The Other Sister (1999)

A mentally challenged young woman seeks independence by obtaining her own apartment and attending college while her family plans her sister's wedding.

Director:

Garry Marshall

Writers:

Alexandra Rose (story), Blair Richwood (story)

Stars:

Juliette Lewis, Diane Keaton, Giovanni Ribisi

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Juliette Lewis	...	Carla Tate
Diane Keaton	...	Elizabeth Tate
Tom Skerritt	...	Radley Tate
Giovanni Ribisi	...	Danny
Poppy Montgomery	...	Caroline Tate
Sarah Paulson	...	Heather Tate
Linda Thorson	...	Drew
Joe Flanigan	...	Jeff
Juliet Mills	...	Winnie
Tracy Reiner	...	Michelle
Hope Alexander-Willis	...	Marge
Harvey Miller	...	Dr. Johnson
Hector Elizondo	...	Ernie
Almayvonne	...	Rachel - Tech School (as Alma Yvonne)
Marvin Braverman	...	Uncle Sam Teacher - Tech School

Storyline

When Carla Tate, now a young woman, is 'graduated' out of the training school where she has resided for many years because she is mentally challenged, her hope is that she will be accepted for all that she can now do for herself. But Carla's family is wealthy which permits her mother, already blinded to her daughter's rather high-functioning abilities, to try and provide for Carla beyond her needs or desires, bringing forth the inevitable confrontations... for what Carla may lack in mental ability she certainly makes up for in her insistence on being independent, even to living in her own apartment. But if this isn't enough, into the mix comes a young man, equally challenged mentally, who moves Carla beyond anyone's control...

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Plot Keywords:

apartment | wedding | overprotective mother | mentally challenged man | mentally challenged woman | 

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Taglines:

A Romantic Comedy About Letting Go!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements involving sex related material

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 February 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Other Sister

Filming Locations:

All Saint's Episcopal Church - 132 N. Euclid Avenue, Pasadena, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,624,445, 28 February 1999

Gross USA:

$27,807,627

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$27,807,627

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mandeville Films, Touchstone Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

129 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Despite the fact that this was filmed in Super 35, "Filmed in Panavision" is listed in the end credits.

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Goofs

When Carla and her mother are having the sex talk in the park, Juliette Lewis starts to talk very loudly and Diane Keaton looks directly at the camera while trying to quiet her.

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Quotes

Carla Tate: I wonder who thought up sex in the first place, Danny?
Daniel McMann: I-I think it was Madonna, actually.

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Connections

References Ishtar (1987)

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Soundtracks

If You're Happy and You Know It
Traditional

User Reviews

The Other Sister was definitely a hit

This movie was excellent. The family was well portrayed; from the beginning with the father not wanting to admit his daughter had a disability, to the mother dealing with the guilt of putting her daughter away by trying to make up for it almost a decade later.

Excellent cast (Lewis, Ribisi, Keaton, Skerritt, etc.) and I loved how the disabled characters were believable. Sometimes movies depicting the disabled are no more than an insult. Lewis and Ribisi were incredibly believable in their roles, actually I had never seen Ribisi in a role previous to this one and - I have to be honest - I really did not think he was 'acting'. I thought the casting director had found someone disabled to fill the role. Once I found out the truth, I thought Ribisi should have been nominated for an Oscar!

For the person who complained about the other story lines going on in the movie; a movie has to be multi-faceted, otherwise it can become boring. And I don't think the other story lines were too indulgent, they added flavor.

And a mother that has a child whom she believes she has failed in the past yes, she will be a basket case and indecisive with every step she takes. That's what mothers do...it's the norm.

Another great movie that was obviously overlooked by Hollywood. (So what else is new?)