Search - The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants on DVD

Sweet and Charming Tales Sincerely Told

Tsuyoshi | Kyoto, Japan | 11/17/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"`Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' is a sweet and charming film. I am a middle-aged male living in Japan, but I think I know that much. Don't dismiss this well-made film just because it is (or seems) made for a certain group of target audience, perhaps for teenage girls in this case. It is sugar-coated, sure it is, but it contains something different in that.



Four girls are not a rare situation for story. About ten years ago we had 'Now and Then' and of course, there is always a classic tale of Alcott. This film, however, has one unique common thread throughout, and that is one pair of jeans worn by four 16-year-old girls living in Maryland. As the film begins, these girls are going to spend summer in four different places - Greece, Mexico, South Carolina, and Maryland (one stays at home) but before doing so, they decide to wear the newly-bought jeans according to the ten rules they made. Just like true sisterhood.



But the charms of the film come from the four young talents, Amber Tamblyn, America Ferrera, Blake Lively, and Alexis Bledel. I must say some parts of their characters are clichéd ones, such as a surly girl Tibby working at supermarket, making a `suckmentary' of the people she thinks are boring; Carmen, who goes to her divorced father who is going to marry again; a soccer player Bridget who flirts with a handsome coach; and timid Lena who finds a love in Greece, and the courage to say what she really thinks. You can say you have heard similar stories told in books and films, and if you do, you would be excused. But at the same time you will find that the four girls are so real and charming in more than one way, not what you call `types' or `stock characters.'



But you will prefer one to the others. I find Tibby's character most impressive. She meets an equally surly girl (fantastic Jenna Boyd), self-appointed `assistant' of her documentary film, and their relations are sincerely described. You may call it a tearjerker (because it is), but it is a good one, for which reason they should be praised.



As other reviewers say, it is based on the beloved bestselling book, but I confess I haven't read it. Maybe I should, or maybe not. As far as the film is concerned, however, it is sweet and heart-warming, and should be seen by many people, regardless of age and sex."

Not as bad as it could have been

N. Perz | St. Louis | 09/03/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I teased my wife to no end when she bought this so she made me watch it. To my chagrin, it didn't suck so now I must make my amends . . .



Although obviously targeted to teenage girls it deals with some mature themes in a thoughtful way. Although cheesy at times, it's a nice coming-of-age story. You don't have to be a teenage girl to like this movie, but it helps."