Rating: 
Summary: Let's Hear It For The Girls!
Review: I read "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" several years ago when it first came out. I found it ok, not great, and was surprised that it became such a phenomenal best-seller. However, I just had to see the movie and have to say I think the movie actually improved on the book. Ashley Judd was the stand-out performer in her role as the young adult Vivi. She expressed all the pent-up frustration, the emptiness, and the loneliness that led Vivi to her breakdown. Ellen Burstyn was also memorable as the older and often ditzy Vivi. The other Ya-Yas (Fionnula Flannagan, Maggie Smith, and Shirley Knight) were all endearing though it took a large suspension of belief to accept Maggie Smith as a Southern belle. They showed the unconditional love that binds women and had many humorous moments that lifted the film from its otherwise heavy message.The movie opens with one of its most pricless scenes---the young Ya-Yas beginning their secret society--- and keeps that richly textured friendship in evidence throughout the entire film. It closes with another potentially rich scene which doesn't quite become the tear-jerker I expected it to be, but does tie up the Vivi/Sidalee relationship quite nicely. This is a definite chick flick to see with your girlfriends or adult daughters. Leave the guys at home lest they be horrified to see what a minor role James Garner, the once mighty Rockford, has been relegated to.
Rating: 
Summary: Pure Chick Flick but good!
Review: It's simple, in one line; it's a pure chick movie. I slept through it despite Sandra Bullock is the lead! I had to drink a strong espresso to watch it again. The movie is based on the Rebecca Wells's bestseller and as it is most of the time, the movie doesn't do justice to the book. Ladies will love the movie as they did the book. It's a warm well told story, it has tremendous feel and is well acted and well written. This all-star cast left little doubt that this was going to be a good movie. It was a matter of how well first time director Callie Khouri would be able to blend this ensemble of great actors. Usually one would out shine the other, but balance was gotten and result was fantastic; if you love this kind or drama. Drama, did I write, I'm not sure about that. Some might say a romantic comedy! Sandra plays a successful playwright still having to deal with an over powering and manipulative mother. Her mother's Ya-Ya friends (the sisterhood), drug and kidnap her in an attempt to reunited daughter with mother. If any of us did that we would be facing jail time! Guys, if you need a night to make good for a bad week, rent it and show your soft, sensitive side. Just remember to drink a strong espresso; then again you might want to make that a double!
Rating:
Summary: Moving Movie
Review: I was prepared to laugh when I rented this movie. I wasn't prepared to cry. Ashley Judd's acting was superior. She portrayed the mother of Sandra Bullock's character in the earlier years. I could truly feel the pain of her story and that of Sandra's character. I did laugh, out loud and often. I cried the same way. This is a wonderful movie about families, friendships, and all the ways we live dysfunctionally.
Rating:
Summary: Surprisingly not too bad
Review: Summary:
Siddalee 'Sidda' Walker (Sandra Bullock) is a successful playwright in New York whose mother, Viviane 'Vivi' Abbott Walker (Ellen Burstyn - older; Ashley Judd - younger), has left some very deep, emotional scars on her. When Sidda happens to reveal some of these emotional scars to a Time magazine correspondent who later publishes them, Vivi is deeply offended and cuts off contact with her daughter. It then becomes the responsiblity of Vivi's group of friends, the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (Shirley Knight, Maggie Smith, Fionnula Flanagan), to intervene and bring Sidda and Vivi back together before Sidda's wedding to Connor McGill (Angus MacFadyen). In order to bring the two back together, the Ya-Yas (as they call themselves) go to New York, kidnap Sidda, and bring her back to Louisiana. They then keep her quasi locked up while she is forced to experience the history of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood through their record book. Along with the pictures in the book, the Ya-Yas tell her stories, leading up to the climactic story of when Vivi had a nervous breakdown, nearly killed her kids, including Sidda and her siblings, and ultimately ended up in a mental hospital. Apparently Siddha was unaware of a lot of what was going on and, as a result, has held deep seated resentments toward her mother for a long time. Eventually Siddha and Vivi are able to come to grips with what has happened. Siddha realizes that her mother wasn't perfect and Vivi admits to not being perfect. Having found some resolution to the emotional turmoil that has upset them for so long they are finally able to let the past go and love each other once again. My Comments:
I went into this movie thinking that it was going to be a 'chick-flick' that I wasn't going to like. I came out regretting my initial sentiments. The story itself is really pretty simple. The hardest part, perhaps, is just making sure that all of the flashbacks fit into the present. There are a few places where things don't make a lot of sense and some additional information would have been useful, like, for instance, more information on Vivi's family - Why her mother hated her and why her father loved her so much? It also would have been nice to have more information on why Vivi ended up marrying Shepherd 'Shep' Walker (James Garner - older; David Lee Smith - younger). Without really understanding the backstory to Vivi it is a bit hard to understand why she had the nervous breakdown, but I don't know that you can ever fully explain why someone had one - you can just start to come to grips with the fact that it happened and the ramifications of it. So, despite not having all of the information I would have liked to Vivi's