By Lucy Madeleine Watson
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler prove it is never too late to throw a house party in your childhood home – even if you’re over thirty-five and your parents still disapprove.
Sisters is a fine example of a Saturday Night Live reunion film. The writer, Paula Pell, has written sketches for the NBC show since 1995. The stars, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, are two of SNL’s most notable cast members – Fey was also a writer on the show for nine years. The cast is laden with Saturday Night Live alumni from Maya Rudolph to Rachel Dratch, Kate McKinnon to Bobby Moynihan. Therefore, it seems evident that this film should be able to deliver some laughs.
From the outset, Sisters is a crowd pleaser. Fey and Poehler play middle-aged sisters Kate and Maura, who decide to throw a final party in the childhood home their parents’ – Dianne Wiest and James Brolin – are selling. Despite their familial connection, the sisters couldn’t be more different – you might say, Poehler opposites (sorry, not sorry). Maura (Poehler) is the levelheaded, financially stable sister who, it seems, has suppressed her inner party-girl with an eager sense of responsibility. Kate (Fey) is exactly the opposite – an extrovert and single mother of teenager Hayley (Madison Davenport) with no career goals and a diminishing bank account.
As expected, the writing is slick and the acting is flawless, and the laugh-out-loud consistency doesn’t diminish throughout. The blonde and brunette duo throw the party they intend and have the time of their lives – house music, drugs, alcohol, a foam party, a sink hole, John Cena (as Pazuzu, their dealer) – until their home is barely recognisable the following morning, much to the annoyance of their spirited parents and Kate’s sanctimonious daughter. It is at this point that we see the sisters revert to their teenaged selves; they embody the disobedient teens that wrecked their parents’ house and have to suffer the consequences – the supervised, morning-after clean up.
Much like Saturday Night Live the comedy of Sisters is eccentric and cleverly executed, and has elements of slapstick that isn’t always so present in a predominantly female cast. Through the physical we see Fey and Poehler’s secret handshake-esqe dance moves and the apparent American party piece – the lift from Dirty Dancing – however, feasibly superior is the short and snappy dialogue that is reminiscent of Mean Girls or Bridesmaids and is laced with the seemingly on-the-rise use of vulgarities and swear words every other sentence. It is the partnership of Fey and Poehler that makes it, however – their two-decade friendship radiates on-screen and allows for authenticity of the sisters, to the point where we overlook the physical dissimilarities and believe they are in fact, biologically related.
Undoubtedly, Sisters is in the genre of feel-good comedy and is ridiculous, hilarious and poignant all at once, and evokes the inner wild-child we all have suppressed and perhaps have not yet revisited.
Image source: Universal Studios
Featured image: WendyWei.pexels With the most anticipated night of the year right around the corner, the big question is looming: where are you going to celebrate it? Whether you dread it or count down the days, are new to the Manchester nightlife scene or are a regular, we’ve got your New Year’s Eve plans sorted….
By Georgia Robinson Featured image and gallery: Ruby Sharp Get one step ahead of your 2025 aesthetic and plan your outfits for the new year with this guide to all the trends we expect to see next year. Why not jazz up your wardrobe with trending accessories or browse Depop and Vinted for a pre-loved…
Featured image and gallery: Kaitlyn Brockley The rumble of trains passing through Piccadilly station, the hollers of touts (“tickets, buy or sell?”) and security (“have your IDs ready”), and the excitable chatter of gig-goers all audibly backdrop the outskirts of Manchester’s Mayfield Depot this dark, damp evening. Leaving the outside chill and travelling along the…
Featured image and gallery: Leo Woollison Crook Angela Cheveau and Kate Carne were crowned winners of the 2024 QuietManDave Prize on Friday. The short-form writing prize is held biennially to honour the memory of the much-loved and well-known Manchester writer and critic Dave Murray, who passed away in 2019. The writers were each awarded £1000…
Leave a reply