User reviews

It's not the best romantic comedy in the market but this movie always makes me cry. I have a sister too and even though our relationship is nothing like in the film I understand their love for each other.

In Her Shoes (2005) is a film about two sisters who are vastly different. Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette play these sisters. Cameron Diaz is a woman who very much depends on her looks in life. She is a partier type who doesn't really take responsibility for much of anything, she ends up staying with Collette's character when she is out of a job. Eventually, Collette gets tired of her mooching and something leads to her kicking her out. After she does this, Diaz discovers these old cards that were sent by her grandmother (Shirley MacLaine). She decides to go see her, her father had kept her and her sister from her when they were growing up. The film then becomes this touching drama about family reuniting and learning about one another. All the performances here were great. Diaz, MacLaine, and Collette all do a great job with their roles. They all had this great entertaining chemistry too, made it that much better to watch. The story is interesting and the writing is well done. This film does it all right if you ask me. It's not one of my all time favorites, but i did enjoy it very much. 8/10 for In Her Shoes.

The Fall season is when the intelligent, adult films are supposed to come out, and "In Her Shoes" is the first one this year.

A story about sibling rivalry and bonding did not initially have much interest for me, but this is a good example of how a well made film can transcend it's subject matter.

This is one of the best acted films of the year. Toni Collette bears the brunt of having to carry the film because her character is central to the story, and she does a great job. She is convincing as the frumpy older sister of Cameron Diaz, who always gets the guys but who is illiterate and an alcoholic. Shirley MacLaine is the feisty, estranged grandmother. The film starts kind of slow, but gets much better when MacLaine shows up.

This film has a lot in common with a film that came out last month called "Proof." That film had a good story but had poor photography and directing. "In Her Shoes" looks like every frame was done with meticulous detail. The directing is done with confidence and the film does not suffer from the rapid cut camera angles that so many films suffer from these days.

It's no secret that this year's box office has suffered due to the poor quality of the films. The success of "In Her Shoes" will be a good yardstick to tell if people will go to the theater for a quality film.

If you've been waiting for an intelligent, moving film without the gun shots and helicopter chases, "In Her Shoes" is a film you should see.

14 February 2006. It's not often in today's film industry to come across a mainstream family drama release. "In Her Shoes" is a no nonsense, straight-forward drama about family relationships. Cameron Diaz, much like Sandra Bullock in "28 Days" (2000) performs in a role that is much more dark than their light-weight, comedic performances of the past. The movie trailers for this movie make it difficult to really get a sense of the true nature of this film, deliberately perhaps, but also somewhat deceitful in leading one to expect much more humor and comedy than this drama really contains. This particular movie is fascinating for its ability to maintain that big screen, Hollywood presentation without the art film look and image but dealing strictly with the more harsher and darker element of human relationships without the exaggerated drama and lack of really a comedic element, except for the genuine authentic humor that comes across in human life. Cameron Diaz does a wonderful job along with Toni Collette and Shirley MacLaine. Eight out of Ten Stars.

There is a scene early on in In Her Shoes where sisters Maggie and Rose offer their respective philosophies on life with the aid of a pair of shoes. The promiscuous, immature Maggie (Cameron Diaz) vaunts the life of 'scandal and passion' inbuilt into sexy high heels. Well-ordered Rose (Toni Collette), on the other hand, finds comfort in their steadfastness: 'Shoes always fit'. The scene is fairly reductive of its characters- one of the pitfalls of the 'chick-flick'- but can be forgiven for its placement at the beginning of the film. It sketches Maggie and Rose in broad strokes, but thankfully the nuanced performances of Diaz and Collette develop satisfyingly complex characters as the film progresses.

Maggie leeches off of her loved ones, while, conversely, Rose's practise of helping her sister has grown blunt and forceful with years of disappointment. In such crossfire of over-reliance and overbearingness, the sisters inevitably come to a crossroads, and spend the middle portion of the film apart. Rose learns to relinquish responsibility in work and in romance, while Maggie learns to cope with it at the Florida retirement community of the sisters' estranged grandmother (a splendid Shirley Maclaine).

