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The Other Sister (1999) More at IMDbPro »

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161 comments in total

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18 out of 22 people found the following comment useful :-
Outstanding!!!, 24 September 2006

Author: hickoryou812 from United States

AS a brother of an mentally challenged sister, this movie captures my heart. The innocence and honesty the movie presents through out the film is outstanding. I have been to many functions involving mentally challenged kids and adults from Christmas parties to the Special Olympics. As a volunteer at these events I can speak from experience, that the true feelings were caught in this movie. If you ever lose the Christmas spirit, go to a Christmas event for the mentally challenged. You'll find it there and what the true meaning of the holiday spirit really is. The anticipation of Santa popping through the curtains, just to see his face. The gifts are secondary. The Special Olympics are a true test of the will to compete..NOT WIN. Everybody is a winner at these Olympics. It is the most evened playing field in all of sports. In ability and in the true manner and meaning of what sportsmanship really is.

The Other sister captures the very true to the core daily lives of mentally challenged individuals. From the emotional outbreaks to the highest of enjoyment of a special moment, to the acceptance by others, to the point of "yes i can if you give me a chance Mother". My sister is living on her own with a roommate and works at Opportunity Enterprises for a living. Leading not only a very normal life, but a far productive environment that wasn't available many years ago. They see things in an honest way. The very things we complain about daily are the same things they wish to be given a chance to have. The portrayal of both Daniel and Carla is just tremendous acting. You just don't throw that together and say cut and print and release this movie. Dustin Hoffman studied for over a year for rain man with savant families. Producers were'nt sure that movie would ever be made because of the tender care Dustin Hoffman had to portray. The Other Sister is a tremendous movie about all the true features that mentally challenged people face and strive for in every day life. We should watch and learn from them. They see life for what it is, things we have forgotten in our material world. Kudos Gary Marshal for this wonderful film. I remember those times, and look forward to the continuing journey.

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14 out of 17 people found the following comment useful :-
An Excellent, must see movie of love and overcoming adversity., 13 July 2005

Author: marcleroux from United Kingdom

Juliet Lewis shines as 'Carla', a 'backwards' girl returning from special school, who is determined to make her own way in the world. She meets the similarly unique Danny (Ribisi).

The two soon fall in love, and face a life of difficulty and adversity, both from the 'outside' world because of the way they are, and between one another.

Lewis is magnificent and convincing, portraying both a young woman in love facing life, and a woman with learning difficulties. Ribisi is just as magnificent as the sensitive Danny.

Their innocence and forthright honesty on the one hand, will both shock you and disarm you, while the normality of these 'abnormal' people will truly make you rethink your attitude towards those who are not 'like us'.

I use inverted commas because, with this movie, nothing is certain, and old prejudice is challenged and overcome, as these two beautiful people overcome their adversities.

This movie will make you laugh, cry, and cheer. It is a romantic comedy par excellence. Even those who dislike most 'Rom-coms' will love this movie.

Buy it or rent it, but either way see this movie, it will change you deeply.

10 out of 10

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11 out of 16 people found the following comment useful :-
The Other Sister was definitely a hit, 16 November 2006

Author: (chelenablount@yahoo.com) from United States

This movie was excellent. The family was well portrayed; from the beginning with the father not wanting to admit his daughter had a disability, to the mother dealing with the guilt of putting her daughter away by trying to make up for it almost a decade later.

Excellent cast (Lewis, Ribisi, Keaton, Skerritt, etc.) and I loved how the disabled characters were believable. Sometimes movies depicting the disabled are no more than an insult. Lewis and Ribisi were incredibly believable in their roles, actually I had never seen Ribisi in a role previous to this one and - I have to be honest - I really did not think he was 'acting'. I thought the casting director had found someone disabled to fill the role. Once I found out the truth, I thought Ribisi should have been nominated for an Oscar!

For the person who complained about the other story lines going on in the movie; a movie has to be multi-faceted, otherwise it can become boring. And I don't think the other story lines were too indulgent, they added flavor.

And a mother that has a child whom she believes she has failed in the past yes, she will be a basket case and indecisive with every step she takes. That's what mothers do...it's the norm.

Another great movie that was obviously overlooked by Hollywood. (So what else is new?)

