My Sister’s Keeper DVD Review

November 17th, a touching and poignant drama story from Director Nick Cassevetes (The Notebook and John Q) is available on DVD from Warner Home Video.  Featuring a brilliant ensemble cast, My Sister’s Keeper tells about one family’s struggles to keep things together when daughter Kate Fitzgerald (Sophia Vassilieva of “Medium”) is diagnosed with a form of Leukemia.

After running out of options to preserve or save Kate’s life, Sara Fitzgerald (Cameron Diaz) and husband Brian (Jason Patric) decide to have another child who could be a bone marrow donor.  Youna Anna Fitzgerald (Anna Breslain) is born into a life of very specific responsibilities.  Her job from birth is to be poked and prodded as needed to help discover or provide resources for Kate.

At the age of 11, Anna visits a lawyer (Alec Baldwin) with a strange request.  She wants medical emancipation from her parents, effectively giving her the freedom to opt out of the medical processes she had been involved with in an effort to save Kate.  Shocked by her rebellion, Sara, whose life’s purpose for years had been Kate’s health, aggressively fought Anna’s efforts.

A unique look at all of the players involved when one member of a family copes with life or death, My Sister’s Keeper explore the rights of the young, while presenting a very emotional and dramatic family story.  Cameron Diaz gives arguably her best dramatic movie performance.  Jason Patric is good, though his role as the dad is a little less involved.

It is really the child stars that make My Sister’s Keeper compelling.  Abigail Breslin has been a rising young star (though now a teen) for years.  Vassilieva actually shows a greater talent for dramatic acting in My Sister’s Keeper than she has in her long-running role on TVs “Medium”, which stars Patricia Arquette.

The only real negative in My Sister’s Keeper is that the climax is a little anti-climactic, simply because of its predictability.  The real premise of the plot is the challenges faced in the family’s relationships.  However, an underlying storyline is the real story behind why Anna is suddenly opposed to helping her sister.

MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 109 minutes
Release Date: November 17th, 2009

Grade: B

Director: Michael Shelton

Starring: Cameron Diaz, Jason Patric, Abigail Breslin, Sophia Vassilieva, Alec Baldwin
DVD Review by Neil of Movie Room Reviews