‘Sisters’ brings together the powerhouse duo of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler to deliver a perfect surplus of laughter and sibling sentiment, just in time for the holidays!
Home is a feeling, and Sisters preaches this fact to a great extent. What makes this early holiday present so memorable is not only its massive reunion of Saturday Night Live alumni from all eras of the show’s existence, but also how it reminds its audience of what this season is all about in the first place: family.
Sisters brings together once again the almighty duo of female-driven comedy, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. This time around, the two embody polar-opposite sisters Kate and Maura Ellis, as they are introduced to the harsh reality of losing their childhood home. Kate (Fey), being the rambunctious partygoer that she is, realizes that their locally-famous “Ellis Island” parties growing up never brought the highly-protective Maura (Poehler) any luck in the bedroom. Hence, the siblings throw one final hurrah in their old stomping grounds, bringing back the likes of older high-school chums into the mix, for the sake of giving Maura a taste of Kate’s medicine.
Director Jason Moore creates an environment where vulgarity is the punch-line, but does so in a way where the crassness of each joke is subdued with a sense of sentiment and nostalgic heart. With a script penned by longtime SNL and 30 Rock writer Paula Pell, there are multiple opportunities in this all-star comedy to be drawn into the big picture of it all. Whether it’s through Kate’s seemingly-neglected daughter, Hayley, or the parental Ellises that want nothing more than to move into the lifestyle of a small-scale condo, Sisters gets the message across quick and efficiently, without losing much of its humor in the process.
Just ask Julia Dicristina, a Garfield resident and long-time fan of the Fey-Poehler comedy couple. “Despite its moments of inconsistency, Tina and Amy really deliver a large handful of laughs, from start to finish,” said Dicristina. “Also, a fan of SNL would agree that even the minor characters create a whole new level of hilarity.”
On that note, let me mention the celebrity appearances within this 118-minute running time. Just to name-drop a few: Ike Barinholtz, Maya Rudolph, Bobby Moynihan, Kate McKinnon, John Leguizamo, Chris Parnell, Dianne Wiest and even James Brolin add new layers of dynamic to the Ellis sisters and their ever-so-present situation. Additionally, speaking informally as an audience member, I felt most in-touch with my riotous outbursts of laughter through the generously fatuous performances of some of these notable faces.
Overall, Sisters plays off as the blockbuster comedy of the holiday season, but truly conveys the soft-heartedness of a miniscule homecoming among old friends.
Luckily for us, Tina and Amy were considerate enough to let us in on some of the action. Furthermore, this film among old peers reminds viewers that home is where the heart is. And you will find more than enough heart in this crowning achievement for both siblings and comedy alike.
Sisters is playing locally in and around Montclair! Some theaters include AMC Clifton Commons 16, AMC Essex Green 9 in West Orange, and even Bow Tie Bellevue Cinemas 4 in the heart of Montclair. For a list of even more theaters and show-times, visit fandango.com today!
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