8.0

My Sister’s Keeper

My Sister’s Keeper is based on the critically acclaimed novel of the same name by Jodie Picoult and revolves around a young girl who has been diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukaemia and how far her parents are willing to go to keep her alive. Like the novel, My Sister’s Keeper revolves around the interpretations of the family and how each and every one of them deals with this horrible disease.

The movie stars Cameron Diaz as Sara Fitzgerald, the mother of the family who is attempting everything humanly possible to save her daughter Kate (Sofia Vassilieva). Unfortunately when Sara and her husband Brian find out about their daughters condition, they are distraught to learn that they are incompatible with their daughter.

As a result and from “unofficial” recommendations from their specialist, they venture into IVF and Anna Fitzgerald is conceived and also happens to be the perfect genetic donor for her sister.

As both Kate and Anna spend countless months in hospital, the viewer is taken on an emotional roller coaster ride and when the family learns that Kate is getting weaker, Sara may need to call upon her daughter Anna to help again.

Kate is now 15 years old and is suffering from renal failure and without spoiling the story, Anna refuses to be a donor for her sister no more and calls upon a slick lawyer to give her the right to make the decision as she wishes to live a normal life.

The stars of the movie are definitely Abigail Breslin and Sofia Vassilieva who are extremely strong in their roles as is Cameron Diaz who plays the overprotective and overburdening mother that causes friction in the family. The movie is quite depressing at times, however it’s a wonderful journey into a little girl’s hopes, dreams and wishes and director Nick Cassavetes does well in converting Picoult’s novel into a very compelling film.