Under the direction of Curtis Hanson, the film matures with its protagonists. The initial relationship of the hot mess and her stuffy sister sidesteps cliché and implausibility by layering the characters with likenesses, not least in their unfurling vulnerabilities. Hanson's style of simple, unfussy storytelling and concern for characters saves the film from the potentially mawkish moments of Jennifer Weiner's source novel. Maggie's dyslexia and the sisters' contrasting responses to their family history of mental illness smacks of crude characterization- the former is linked to Maggie's immaturity, while the latter reinforces the sisters' dissimilarity- but Hanson handles this material with a delicate touch. The trio of Hanson, Diaz and Collette underplay these scenes, and the result is quietly affecting.

With its warm depiction of the turbulence of sisterhood, the film is occasionally funny and touching, and always entertaining. In Her Shoes doesn't tread new ground. It simply shows that the 'chick-flick' needn't be as patronizing as the label suggests. A pleasure, without the guilt.

This movie surprised me by how good it really was. For a romantic comedy it was definitely the best one I've seen all year. It could easily have been just a recycle of old clichés and bad jokes but the writing was incredibly well mastered. It was intelligent without being patronizing or 'frasier-like'; and funny, without being ridiculous and unbelievable. It was endearing and had a real sense of authenticity to its execution.

Great movie, money well spent and I would definitely go and see it again. I would also love to know if it was adapted from a book because if so, I'm sure it would be a fantastic read

Its a bit long, but necessary, and its not a Chick Flick! It shows so smoothly that sometimes you're selfish with the people you most love without having the intention to, and that's nobody's fault to blame on, that people tend to be sucked into their own problems and small details of its own life that sometimes its hard to listen to the ones you love. With relationships that has actions and reactions completely human and true, it also shows that some people are no matter what bonded by unconditional love. Its a story beautifully told, filled with good sense of humor, with very real and human characters. I felt like reading the book after the film. Oh, and the writer is clearly obsessed about shoes!

As I set off to the preview there were few reasons for wanting to see "In Her Shoes". When I left, there were a shed-load that made me glad I had. OK - so it may be a mid-years chick flick - but any man who goes along, as company for the evening, will be glad he did. I'm sure it can be criticised - the mean spirited will always be among us - but as a perceptive (alright ... 'feelgood', there, I've said it!) movie it offers, and delivers, a damn good evening out. As for Shirley MacLaine ... words fail; apart, perhaps, from 'masterful', 'restrained', 'understated', 'experienced', 'emotional' and 'effortless excellence'. Don't deny Cameron Diaz her place in this particular sun either. She carries her weight. Just to be part of an audience that chuckled and cried together and left the cinema happy is not something to be taken lightly!

I confess that I bought this DVD because its price was just 4.99 euros. I expected the typical comedy where two people swap, fantasy hilarious situations and so on. But I was wrong. I watched this with my wife (we are near sixty) and we laughed and cried and discussed and then discussed again. This movie is great! The script was brilliant. Acting was more than adequate and directing and cinematography were correct.

I suggest it to everybody, young and old people.

8/10

I wish this film got more of the attention it deserved when this film was released.

The story is great it's about sisterhood forgiveness and growing up.

The acting is top notch. I loved this film and it's sad it's a forgotten film that more people need to see.

This movie is understated but it makes you want to reach out to a family member that you've discarded along the way!

It must take courage to wade through an overstuffed yet flimsy novel such as Jennifer Weiner's IN HER SHOES and find that without all the paraphernalia bruising the essential message there is a fine story to be told. Such is the case of director Curtis Hanson (8 Mile, LA Confidential, The Wonder Boys) who consistently pares down stories and focuses on significant human issues. He is greatly aided by Susannah Grant's fine screenplay and by a cast of actors who are at their peak. For all the PR that ruined this film in the theaters (the Magnum Opus 'chick flick', about shoes, silly graphics, etc), this is in truth a fine drama about sibling rivalry and sibling devotion and the cruel effects self-loathing bifurcated parents unwittingly have on their offspring.

