional intelligence of director Callie Khouri. While this is unabashedly a "chick flick," something I really liked was that they DIDN'T fall back on that old chestnut of somebody dying to serve as a convenient catalyst for change and the healing process.
And the dialog is full of wickedly hilarious one-liners about men, alcohol, friendship, and growing old! Great film!
This review of Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002) was written by Aliya D on 31 Aug 2008.
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood has generally received mixed reviews.
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