Reel Critics

Ray Buffer

The film version of Rebecca Wells’ 1996 novel, “Divine Secrets of the

Ya-Ya Sisterhood” and the 1999 book “Little Altars Everywhere” directed

by first-time director Callie Khouri (who won a 1991 Oscar for her

screenplay, “Thelma & Louise” and was the screenwriter of 1995s

“Something To Talk About”) succeeds in its mission. What that mission is,

may be up for debate.

The film’s crew and creative team are comprised of all women according

to its production company name. So saying that this is a “chick flick”

would be an understatement.

Sandra Bullock plays Sidda, a two-dimensional woman who

chronologically should be 50-plus years of age but appears 35. Sidda has

written a play about her troubled childhood, publicized through an

interview taken out of context for Time Magazine. The article infuriates

her mother.

The “Ya Ya” sisterhood comprised of Sidda’s mother and her mother’s

lifelong friends, concoct a plot to bring Sidda home to Louisiana and

explain to her the “Divine Secret” of why Sidda’s childhood was made so

difficult.

Though at times contrived and emotionally manipulating, the story

seeks to show how reflecting and revealing the dramatic past can

transform the present to a happier one.

Comprising the remainder of the cast are Ellen Burstyn, Fionnula

Flanagan, Shirley Knight, Maggie Smith, Ashley Judd, Angus MacFadyen and

James Garner. All the performers are fabulous during their nearly-equal

screen time. The two Europeans, Smith and Flanagan, fit expertly into

their southern drawls, and Smith in particular is both visually and

verbally hilarious in her understated performance.

The story, penned for the screen by the director herself and

screenwriter Mark Andrus (“Life As a House”, “As Good As It Gets”), has

more holes than a colander hit by meteorites, but that is the price of

taking a character driven novel and subtracting the narrative. Overly

wrought drama serves to distract from these holes, but occasionally the

attempts to elicit emotion from the audience can be recognized, which

makes them patronizing. Many times throughout the film the script is

crisp and clever and the performances are hilarious.

Khouri succeeds in portraying the vast timeline of events ranging from

the childhood of Sidda’s mother to the present day, seamlessly and

realistically. Khouri also succeeds in displaying the soul of the film by

showing that women can succeed in being lifelong friends and the support

of true, unconditional friendship -- without ulterior motives -- can buoy

and complete a life.

The strategy of releasing this film during a flurry of blockbusters

aimed at teenage boys may be divine indeed. See this movie with mom, your

sister, a group of your own Ya Yas or anyone with whom you share a close

bond.

* RAY BUFFER, 32, is a professional singer, actor and voice-over

artist.