In Philadelphia, the irresponsible and selfish Maggie (Cameron Diaz) is a drunken easy woman having sex with many men. Her sister Rose (Toni Collette) is the opposite, responsible lawyer but needy and having complex, compulsively buying shoes to relief her frustrations. Maggie is expelled from her father home by her stepmother, and Rose lodges her sister in her apartment. When Maggie has one night stand with Rose's boyfriend, Rose sends her sister away. She finds letters and postcards from her missing grandmother Ella Hirsch (Shirley MacLaine) that she believed had died that lives in a retirement compound in Florida hidden in her father's drawer, and without any option, she decides to travel to meet Ella. With Ella, Maggie changes, becoming another woman and improving the relationships in her family.

"In Her Shoes" is a feel-good comedy with an excellent lead trio of actresses. The story about sisterhood and parenthood is bitter sweet, alternating funny and dramatic moments and with a nice conclusion. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Em Seu Lugar" ("In Your Place")

Rose Fellow (Toni Collette) is a hard working straight laced lawyer. Her sister Maggie (Cameron Diaz) is a hot drunken mess who can't keep a job. They have a massive fight after Maggie sleeps with Rose's boyfriend. Maggie becomes homeless and starts living with a grandmother (Shirley MacLaine) neither knew. Meanwhile Rose quits her job and starts a dog walking business.

This movie is too unnecessarily slow. Toni Collette is great and Cameron Diaz is interesting. They have a great scene together. But the great scenes in this movie are separated by too much filler. Cameron Diaz could be darker. The drama simmers along for far too long. The sisters are great together but the movie's not as explosive separated. The long middle is held back as we wait for the inevitable reunion.

I saw the trailer for this chick flick from director Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential, 8 Mile) and thought it might be worth a go, and I suppose the result was okay. Basically selfish and irresponsible Maggie (Cameron Diaz) and her elder straight responsible attorney sister Rose (The Sixth Sense's Toni Collette) clash with each other, and have nothing in common, besides a taste in designer heels. Maggie gets drunk often and has sex with many men, and her behaviour ends up with her having to go back to Rose, who obviously refuses her. Rose herself meanwhile is just being sensible and having to cope with all Maggie's transgression, including Maggie spitefully sleeping with her boyfriend. Maggie does find some worth though when she finds work in a nursing home for the elderly, and Rose finds herself a real love, and eventually a marriage, which brings her and Maggie closer. There is also some subplot story involving the sisters' long lost grandmother, Ella Hirsch (Shirley MacLaine), but I don't see why the film belongs to MacLaine? Also starring Mark Feuerstein as Simon Stein, Ken Howard as Michael Feller, Candice Azzara as Sydelle Feller, Francine Beers as Mrs. Lefkowitz, Norman Lloyd as The Professor, Jerry Adler as Lewis Feldman and Brooke Smith as Amy. The small elements of comedy are good, Diaz and Collette both play their parts well, and even a familiar film set-up is a good one. Cameron Diaz was number 65 on The 100 Greatest Movie Stars, and she was number 26 on The 100 Greatest Sex Symbols. Good!