Rose Feller (Toni Collette) is a bright but dumpy lawyer, successful in her career but miserable in her social life. Her sister Maggie (Cameron Diaz) is her opposite: a silly, shallow, drunken, dishonest party girl who has never been able to hold down even the most menial job for her obsession with men and inappropriate sexual situations. Moving in with Rose out of desperation, Maggie turns Rose's life into chaos: the two fight, loathe each other, split and yet each of the disparate sisters also acknowledges that they are, in the end, all that each has. When Rose finally throws Maggie out, Maggie moves to Florida to mooch off the grandmother (Shirley MacLaine) neither sister has ever known because of a long standing parental riff that has altered their lives more than they appreciate. The separation of the sisters by space offers each the chance to discover each other's value and the manner in which the two rejoin is the results of tough lessons learned.

Collette, Diaz, and MacLaine each offer wholly professional, fully realized performances. The supporting cast is likewise fine and the keen directorial leadership by Hanson is evident. The film is grossly overlong (130 minutes filled with far too much repetitive excess) and the opting for sentimentality as the film moves toward the finish is a bit off-putting, but the surprise here is that this is really a good movie! Who would ever know form the PR and the associated bungling of the packaging? Grady Harp

Calling "In Her Shoes" a chick flick, as some have done, is absurdly dismissive. If a movie has to have killing, explosions, and car chases to not be a chick flick, then count me among the men who would rather see a film like this any day. This is a great screenplay from a fine book, directed flawlessly by Curtis Hanson (whose previous films have little resemblance to anything chick flick-like).

It also stars three actresses at the top of their form. Cameron Diaz does her best work by far, and Toni Collette surpasses her Oscar-nominated performance in "The Sixth Sense." Then there is Shirley MacLaine, who puts on an acting clinic--a perfectly calibrated performance by a truly remarkable talent.

Ridley and Tony Scott, who co-produced and executive produced this film (and who also produce the TV show "Numbers"), are clearly tuned into the joys and difficulties of being siblings. This film is about sisters who share history, baggage, a confused father, and a few important but differently interpreted events. If you need a car chase, drive as fast as you can to the theater to see this film.

The best movie I've seen in this year!

For quite a long time, watching film is no longer a pure pleasure, it is always either for class or for project needs, like my own obsession with Wong Kai Wei's style of abstract cinema. It becomes really annoying when a cliché movie like "Crash" would suddenly be the talk of the world, the "most astonishing", "breath-taking" and "no film has ever talked about racial issue like that". Come on! Yet "In Her Shoes", based on a novel by Jennifer Weiner, is a successfully funny and touching story that will win applause of almost every female in the theater. The reason for complimenting so is because I've always suggested that film should not be restricted to narrative structure, while moving-images should guide our sensory-motor. Nevertheless, most people walked into the movie theater are usually looking for strong and simple narrative, and here it is.

The movie is delightful mainly is because of the excellent performance, unlike many big featured Hollywood film, this movie does not focus on the struggling and growing of one central character, i.e. Maggie/Diaz, but the plot evolves around sisterhood/family issues, the idea of re-searching/finding new meanings to cookie-cutter lifestyles. With the more subtle acting, Toni Collette who plays Rose as Maggie's older/stubborn/successful sister stands out more than Diaz's outgoing attention grabber. Of course, Shirley MacLaine who plays Rose and Maggie's grandmother Ella is even more excellent. Her eyes sparkle with intelligence and understanding, sends out the vibe of loving motherhood combined with witty amusement. As for Rose's fiancé Simon, played by Mark Feuerstein is not only remarkably sweet and charming, but as those who will notice, this actor appeared in one episode of "Sex and the City" before. (Hint: Miranda) Not to mention, "In Her Shoes" also has a humorous reference to this popular TV series too.

Overall, here I want to quote Rachel's line from "Friends" in one episode when she found a perfect nanny (Freddie Prinze Jr.), "I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE IT!"

Another thought: what is it with women and their shoes?

