I knew going into "My Sister's Keeper" that it would
be a weep fest. Considering it is about a 14 year old who has leukemia and needs
a kidney which will be donated by her 11 year old sister who was conceived to
supply 'body parts' for the older sibling how could it not be a weeper?!

Aside from the interaction
of the family, which also includes an older male sibling, the parents and the
mother's sister the major plot line is that of the 11 year old suing her parents
to stop using her body without asking her.

While every other line can cause crying, and many
do, there are also laughs along the way to relieve the tension. There is
bleeding, vomiting, many hospital scenes but there are also warm family moments,
a prom scene and a young couple, both dealing with cancer, and possible death,
finding love though that, too, ends up in a sad way.

There is an unexpected twist near the end--at least
unexpected to me--that brings about some satisfaction as to what finally
happens.

Let's get to the acting. I
am NOT a fan of Cameron Diaz--have
never understood why she is one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood
considering she has had more flops than hits and the latter were usually with
bigger stars--but the bottom line is she does a good job here as a mother who
gives up a lucrative career as a lawyer to take care of her ill daughter. Jason
Patric, as a fire fighter, husband and father is the backbone of the family and
loved by all, not to mention the fact that he has a great body.

Sofia Vassilieva as Kate, the older sister, and
Abigail Breslin as the younger one are
both strong and believable in their roles while Evan Ellingson as the older brother has a very
undefinable role and is sort of let down by the writer and director.

Joan Cusack as a judge who recently lost her 12 year
old daughter has a tough decision to make and does fine in the role except for a
very distracting use of her mouth. Alec Baldwin, as the young daughter's lawyer,
has really come into his own the past few years and he certainly doesn't
disappoint in this film.

There is some poor
editing, such as in one scene a milkshake disappears, and the directing is
pedestrian. There are songs on the sound track that are very inappropriate
and/or interfere with the flow of the picture.

I love crying in a movie--it seems to relieve
whatever sadness, disappointment, depression or
whatever other feelings I may have--almost  a catharsis--and no matter how much
of a downer the film may be I leave the theatre feeling better!