My Sister's Keeper (2009)

Anna Fitzgerald looks to earn medical emancipation from her parents who until now have relied on their youngest child to help their leukemia-stricken daughter Kate remain alive.

Director:

Nick Cassavetes

Writers:

Jeremy Leven (screenplay), Nick Cassavetes (screenplay),

Stars:

Abigail Breslin, Walter Raney, Cameron Diaz

3 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Abigail Breslin	...	Anna Fitzgerald
Walter Raney	...	Pawn Shop Proprietor
Sofia Vassilieva	...	Kate Fitzgerald
Cameron Diaz	...	Sara Fitzgerald
Heather Wahlquist	...	Aunt Kelly
Jason Patric	...	Brian Fitzgerald
Evan Ellingson	...	Jesse Fitzgerald
Alec Baldwin	...	Campbell Alexander
Nicole Marie Lenz	...	Gloria (as Nicole Lenz)
Paul Butler	...	Jesse age 3 (as Paul Christopher Butler)
Olivia Hancock	...	Kate age 2
Jeffrey Markle	...	Dr. Wayne
Emily Deschanel	...	Dr. Farquad
John DeRosa	...	EMT (as John De Rosa)
Marcos A. Ferraez	...	EMT (as Marcos De La Cruz)

Storyline

In Los Angeles, the eleven year old Anna Fitzgerald seeks the successful lawyer Campbell Alexander trying to hire him to earn medical emancipation from her mother Sara that wants Anna to donate her kidney to her sister. She tells the lawyer the story of her family after the discovery that her older sister Kate has had leukemia; how she was conceived by in vitro fertilization to become a donor; and the medical procedures she has been submitted since she was five years old to donate to her sister. Campbell accepts to work pro bono and the obsessed Sara decides to go to court to force Anna to help her sister.

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Plot Keywords:

lawyer | leukemia | family crisis | kiss | wig | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic content, some disturbing images, sensuality, language and brief teen drinking

Details

Official Sites:

Metropolitan Filmexport [fr] New Line Cinema [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English Croatian

Release Date:

26 June 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

La decisión más difícil

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£922,947 (UK) (26 June 2009)

Gross:

$49,185,998 (USA) (2 October 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Curmudgeon Films, Gran Via Productions, Mark Johnson Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (DeLuxe)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sofia Vassilieva shaved her hair and eyebrows off in order to play Kate Fitzgerald. She described it as being the least she could do to understand Kate's pain. Because she was filming both this movie and the TV show Medium, her hair was turned into a wig for her.

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Goofs

Just after the court case the lawyer drives to the family's home, yet he had just had an epileptic seizure and was known to have regular seizures - hence the dog. In California, and most of USA, your epilepsy must be controlled for at least 3 months before you are allowed to drive.

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Quotes

Andromeda 'Anna' Fitzgerald: I was engineered, born for a particular reason. A scientist hooked up my mothers eggs and my fathers sperm to make a specific combination of genes. He did it to save my sister's life.

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Connections

Featured in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: 2012/The Messenger/Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

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Soundtracks

"We All Fall in Love Sometimes"
Written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin
Performed by Jeff Buckley
Courtesy of Nicholas Hill's Music Faucet

User Reviews

Letting Go

In "My Sister's Keeper" amazing Thomas Dekker as Taylor gently holds a bedpan as momentarily fragile Sofia Vassilleva's chemo weakened Kate vomits. Taylor says, "That could be me tomorrow." He unwraps a stick of gum, and gives it to Kate. Then he unwraps a second as well, and gives it to her. I was in tears. Director and Writer Nick Cassavetes's scene is sweet, and understated in its humanity. Not all of Cassavetes (director of "The Notebook") and Writer Jeremy Leven's "My Sister's Keeper" is as gentle. Their "My Sister's Keeper", based on the bestselling novel by Jodi Picoult, is a heart wrenching tear jerker that will both stab and touch your heart. It may be one of the best movies of the year. Alec Baldwin is amazing, reminding us what a powerful actor he can be. Sofia Vassilleva is astounding. Thomas Dekker is awesome. Cameron Diaz gives perhaps her best performance, ever.

In "My Sister's Keeper" 11 year-old Anna Fitzgerald (spirited Abigail Breslin) is expected to donate her kidney to her leukemia stricken older sister Kate (Vassilleva), who is in renal failure. However, as it turns out Anna was specifically sired to provide body parts for Kate, be it bone marrow, platelets, and now kidney. Weary of the overwhelming responsibility for an 11 year-old, Anna hires famous attorney Campbell Alexander to file for emancipation from her parents. Her mom is Sara (Cameron Diaz), a former attorney who retired to care for Kate. She swears to her husband Brian (quietly strong Jason Patric), "I'm not going to let her (Kate) die!"

Sara slaps Anna, when she receives the court summons. Enraged Sara confronts Alexander (Baldwin) in his office, confessing that he is good and almost had her believing that he cared about Anna. In utter solace Alexander admits, "Funny? I was about to say the same thing to you." Baldwin is so powerful. His Alexander illuminates the heartbreaking question: We know that Sara would die for Kate, but does she also love Anna, the daughter they had entirely to save her sister? Abigail Breslin is stellar in both her heartbreak and joy. Cassavetes paints a wonderful scene as fireman Brian watches Anna spend dinner with the other firemen at his station. It is the only time she really gets to be an 11 year-old girl, and not her sister's keeper. Brian says to Sara, "What if she doesn't want to do it?" For Sara that is not an answer. Here Diaz is painfully human as a mother outraged by the unfairness of life. She will not let go, even if costs her the love of one daughter.

To that end Cassavetes has the electrifying Joan Cusack as Judge De Salvo, who hears Anna's case. Turns out this is her first case since suffering a nervous breakdown following the death of her 13 year-old daughter in a hit-and-run accident. In her meeting in chambers with Anna, Anna asks De Salvo, "What did it feel like when she died?" Cusack is shockingly and powerfully silent for a minute as a tear runs down her cheek. Anna apologizes for asking. Cusack says, "Death is death." That is counterpoint to Sara. Finally, Sara's sister Kelly (beautiful and strong Heather Wahlquist) implores Sara, "You gotta let go…"

There is a surprise in "My Sister's Keeper", though in retrospect it makes a lot of sense. In the dramatic court scene brother Jesse (surprisingly strong Evan Ellingson) screams to Anna, "Tell them the truth!" But it is the quiet moments that moved, and had me in tears. Suffering Kate confesses to Anna, "I'm sorry I let them hurt you… I was supposed to protect you." Vassilleva as Kate is amazing in scene with Diaz, as she tells her Mom, "It's okay." Life goes on. Death is death. And you gotta let go. Nick Cassavetes's "My Sister's Keeper" is beautiful and moving in its simplicity as the story celebrates life, family, and power of love. See "My Sister's Keeper".