I thoroughly enjoyed "In Her Shoes" and recommend it highly. The cast was excellent, and the story definitely held my attention. The actress who played Rose, not only gained weight for the role and purposely minimized her good looks, but drew us into the sadness of her character. Her heartbreak and sincerity touched us. Cameron Diaz did very well as the truly despicable sister, Maggie who always managed to shock us. Shirley MacClaine was a gem, as always, and deserved higher billing. The movie wouldn't have been the same without her. What a classy lady. The older folks in the retirement village were a hoot and added some humor to the movie. Don't miss it!

I like both the book and the movie. But for the part where Maggie tries to overcome her dyslexia, I love the movie version more. It was just so moving when she and a retired professor spend enough time together in a retirement community. She agrees to read him poems when she knows that he's blind. And in return, he gradually helps her deal with dyslexia.

What a pleasant surprise, I really enjoyed this film. Thinking about it there are some fine actors involved, Toni Collette has always had the ability to move effortlessly between emotions something she does throughout the film very well. In fact the recent round of awards ceremony's have shamelessly overlooked this performance.

Cameron Diaz is also very good, she is required to demonstrate a depth which we don't often see from her. I suppose acting opposite Shirley MacLaine means you have to pull more out of the bag.

Talking of Ms MacLaine it's amazes me that with one look she can demonstrate such feeling, there were times when I felt myself welling up, soppy I know.The rest of the supporting cast were also excellent, especially the old ladies, and Mark Feurstein who you knew Rose had to get together with.

It is a predictable film and because of that some would call it light and dismiss it but it's the quality of acting that takes it beyond such criticism.

An interesting story about the relationship between two diametrically different sisters in a dysfunctional family.

Rose is the elder sister, a lawyer, hard working and materially successful. Maggie still believes she is 18 and life is just one big party with no responsibility. There is an exasperated love that binds them together.

I don't want to tell any of the story as the joy is in watching the characters and the relationships unfold. It is an angst ridden tale, mainly of people misunderstood. It is filled with love and insightful understanding which is mostly moving (tear jerking for me) although at times a little sugary. My favourite character was Simon, a guy who loves his food and is, in his owns words, "an expert orderer" for his dinner guests.

Quiet, professional acting from the cast. I particularly like Shirley Maclaine's subtle performance. My husband enjoyed it very much too, so one you can comfortably take the guys to.

This movie starts out slowly and somehow, shall we say quietly. When you watch the first 20 minutes, you will think you've already figured it all out. The skanky but hot sister (Cameron Diaz) and her older, not so hot, but lovable sister (Toni Collete) are like chocolate and vanilla and in the end the pretty one is going to show the "ugly duckling" how to fly and the "duckling" shows the no good drunken hot chick that it's all inside her and that she has a wonderful soul beside her already wonderful body. And because you seem to see through it so easily, you are tempted to watch something else but cannot seem to drag yourself away from your TV because Cameron Diaz's butt is just so damn fine and she keeps running around in underwear.

And you'll be mistaken because it's much more than that. It keeps growing and growing until you start to feel that incredible sensation that you remember from your childhood when you watched these heartwarming Disney movies. The difference is, that this movie is real and absolutely believable. It is not cheesy and the plot will take you on a gentle journey up to a point when you realize, that this is a tremendous story with great actors. Special bonus goes to Toni Collete who plays the older sister with such charm and natural beauty that you just wanna hug her and never let her go. In this context you have to understand that in the movie she is supposed to look rather unattrative and her wardrobe and makeup is chosen accordingly. To make such a memorable impression under these conditions is really not easy and she does it with bravura. Cameron is doing a fine job as well, especially from the middle of the movie when her character starts to change into a better person (The scenes with the old man are adorable). Of course Shirley MacLaine does a big part for the film to be so realistic. She still has it even as a granny (the acting, not the hots).

Well to conclude, I recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys a more serious but not so dramatic movie that will make you think and maybe even push some tears of joy and compassion out of your eyes. This movie stirs up emotions in a gentle way without being boring or cheesy and if you like that kind of thing you should definitely go see this beautiful film.

Thanks for reading;-)