– By Cate Marquis –
Comedy ‘Sisters’ takes Fey and Poehler where you expect but it is one fun trip
“Sisters” stars Tina Fey and Amy Poehler as two sisters who decide to cope with their parents’ decision to sell their childhood home by throwing one last high school-style party.
The Ellis sisters, Maura and Kate, are close but couldn’t be more different. Older sister Kate (Fey) was the popular party animal in high school but as an adult she became the family failure, bouncing from place to place, unable to keep a job as a hair stylist/manicurist or an apartment for herself and her daughter. Even her college-aged daughter Haley (Madison Davenport) is fed-up with her unreliable mom, and won’t tell her where she’s living. Younger sister Maura (Poehler) was the nerdy good girl in high school, but is now the responsible one, a nurse that everyone relies on – even Kate’s daughter, who is living with her aunt. She’s great at taking care of others but divorced over two years and still single, she’s not so good at taking care of herself.
When their parents (James Brolin and Dianne Wiest) decide to sell the Florida home where they raised their girls to move into an apartment in a retirement community, they tell Maura and leave it to her to break the news to her sister. Maura does not take the news well, exploding in a fit of temper, especially when the strange New York rich couple who already bought the house show up with plans for a makeover. The sisters are supposed to spend the weekend cleaning out their stuff in their bedroom but impulsive Kate decides there is only one thing to do – throw a party for all their old high school buddies – whether now middle class parents or homeless drunks.
The comedy from “Pitch Perfect” director Jason Moore pretty much goes where you expect it to but Fey and Poehler are so funny, and throw in so many hilarious comedy bits that audiences won’t mind. With a cast that includes Maya Rudolph and John Leguizamo, there is plenty of ensemble comedy madness.
Fey and Poehler have become a powerhouse comedy team but there is plenty of ensemble humor as well from the large supporting cast. That comedy is funny but it is often raunchy (although no one should be surprised about that). A plan to only invite the high school “cool kids” – plus the cute single guy down the street, James (Ike Barinholtz) quickly unravels and everyone, including Kate’s ex-friend nemesis Brinda (Maya Rudolph) and scruffy, druggie loser Dave (John Leguizamo), his tattooed, muscle-bound dealer Pazuzu (John Cena), depressed Kelly (Rachel Dratch), nerdy would-be comedian Alex (Bobby Moynihan) and Hae-Won (Greta Lee), a Korean manicurist who shows up with team of fellow Korean hotties, among others.
The film is silly, wild, and over-the-top but it is undeniably funny, one the best comedies of the year, and another girl-power triumph for female comedies in a year that is already a breakout one.
© Cate Marquis 2015
