"In Her Shoes" is a perfect fit

The crisp and cool season of fall has swiftly hit the D.C. area, but some aspects of summer still exist. A super-sappy chick flick hit the box offices on Oct. 7, rekindling the carefree and romantic atmosphere of summer. Starring Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette, "In Her Shoes" is a heartfelt, amusing movie one should see with all their girlfriends.

Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette play two polar opposite sisters (Maggie and Rose, respectively) trying to live separate lives. Diaz is a spontaneous and outgoing girl whose dyslexia prevents her from becoming an MTV VJ, her dream career. To make a living she seduces men for cash and mooches off other people. Collette is a lawyer who works ad nauseam so she can avoid her nonexistent social life. When Diaz cannot find a place to stay she moves in with her sister whose immaculate house she quickly wrecks. Collette finally boots Diaz out when she breaks a pair of Collette's favorite shoes and gets caught sleeping with one of Collette's coworkers.

With no place to live, Diaz ventures to Miami where her grandmother lives. While apart, Diaz and Collette begin to collect themselves and establish stable lifestyles. Diaz stops stealing and sleeping around and finds an honest job assisting the elderly in a nursing home. Collette, on the other hand, finally falls in love and gets engaged. However, each sister feels like something is missing from their new lives, each other.

Both Diaz and Collette surprise the audience with very convincing and eloquent performances. Though the overall plot is meant to make the audience laugh rather than reflect on their own their relationships, Diaz and Collette are able to demonstrate a more serious side to the otherwise comedic chick flick. Without taking away from the humorous aspect of the movie, the duo reveal the underlying issues that trigger their different situations, portraying a loving and complex sisterly relationship. Growing up in a dysfunctional environment as kids set these two apart from the generic chick-flick. And with the help of their icon grandmother, Shirley MacLaine, the road to forgiveness seems plausible.

Although the trailers for "In Her Shoes" advertised a movie full of femininity, tawdriness and predictability, it is also a wonderful film about sisterhood, relationships, love and life.

"In Her Shoes" (130 minutes) is rated PG-13 for thematic material, language and some sexual content.