Your Sister's Sister - movie review

Release date: 29 June 2012
Rating: 15
Director: Lynn Shelton
Starring: Mark Duplass, Emily Blunt, Rosemarie Dewitt

What's the story?
Grieving for his lost brother and at his wit's end, Jack (Duplass) is sent to the family ranch by his best friend Iris (Blunt). But when he encounters her sister Hannah (DeWitt), a fellow lost soul, things take a turn that will impact all their lives.

What did we think?
Each of the three leads (barely another soul appears) excel in a simple but smart drama. Beautifully shot, it's relatable, witty and full of smart observations.

There's a wonderful simplicity to Your Sister's Sister. Duplass is the no-hoper stranded with his grief, DeWitt is equally broken, hitchhiking to the family home following a rough breakup and finding something in the gallows humour and dry wit of the strange man who cycles in from nowhere.

Emily Blunt is the soft soul caught between the two car wrecks. Shelton's intimate shots zero in on her frequently and she carries the weight of the whole thing at times. She's endearing, demonstrating an easy rapport with her best friend and her sister then showing enormous vulnerability when crisis kicks in. You may find yourself wanting to cuddle her.

Some might think it slow. But give it time and allow events to twist the characters into a shape you would never have imagined at the beginning. They're all changed people when we leave them. You'll also like them, a balanced trio each with their own humour and intelligence that feels real. Credit Shelton, who wrote as well as directing.

Yes, it's a slow-paced drama and the closest it gets to action is a man assaulting his own bicycle, but Lynn Shelton has a unique voice, an exciting new filmmaker with a great cast.

Verdict: Four stars for a wonderfully crafted threesome.