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 | independence | overprotective mother | lesbian | 

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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:

Aprendiendo a vivir

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, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$27,797,271, 20 June 1999

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

Harvey Miller's last film appearance. The film is dedicated to him.

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Goofs

During Carla and Daniel's wedding, the knot in Daniel's tie is inconsistent. Some shots it's entirely red, other times it's red and black.

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Quotes

Daniel McMann: I love you every minute. I love you more than band music and cookie-making.

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Connections

References The Brady Bunch (1969)

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Soundtracks

When You Say Nothing At All
Written by Paul Overstreet, Don Schlitz
Performed by Alison Krauss

User Reviews

Are you people serious?

Touchstone pictures must be really working overtime to retroactively promote this movie if all these glowing reviews are any indication.

This movie is awful. Every instinct that the filmmakers followed was woefully misguided. Characters are introduced, then forgotten about, Diane Keaton improvises horribly in every one of her scenes, the music is scattershot and wholly inappropriate (The Animal Song? Equating retarded people with animals!?!), and far from last and far from least - the condescending manner in which it deals with disabled people.

I've seen this film six times, out of perverse fascination. Anyone who truly, TRULY believes this is a good film is simply perverse.