Review of In Her Shoes (2005) by Wee M — 26 Sep 2008

Toni Collette and Cameron Diaz are sisters, the former being career-driven and up-tight, the latter being selfish, lazy and a general pain to have around. In Her Shoes is broadly about their rocky relationship, and for the first hour it works surprisingly well.

Collette, an adaptable and talented actress, is instantly empathetic as the put-upon elder sibling, and Diaz thoroughly convinces as her slobbish diva of a sister. The tension between the two is ratcheted up nicely as Diaz's behaviour becomes increasingly outrageous, eventually resulting in her sleeping with her sister's squeeze.

Unfortunately, in the second hour, the film never reaches the heights of the first. After Collette has booted out Diaz and she moves in with their estranged grandmother, Shirley MacLaine, the sisters spend no time together until the final section, thus dispensing with the film's strongest element for a good chunk of the running time.

The film loses its way as Diaz and MacLaine drag their way through a ponderous and uninteresting sub-plot involving Diaz's mother, while Collette and the affable Mark Feuerstein whizz rather too quickly through a relationship, resulting in them getting engaged.

Eventually the sisters reunite as director Curtis Hanson remembers what his comedy-drama should be about, and it all comes together in a pleasant and fulfilling denouement. It's just a shame the middle of the film doesn't deliver as the other two sections do.