In Her Shoes (2005)

.........................................................from Pasto,Colombia...Via: L.A. CA., CALI, COLOMBIA...and ORLANDO, FL **** MAY Contain a Couple MINOR Spoilers **** Cameron Diaz amazes in this delightful little film. ALERT! For all men! "In Her Shoes" is the perfect movie to see with all the important women in your life: Wife or girlfriend(s), daughters, sisters, mother, mother- in-law, aunts, cousins, friends and grandmothers! You've got my 100% guarantee that all of them will love it! So you can please them all and treat yourself to some eye candy, too, because scenes abound with Cameron Diaz romping around in a scant bikini in this rather amusing and interesting story which interweaves a patchwork of unusual family ties.Diaz plays Maggie, the very attractive inveterate party-girl. Rose (Toni Collette), the successful workaholic lawyer, plays counterpoint to her sister, Maggie. When an industrial size faux pas, committed by Maggie, drives a Grand Canyon size wedge between these polar opposite siblings, Maggie tempestuously decides to cut ties with Rose and relocate to Miami in order to seek out her estranged grandmother (Shirley Maclaine) whom she has not seen since she was a little girl. The sisters take advantage of this forced hiatus in their relationship to achieve personal growth and self- improvement. Fate, as it so often does in real life, plays an important role both in the development of the story and in the lives of its characters.The nuanced on-screen chemistry between the three leading characters is exquisite! "SHOES" shows some rather original and interesting elements. Observing the artistic growth of Cameron Diaz over the years, I now consider her an exceptional actor. Here, Diaz fleshes out her character; converting each action and reaction into world-class natural! In one close-up, her face fills the entire screen,at a moment when Maggie is feeling extremely tired and stressed. She clearly projects a frail, aging fatigue at the precise real-time twilight of her youth! Not many Divas would lend themselves to such a scenario to improve a scene! 8.5* 8*…....ENJOY/DISFRUTELA! Any comments, questions or observations, in English o en Español, are most welcome! ....

In Her Shoes starts with, as many romantic comedy do, a quick love and a quick hurt to set the stage. However, this is not really about romance though it does contain some. It's about what it means to be connected, and what it entails. It's also about setting yourself free, and finding your path.We all, at some point, hit rock bottom, it helps us understand who we are, and in this movie, the main characters do just that.The story is well built, interesting, it doesn't follow too many of the usual path, and has enough novel ideas that it makes for a very solid scenario. The dialogs are real, interesting, and often enough funny. There's no downtime, there's always one more thing you want to know, and it ends on a very positive note that anybody can choose reflect upon.Cameron Diaz introduce her hot manipulative character with a bang, and slowly pulls us in to force us to get to know her better as she does herself. Toni Colette plays her usual self- effacing persona, while Shirley Maclaine hits her role as the grand-mother spot on.You'll easily be engrossed, see it.

This film is classified in several spots including the local video store as a romantic comedy which is absurd. There is very little comedy to this thorough drama and its a little dark to be considered a romantic film. Regardless it turns a terrific, must see film that has some powerful performances and some really great lessons on family, love, and life. It is sort of a coming of age story for a middle aged woman. While the film might seem like a women only kind of adventure there is absolutely redeemable qualities for any movie goer. Entertaining and powerful and moving and Cameron Diaz wearing next to nothing throughout the entire film, good enough guys? But movie going should almost exclusively be about entertainment and this one really knocks it out of the park. Actually I'm surprised it didn't get more awards than it did besides a pity Golden Globe nomination for Shirley MacLaine. The film goes from two sisters at great odds, to a woman finding herself to a granddaughter and grandmother renewing an age old relationship. The women in the film are strong and classy and the characters definitely multi-dimensional.I am the world's biggest Cameron Diaz fan but she really belts it out of the park in this film. She is brilliant as the free spirited and completely lost Maggie. I know she has the acting chops but sometimes it really gets buried in her less than desirable run of the mill roles she takes. I think the ensemble cast helps bring each other up in every way. Toni Collette is really terrific as the together sister Rose. Her character has amazing range in this film and she really finds her way throughout the film. She goes through some incredible emotions and experiences throughout the film and while Rose is a very awkward person you will learn to love her. Much like the film it is immediately easier to relate to Diaz but Collette wins you over. Shirley MacLaine plays the estranged Grandmother and she is good in her role. I didn't mean to imply earlier she wasn't but her performance isn't the best in the film by any means and she doesn't get a lot of really great scenes but certainly she raises the standard for the cast I am sure. The supporting cast truly shines in this film too. Francine Beers is truly terrific as the best friend of MacLaine's Ella. Jerry Adler, Richard Burgi, Candice Azzara, and Ken Howard are amazing in their individual roles no matter how small. They carry the film easily and support the lead cast amazingly. Mark Feuerstein is the romantic interest of Collette. The two of them have an awkward clumsy chemistry but it fits their characters.While I have never read the original novel I can only imagine that the film makers must have really captured the great aspects of the novel. Screenwriter Susannah Grant has loads of talent. This is the woman who penned enormous successes like Erin Brockovich, The Soloist (recently reviewed), 28 Days, Everafter (hey I liked it), and a writer for Party of Five. She has to be given kudos because she can handle comedy and drama like an expert. Same could be said for the talent of director Curtis Hanson. Granted I have never seen anything of his that I can rave about but he still has had a lot of experience with drama and talent. I think this is one of those rare films where everyone and everything is in the right place at the right time. Guys if you really want to impress your lady pick this one up and if you let yourself you'll truly enjoy the story and ladies if you need a movie for chick night you will find little else as good as this terrific drama! 8.5/10

Directed by Curtis Hanson, with a great script by Susannah Grant, "In Her Shoes" is the story of two sisters, a family secret, and an estranged grandmother. It stars Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette, Shirley MacLaine, Ken Howard, Richard Burgi, Mark Feuerstein, Norman Lloyd, Francine Beers, and Jerry Adler.The Feller sisters, Maggie and Rose, couldn't be more different. Maggie (Diaz) is a gorgeous, leggy blond who sleeps around, takes money from guys, and steals. Rose (Collette) is the frumpy brain, an attorney involved with a partner at the firm. Her big indulgence is incredible shoes, which she purchases when she needs to give herself a lift. When they were children, their mother died in a car accident, and their father (Howard) remarried.After a disastrous stay with Rose, Maggie, unwelcome by Rose and her stepmother, decides to move to New York to pursue a career as an actress, not letting her dyslexia and near illiteracy stand in her way. Then she finds dozens of cards from a grandmother (MacLaine) she never knew in Florida and decides to go there instead.This is a beautiful story of reconnection and learning who you are through different kinds of love - sisterly, grandmotherly, man-woman, as each sister takes a road that will lead her back to the another."In Her Shoes" is perfectly cast, from Diaz's flirtatious, vagabond Maggie, MacLaine's strong but heartbroken Ella, to Toni Collette's lonely, insecure Rose and a magnificent supporting cast, each of whom makes a lasting impression.An unforgettable, unapologetically sentimental story that'll have you reaching for Kleenex - the whole box.