My Sister’s Keeper

“A scientist hooked up my mother’s eggs and my father’s sperm to make a specific combination of genes.” This is told by an eleven-year-old girl. Sounds complicated, right? Nick Cassavetes’s My Sister’s Keeper is a drama filled film that will have your hearts melting and your tears streaming. This exceptional film was adapted from the 2004 novel of the same name by Jodi Picoult. Picoult’s novel is based on a true story of the Ayala couple who decided to conceive their third child in hopes of saving their first born. The movie tells a similar story of a young girl named Anna Fitzgerald (Abigail Breslin) who was genetically created to be a match donor for her older sister, Kate (Sofia Vassilieva) who suffers from Leukemia. Since the age of five, Anna has undergone multiple surgeries and transfusions to keep Kate alive, now at the age of eleven Anna must donate one of her kidneys to her sick sister. Anna turns to Attorney Campbell Alexander (Alec Baldwin) to seek medical emancipation from her parents and the rights to her own body. The story of My Sister’s Keeper is far beyond complicated as it explores the ethical dilemma of how far is too far to save a child’s life?

The casting directors (Matthew Barry and Nancy Green –Keyes) did an impeccable job of choosing these talented actors to portray some very complex characters. Sara (Cameron Diaz) is an ambitious mother who would do anything to keep her older daughter healthy even if that brings unhappiness to her younger daughter. Throughout the movie we see Sara in a constant battle with her maternal instinct where her number one priority is to save her daughter from cancer. Brian (Jason Patric) as the father understands why Anna would want to be medically emancipated as he realizes that he, along with his wife, disrupted nature when they genetically modified their child. He recognizes that it is ultimately up to Anna to decide if and how she wants to help her older sister. This variance of opinion between Sara and Brian creates a wedge in the family. Although the relevance of Evan Ellingson’s character as the brother named Jesse may seem bleak throughout the movie, he ultimately represents what a normal sibling would go through if their sister had cancer. Jesse is often times forgotten and this is proven when his parents send him away to boarding school to treat his dyslexia rather than working with him at home. The family dynamic in this film proves that cancer does not only leave scars on the victim but also the people they love. Throughout the film, we see these scars healing and a family reviving their closeness and love for one another despite the long and hard battle with cancer.

This film receives my highest praise mainly for being able to depict cancer for what it is. While some may find the bloody vomiting and the nosebleeds grotesque, it is unfortunately what cancer patients have to deal with. Countless times, Hollywood TV shows and films would glorify the depiction of cancer by having a character diagnosed with the disease for the sake of creating more drama. My Sister’s Keeper shows Kate and her mom going in for chemotherapy, going through bone marrow transplant, being hooked up to tubes and IV lines; this is the reality of suffering from cancer that other films do not show. On the topic of authenticity, actress Sofia Vassilieva shaved her head and her eyebrows in real life to connect to her role as the cancer-stricken daughter. Vassilieva was only seventeen years old during the filming of this movie and her performance was nowhere near shortcoming. It was heartfelt and as an audience it felt as though Vassilieva has been battling cancer her whole life. It is unquestionable that this actress was deserving of the Young Artist Award when she received the Best Performance in a Feature Film – Supporting Young Actress.

Music is a powerful element that sets the mood of the film, the music department of My Sister’s Keeper excelled in this area. In various instances of this movie, the music did the storytelling and there was no need for dialogue. All of the songs in this film was either folk or acoustic music. These two genres evoke sadness which makes sense because the director wants the audience to connect with the characters, what better way to do it than through music? Although my heart was heavy throughout the majority of this film, I could not help but chuckle when I heard Cyndi Lauper’s pop hit “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” stripped down to an acoustic version by Greg Laswell. It was unexpected but a clever way to depict Kate’s struggle of being a regular teenager who just wants to live a carefree life. Upon listening closely to the theme soundtrack of the movie, “Feels Like Home” by Edwina Hayes many might view it as a love song they would want to play at their wedding. However, this love song is about the adoration that holds strong between the two sisters, Anna and Kate. Which, ultimately, questions Anna’s unconditional love for her sister and her willingness to save her sister.

The story of My Sister’s Keeper will hit home for anyone who watches it. The film captures the hidden truth about cancer which everyone should explore. The conflicts that arises throughout the movie will keep viewers compelled to continue watching, it surely kept me glued to the screen. Anna, young and strong-willed leads her own battle against everyone for the sake of her sick sister. The movie begins with a brutally honest narration, in the spirit of consistency, the movie closes in a similarly dejected manner, one that viewers can only experience upon watching the movie.