For the first two acts of Lynn Shelton's Your Sister's Sister, it really seems
like she's on to something. Much
like her previous film, Humpday, the
film skirts closely to becoming something genuinely subversive and probing and
then, at the last minute, abruptly backs out of the conversation entirely. It's a perfectly good film, probably
her best work yet, but it could have been a great one if it was something more
than almost courageous.
After performing the world's worst eulogy for his departed
brother, sullen Jack (Mark Duplass) is invited by best friend and
aforementioned brother's ex-girlfriend Iris (Emily Blunt) to take some time off
at her father's cabin, one of those private getaways that only seem to exist in
cinema. Jack takes her up on her
offer but is surprised to find Iris's sister Hannah (Rosemarie DeWitt)
occupying the home. Despite Hannah's
lesbianism, the two end up having a brief and awkward sexual encounter. Predictably, Iris arrives the next day,
and Jack and Hannah try their best not to admit what had occurred between
them. Then it gets complicated.
Though much of the film's foundation is based on
contrivances and somewhat improbable situations, the strength of the actors "“
the women, especially "“ carries the film, and for much of its running time,
it's uncomfortably believable. A
third act plot twist derails the film by significantly and unnecessarily
raising the stakes and, worse still, doesn't take any steps to resolve the
tension until the final five minutes.
The ending doesn't hurt how well the majority of Your Sister's Sister plays, but next time it would nice to see Shelton
really go to the jugular rather than make concessions.