backstory, the story was pretty good. The only other thing I think I should mention is that it would also have been nice to see how this blow-up between Siddha and Vivi affected Siddha's siblings. Even though she was the oldest, they were all probably old enough to remember at least some of the things that happened (this may be addressed in the book). As for the acting, I was very impressed. I've never really thought Sandra Bullock was a great actress. So, when I saw that she was the main character in this film, or at least, was supposed to be, I was a bit worried. Well, she was okay, but she really isn't the actress to watch. Ashley Judd is the one who really has to push the limits of her acting ability and she does a great job. I think Ashley Judd has a lot of talent and was a very convincing younger Vivi, including the time during the emotional breakdown. The older Ya-Yas were also very good. Whenever they were on screen they pretty much stole the show from everyone else which, again, I can't say I minded because I'm not a huge fan of Sandra Bullock. The one person who I wish would have had more screen time but did great with what he had was James Garner, who truly did a great job of playing the role of a saintly husband who put up with a lot. Overall, I surprised myself by finding ways to relate with this film. I would suspect that pretty much every child holds some resentments towards their parents. I know this is a bit Freudian, but those feelings can later emerge as relevant to people's attitudes towards their parents and life in general. I think this movie (which is based on a book) does a great job of dealing with those issues and illustrating how devastating they really can be. I highly doubt that any parent can prevent their kids from having issues with them, but this does give a good example of how those issues can be addressed at a later point, when both are adults and able to better understand how one's actions affected the other. Maybe I'm reading too much into the movie and all of this psycho-babble Freudian analysis isn't really there, but I think it is. Anyway, it is a movie that tugs on the heart strings, but I think most people can relate to the reasons why. Because of that I would recommend this movie for pretty much anyone that has a mother, which means everyone (whether you know who she is/was or not).
Rating:
Summary: Touchy-Feely Film More Popular With Women Than Men
Review: The 2002 film "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" is based upon the similarly titled novel written by Rebecca Wells. Directed by Callie Khouri, the film focuses primarily upon the troubled relationship of Viviane Abbott 'Vivi' Walker (Ellen Burstyn) and her daughter Siddalee 'Sidda' Walker (Sandra Bullock). Having grown up in Louisiana, Sidda moved to New York City where she is a successful playwright. An interview that Sidda gives to a magazine includes descriptions of her troubled Louisiana childhood that infuriates her mother. In an attempt to reconcile mother and daughter, Vivi's three lifelong friends decide to intervene: Teensy Melissa Whitman (Fionnula Flanagan), Caro Eliza Bennett (Maggie Smith) and Necie Rose Kelleher (Shirley Knight). Unknown to Vivi, they kidnap Sidda and return her to Louisiana where they explain Vivi's troubled past through a scrapbook containing the secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. The four created the sisterhood when they were children, but continued it into adulthood. Hence, the film is filled with copious flashbacks to the foursome's childhoods in Louisiana during the Great Depression, events that occurred during World War II and events that occurred in the 1950's. As young adults, the four friends are played by Ashley Judd (Vivi), Jacqueline McKenzie (Teensy), Katy Selverstone (Caro) and Kiersten Warren (Necie). Sidda as a child in the 1950's is played by Allison Bertolino. (As children during the Great Depression, the four friends are played by four child actresses.) As the above description demonstrates, the film focuses primarily upon female characters and was intended to appeal to female viewers more than male viewers. The few male characters (all rather minor in the story) are Sidda's fiancée Connor McGill (Angus MacFadyen), her father Shepherd 'Shep' Walker (James Garner in the present and David Lee Smith in the 1950's), and Jack (Matthew Settle). The many flashbacks to the past in the film are edited well with the events that occur in the present, but the film's portrayal of mental illness could have been better. The film could also have had much better male character development, especially with Shep, who comes across as being nothing more than a completely henpecked and domineered husband. Overall, I rate "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" with 4 out of 5 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Better than I expected
Review: To tell you the truth I wasn't all that excited to see the film, just excited to have a girl's night out. I was pleasantly surprized. Sandra Bullock was wearing makeup in a movie for a change and did a better acting job than usual. Ashley Judd, who I didnt' even realize was in the film, gave an Oscar-worthy performance (though I doubt she'll be recognized for it). I've always thought she was beautiful but never considered her a fantastic actress until now. Magie Smith is wonderful, as usual and all of the other old ladies are do a fantastic job. It was nice to have a movie about women that doesn't focus entirely on the joys of youth, maturity has it's advantages. The man who plays Bullock's fiancee made me swoon, so handsome, charming and that great Irish accent. The southern accents in the movie are fun and the southern landscapes are breathtaking. Definitely a chick flick and good for men who want to understand more of the complexities of women. Be prepared to cry and to think a lot about your relationship with your mother. I actually managed to get my husband to sit thru this one when it came out on DVD, which is a real feat.
