Movie Review: You Sister's Sister

What an interesting, quirky, and moving movie we have here.

Centered on Jack (Mark Duplass), Iris (Emily Blunt), and Hannah (Rosemarie Dewitt), this is a movie about a group of people trying to get over loss of love and loss of life. Set one year after the death of his brother, Jack is sent by his best friend Iris on a retreat to think about his life. Who does he meet at the family cabin but Hannah, Iris’ lesbian half-sister. After a round of miscommunications and bad behavior, everything blows up. And the ending… It is not often you see a successful cliffhanger in a small, indie movie. But here we have one, and it is magnificent.

One of the most surprising aspects of the film was the caliber of acting. While Dewitt and Blunt have been known for their dramatic turns, Duplass steals the show. Maybe it’s just because I do not know all of his work, but this is far more dramatic than I am used to seeing him. I’m used to the dumb guy from FX’s The League, or just the talented writer of such awesome films as Jeff, Who Lives at Home and Safety Not Guaranteed. I guess after having seen Safety I should not be surprised, but this film came with a whole lot of other acting challenges, and Duplass pulled them off to a tee.

One of the year’s most underrated films, Your Sister’s Sister is one that everybody should see at least once, if only to know that small and dramatic films can be heartwarming, surprising, funny, and sweet. And, of course, to witness some of the most incredible acting and writing I have seen in any of the movies of 2012.

Grade: A+