You know there is nothing like a snow storm to feel cozy and comfortable at home. So this weekend was a little hectic with moving Carolyn, snow shoveling, hair cut, frantically looking for my health card and SIN card through all my boxes after not using it for the last 8 months and putting in a "safe" place. After work on Friday, Con and I took the GO train home to b.town. We rented this movie, along with "The Painted Veil" and "The Good German" and watched them this weekend. I read "In her shoes" a while back, and I really loved the book. Unfortunately, books turned movies can often be a disappointment for me. It's not so much that the movie turns out different than I imagined, it's that I feel what I thought might have been the "essence" of the book is partly lost.
Anyway, I really liked the way this movie turned out! In a nutshell, its about 2 sisters who seem to have nothing in common, but their shoe size and love for shoes. Rose is the older sister, who is honest, sensible and responsible. She is a workaholic lawyer and she cares for little sister Maggie. Maggie, is gorgeous and thinks that she can use her sexuality to get whatever she wants. She is reckless, short tempered and manipulative. Rose always helps Maggie out of whatever sticky situation she may have gotten herself into, but Maggie crosses the line when she sleeps with Rose's boyfriend.
Rose kicks Maggie out of her apartment and the Maggie is forced to grow up and be more responsible. However, Maggie discovers a long lost grandmother and she goes to see her, in hopes of milking her for all she's worth, since Rose is no longer taking care of her. This sets the scene for the rest of the movie.
What I love about this movie is that it captures the essence of what I felt when I read this book. About loving someone and giving them second chance after second chance, for no other reason, than because you are family and because you love them. This is a little synopsis of each of the main characters:
Maggie - We first see her as spoiled rotten and selfish. After moving in with her grandmother, who promised to match her earnings if she was able to work at the local hospital, learns to be more responsible. She even discovers traits and skills she never really knew she could put to use to help others. She also learns how wrong she was, and how much she really missed Rose.
Rose - We first see her as sensibler, serious, no-nonsense lawyer. She has an affair with one of the associates and it goes bitterly wrong when he ends up in bed with Maggie. Not wanting to face the scandal, she takes time off and becomes a dog walker and really enjoys it. She also starts dating Simon Stein, one of her colleagues who had a crush on her, but she never gave him a chance. Rose learns to enjoy life outside the office and also discovers joys in her life. On a side note, I was a little surprised with who they chose for Simon. I had imagined him to be short-ish, balding and a little pudgy (from the book's description) - but, nope. Simon was pretty cute - but, I guess that's Hollywood.
Ella - A very introverted woman who tries to occupy her time so that she doesn't have anytime left over to worry about other aspects of her life - such as, her daughter who passed away and the grand daughters she never got to know. Even though she knows the reasons behind Maggie's "visit" she feels guilt because she was never able to spend time and get to know her grand daughters, and forgives her when she catches Maggie trying to steal from her. She even offers incentive for Maggie work and continues to care for her and becomes her friend.
This story is about love, forgiveness and most importantly, the special bond between sisters. Similar to Maggie and Rose, my sisters are my best friends. They are the people who I want to tell first when something exciting happens. They are the ones who I can always count on, no matter what the situation. They keep me grounded and always give me an honest perspective. When my world comes crashing down on me, they are always there - with wisdom, with tissues, with chocolate chip brownies and haagan daaz ice cream, but mostly with a supporting ear to just listen. I would do anything in the world to protect them or make them happy and I know they would do the same for me. Although I'm the oldest, Con is definitely the most responsible one. Carolyn is still the baby. I'm not really sure what I am.... Perhaps the more adventurous one? I think I'm more of the risk taker in my family - having said that, I do come from a very conservative family, so it's all relative.
Having written that, I know you girls don't read my blog, but I love you anyway! =) You guys are THE BESTEST BESTS! (note: best is used here as both an adjective and a noun, I'm not making it up! )
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