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The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants By David DiCerto Catholic News Service NEW YORK (CNS) -- "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" (Warner Bros.) is a tender, if at times overly sentimental teen drama about four lifelong friends who spend their first summer apart, during which they each experience life-changing adolescent ordeals. Hot-blooded and insecure Carmen (America Ferrera) is excited about spending her summer with her mostly absent father (Bradley Whitford), who broke up with Carmen's Hispanic mom years earlier. But her hopes for quality time together are dashed when he drops the bomb that he is getting remarried to a woman with two "perfect" Anglo children of her own. Athletic and impulsive Bridget (Blake Lively) -- the group's alpha female -- heads to soccer camp in Mexico, where she ends up seducing a college-age member of the coaching staff. Bridget's aggressive confidence masks unresolved emotional issues involving her mom's suicide and her father's subsequent lack of affection. Shy and reserved Lena (Alexis Bledel) jets to her grandparents' home in Greece to discover her heritage, but instead finds romance in what is the visually loveliest but least involving of the four stories. Meanwhile, sarcastic rebel Tibby (Amber Tamblyn) stays home stocking shelves and stewing in her anger while working on a video documentary about people trapped in "meaningless" lives. Enter Bailey (Jenna Boyd), a plucky pint-sized pest who teaches her an important life lesson. Before parting, the friends form a pact over a pair of denim jeans, which oddly fits them all perfectly even though they are different shapes and sizes. They decide to use the pants as a way of keeping in touch. Each girl will wear them for two weeks as good luck before mailing them on to the next. Bridget's story line involves off-screen intimacy, but shows her (almost immediately) regretting the decision. Writing to Lena, she confides that what she thought would be a positive experience left her "feeling empty." Directed by Ken Kwapis from the bestseller by Ann Brashares and with spirited performances by the quartet of young actresses, the sweet but contrived film, despite its bubblegum title and breezy Judy Blume veneer, tackles heavy issues like divorce, death, ethnic identity and teen sexuality (which may be inappropriate for younger teens) but ultimately imparts a life-affirming message about friendship and family. The film contains an implied sexual encounter and sexual innuendo, some mature thematic elements, including one character's loss of virginity, as well as sporadic mildly crude language. The USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-II -- adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association of America rating is PG -- parental guidance suggested. - - - DiCerto is on the staff of the Office for Film & Broadcasting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. END Copyright (c) 2005 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed. CNS · 3211 Fourth St NE · Washington DC 20017 · 202.541.3250 |
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