Your Sister's Sister - A Movie Review

Just sit and think about life. There’s no need to do anything else.

Your Sister’s Sister is a 2011 film. Still grieving the loss of his brother, Iris lets Jack stay at her family’s house on a remote island. When Jack arrives, he is not alone. Iris’s sister Hannah is there, dealing with a bad breakup.

Based on its intriguing title, Your Sister’s Sister is a film about human connection. The film is a slice of life. I fell in love with this movie, particularly the dialogue. You need to get away from reality with the right people.

The characters in Your Sister’s Sister felt real. Mark Duplass, Emily Blunt, and Rosemarie DeWitt incorporated the best dynamics. They created backstories. I have seen these actors across a wide selection of films. They each did a great job in their portrayals.

The film’s concentration is on the character's interactions. I liked the scene with Iris and Hannah talking in the bedroom at night. It’s a genuine sibling moment that plays into their dynamic. Bonds are so essential between siblings.

Tom and Hannah have a scene where they’re in a conversation, talking about life and what brought them to the cabin. It lets the conversation play out. Movies never do this anymore. The actors were also allowed to improv. That’s good when filmmakers allow actors to do that. Dialogue and relationships are natural.

There’s a point where there’s too much conversation. We learn character history, but there should have been quieter moments with characters thinking. You’ll need to turn the volume up during some of the conversations. They speak so softly, like in Hannah and Iris’s conversation at night.

I like simple films. The film has more wrapped in its layers. Your Sister’s Sister is simple, but it’s boring in the middle with the inclusion of all the conversations. Tom deserved more focus in the story rather than Iris and Hannah. This film is about his story anyway. He’s still hurting from a loss. That’s the reason why he goes away in solitude to think.

The late Lynn Shelton was a decisive filmmaker. She focused on human connection. We all have a story. In most of Shelton’s films, the characters have small talk. What does small talk define? Talking is one of the best healing mechanisms for anyone.

However, Shelton lost track of Your Sister’s Sister's central theme; grief. Mark doesn’t get enough credit. Indicating that he has been depressed about his brother’s passing, I was disappointed that the writers didn’t dive into Mark’s history. I related to Mark. Mark had a lot of depth. His respectful nature should not go unnoticed.

The story gets caught up in Hannah’s story. We’ve already seen stories like Hannah’s. We rarely get films that focus on a male’s emotional journey. It’s time to explore male vulnerability. Mental health is another essential theme.

Shelton does a suitable job in her edits for films. Your Sister’s Sister was filmed in the San Juan Islands. I would love to visit this place. It’s a serene area to get away and relax. However, filming locations are deemed unknown. Allowing the filming, the owners didn’t want anyone to reveal the site.

Overall, I liked the film’s message. Grief is a relatable theme. Everyone’s grief journey is different. Get away from reality for a bit. You may meet someone in this cycle.

Your Sister’s Sister is a good film if you want something new to watch. The ending is left up to interpretation. Find the film and watch it on your next movie night.