In Her Shoes

I don't have sisters nor am I a woman. So from the start I'm at a disadvantage in understanding the premise of In Her Shoes (2005). Of course the title is a bit of a misnomer for me, since I'm not quite sure either character Rose (Toni Collette) or Maggie (Cameron Diaz) actually experienced what the other's life was like, which is what the title would suggest to me. Hence the old adage "walk a mile in his/her shoes". But maybe that isn't what this title is supposed to suggest.

It seems that Maggie's early actions are pretty reprehensible. I felt sure that she needed a world class smack upside the head. In fact the only sympathy one might have for Maggie is when you discover she has dyslexia, but even then she doesn't gain much ground. And the sleeping with the boyfriend of your sibling thing, seems like a big no, on so many levels, and she actually has the gall to wonder why her sister kicks her out?

All that being said, there were some particularly poignant reconciliations near the end of the film that were quite touching. Maggie getting her life on track is quite rewarding, particularly in the scenes in the hospital where she becomes a candystripper. Toni Collette also puts in an admirable performance as someone who is also trying to figure out her life, but it doesn't seem to get quite enough treatment. For the most part it was a pleasant movie but was clearly not aimed at me as its intended audience and therefore I probably didn't pick up on some of the more moving aspects of the film