3 1/2 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Grab your Girlfriends, Some Popcorn and an Umbrella'd Drink
Review: I was surprised to see all the mediocre reviews for this movie. I very much enjoyed this tale from start to finish. It rang so clear on so many levels.... Separately and at the same time a tour de force about friendship, love, motherhood, secrets, the power of emotions and broken hearts and the unspoken and truth. Ashley Judd and Ellen Burstyn both play their role(s) commandingly well. James Garner also stands out as the understated Shep. There were certain questions I had, like "Where are the other three children, all grown up?" but in a two hour movie sometimes pieces aren't all explained. I loved seeing The South as another character and the relationships between Vivi and all the people around her... from early childhood until we see her birthday party so many years later. I watched this with my 12-year-old daughter and was a bit concerned about the "expressive" language (read a plethora of four letter words and I don't mean "love" although that is said, too, as is fear). Probably the most appropriate scene using bad language was between Vivi and Teensie during a "chicken-esque" car scene.... I said to my daughter, "Ya know? You've got to be really good friends to be able to talk to each other that way." My daughter's response: "Yup, and to know you really don't mean it." I would have liked to see a bit of a tighter performance from Sandra Bullock but with such a great group of actresses surrounding her... it would have been tough for anyone. I highly recommend this one, especially for a "girl's night out" or "mother-daughter night."
Rating:
Summary: Good, surprisingly touching.
Review: 'The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood', the novel, is a good, NOT GREAT, example of modern fiction. It is warm, touching, funny, involving and well-conceived, but conversely, it is prissy, cloying and overly sentimental at times. 'The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood', the movie, shares all of these traits with its best-selling inspiration. It too is warm, touching, funny, and involving, but, like the book, has more than its fair share of incongrous emotions and oftentimes silly plot twists that prevent it from being a True Classic. Starring Sandra Bullock and Ellen Burstyn (in a wonderful return-to-form, one of the best things in this picture) as Siddalee and Vivianne Walker, 'The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood' tells the story of how the Ya-Yas, Vivi's lifelong friends, heal rifts between mother and daughter, daughter and fiancee, and in doing so, lead to a greater, deeper level of understanding between all parties involved. The movie has many, many good points. The contrast between Sidda's hectic, neurotic city-girl chic and the Ya-Ya's slower-paced, yet nonetheless as complex, lifestyles, is nicely executed, and Bullock once again proves herself to be a decent actress who, while she may not yet have found her niche, is well on her way to becoming a true talent. Burstyn is glorious as the mentally challenging Vivi, and her pals, Ya-Ya'd to near-perfection by Fionnula Flanagan, Shirley Knight and Maggie Smith, all gel well as an ensemble, even if their individual performances lack the individualism of the novel's counterparts. The surprise of the picture is Ashley Judd as the young Vivi, she displays here an excellent understanding of the character and her portrayal of manic depression and alcoholism is as real as it is affecting. Sadly, the bad points of the movie come in the shape of some VERY unnessecary plot-tinkering (lovers of the book will know what I mean!) and the Oirish Occent so reprehensibly attempted by the mundane Angus McFayden as Conor McGill - I'm talking ear-bleedingly bad. Are there no Irish actors in Hollywood? Would it have been so terrible, in the wake of all the other movie changes, to make the character of Conor American? Grrr. Similarly out-of-place is the portrayal of Buggy Walker, Vivi's mother, a religious nut who doesn't come across as zealous at all, thereby robbing Vivi of much of her raison d'etre. This is a chick-flick, undemanding and sweet, and in places, excellent, but it's a shame that it could have been so much more, and is not. Recommended for rental.
Rating:
Summary: GOOD. 17th april 2004.
Review: It is a good film, and it is based on a girl who's mum never treated her with her best simpathy when she was younger. She is grown up now, and sidda meets her mum again after all that time. It keeps going back to when she was a child. I thought of it as been one of them films that it may not suit everyone.
Rating: 
Summary: Very Steel Magnolia-like
Review: The best chick flick since Steel Magnolias. I watched this with my mother-in-law and very much enjoyed it. It's very true-to-life in ways, how things are bad and we do whatever we can to protect the people we love from the mistakes we have made. But sometimes poeple are still hurt by this. It's a very fun movie, but bring your tissues, because you are sure to cry. Get the girls, get your daughters and watch this movie. There is something special about the bond between girl friends and this is a great example of what life-long friendship is all about. If you liked Steel Magnolia's you will love Ya-ya.
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