The Film
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler don't need each other to be funny. (If you need proof of that, you should really start binging on 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation.) However, when the two join forces, it's downright magical. Oh, what I wouldn't give to hang out with these two.
Well, that's sort of the point to Sisters, a new comedy that's slightly more Bridesmaids than the comedy duo's last theatrical outing, Baby Mama.
The idea is certainly a good one. When their parents (Dianne Wiest and James Brolin) decide to sell the family home, sisters Maura (Poehler) and Kate (Fey) need to fly down to Florida to clean out a lifetime of crap. Instead, the two decide to have a massive party. Maura needs this to make up for her recent divorce and lame teen years. Kate on the other hand, well... is just being Kate.
And that's one of the great things about Sisters. Although the personalities are slightly similar to the ones we saw in Baby Mama, Poehler plays the straight-shooter and Fey is the wildcard. It's like there's some Freaky Friday action at play here and the results are hilarious for the most part.
However, like a lot of parties -- or more appropriately, like a lot of Saturday Night Live sketches -- Sisters is just slightly too long. It's a whopping 118 minutes, which would be fine if more of that time was spent on the nostalgia, why Kate's daughter (Madison Davenport) doesn't live at home, more Maya Rudolph, more John Cena, or just the sisters in general. They could have cut all of Bobby Moynihan's annoying character, Samantha Bee's public display of (ahem) affection, and maybe even those few moments where Ike Barinholtz's rectum meets a ballerina-themed music box. That said, the two leads and plenty of laughs make this one party you'll want to check out.
Ready for a real party? Check out Tom Fugalli's theatrical review of Sisters.
The Picture
This 2.40:1 transfer is as fun and perky as the film's two leads. Lush greens coat the Florida scenery and there are plenty of other bright colors, most notably every shade of pink you could imagine. The film delivers some excellent contrast -- and not just in Amy Poehler's two-tone hair (although that does look awesome). Black levels are equally impressive, especially during the party scenes. There's a lot of detail to ogle as well, whether it's in fabric or facial features, tattoos, house graffiti, sinkhole grime, and much more. Overall, it's hard to find too many faults with this super-clean, super-fun image.
The Sound
For the first half of Sisters, the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track plays like your typical comedy. It has a few atmospheric sounds, but is mostly about the dialogue. Then once the party starts, so does the party here. Furniture breaking, glass breaking, and the overall house breaking all sound great here. The crowd is also pretty lively throughout the surrounds, but really it's the music that's a standout. T-Pau, Us3, Icona Pop, Snow, and so many other songs elevate this track to the point where your neighbors will think you're having a party of your own.
The Extras
Final Thoughts
The chemistry between Tina Fey and Amy Poehler make them ripe to play Sisters. Frankly, they both deserve Oscar nods for how believable their relationship is. However, the film should have focused more on the sisters and less on some of the other characters -- or at least shaved off a little of its lengthy runtime. That said, we have a lot of love for the Sisters Blu-ray, thanks to plenty of laughs, a bold AV presentation, and a good collection of extras.
Product Details
Where to Buy:
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| Video | |
| Audio | |
| Movie | |
| Extras |