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13 out of 20 people found the following comment useful :-
A feel good film, which I couldn't help but enjoy..., 21 February 1999

Author: Rick Brien (rbrien@home.com) from Calgary, Alberta: Canada

I just saw an advance preview screening of this film and must say I really enjoyed it. It is one of those films that critics will say is too much like a tv movie or sitcom material...but you can't help but fall in love with the characters and care about the situations they are put in. The performances are all around sincere and thoughtful. Regardless of what the critics might say...I felt that this movie truly took me into the lives of these people and made me feel for them, and that is what I go to the movies for...

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6 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
A touching movie, 3 March 1999

Author: SoulRdee from Coral Springs, Florida

There are films out there that do not touch people and are just the high action films of the summer. This movie was not a summer film, because "The Other Sister" was a movie to be reckoned with. Many times I have gone to the theater (5x movies a week) and never seen such a movie as this one. I saw an advanced screening of the movie and I also got to see it last weekend. I am absolutely gonna see it this weekend too. It is just a heart warming story that got to me by a lot and has changed my life. I recommend this movie to everybody who knows how love is.

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7 out of 10 people found the following comment useful :-
The best movie I've seen in years., 22 March 1999

Author: anonymous

I am an avid movie fan. I see one-two movies per week and this is the best one I've seen in a really long time. Juliette Lewis and Giovanni Ribisi both put in fabulous performances, as did Diane Keaton.

I laughed, cried and waited in anticipation for the next scene. As a mother, I struggled right along with Diane Keaton as to what was really best for her daughter. I saw this movie with my fourteen year old daughter, who was also touched by the portrayals.

Rarely do I pay full price to see a movie again, but I know I will be taking other people to see this movie. The first being my older daughter who is also striving to gain her independence, but still remain connected to her family.

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4 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Wonderful, 2 March 1999

Author: grnfroge from El Paso,TX

The Other Sister was made in a wonderful way to learn about life of young love for the disabled or not. At first the trailer made me want to see the movie as soon as it opened at the movie theaters. I was not sure why the title was called "The Other Sister" until I read a review. I loved how all the characters meant to one another. The comedy and the tear-jerking made me understand how it is in life. The acting is performed greatly and I hope it will be mentioned in the year 2000 award nominations and winners.

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5 out of 8 people found the following comment useful :-
wow!!!!, 10 February 2003

Author: Jerrod Sutherland (thejokeriswild@hotmail.com) from Canada

I thought this was a very beautiful and touching film... I can't remember the last time a movie stirred up so many emotions in me all at the same time as this one did. And you know what? I really couldn't care less if this movie portrayed these type of people the "right" way or not (this *is* a fictional piece of work after all) because I saw the ideology behind the movie instead of just the movie itself.

What I took away with me from this film is that you shouldn't care about what anyone thinks about you, not your mom or your dad or your friends and relatives either, that you should just try and live for the things that you love and enjoy. The way that these two questioned almost everything that was happening to them and listened to their feelings more than their minds made me feel a lot better about the way I think and the way I feel. I love how they aren't burdened by the way they are, they just simply accept it, and I find that beautiful, absolutely uplifting! I've never seen a movie that made me laugh and cry at the same time as many times as this masterpiece did. "Don't be afraid to feel" would be the perfect tagline for this underrated film. Solid story, solid actors.

My favourite line of the whole movie? When Carla tells her mom "We can take care of each other!" Talk about tears! I'm definitely going to try to find this movie and buy it the next time I'm out and about.

By the way, in case you were curious, this was just written by a 24 year old straight male. (I'm not afraid of showing my "feminine side", whatever that means.)

Grade: A+

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2 out of 3 people found the following comment useful :-
Confidentally Loved, 19 November 2008

Author: odysseyinoregon from Lincoln County, Oregon

This Movie admired me of my blessings and burden and it challenges many Young and Older People with Disabilities, take refuge of my life. The Character Carla in this movie (Played by Juliette Lewis) did challenge my life and it encourage me. I remember last year, I asked a Mental Impaired Girl who I meet at a Christmas Dance at a Local Church did experience my life. It shows me that "What Love is ?" I really did enjoy watching this movie back in 2004 and know I have this on copied on DVD from Encore Channel.

I push my words out like Daniel did in the whole scenes, when I was watching the movie ? Because, Iam different like he is. I try to find a good girl to love. But words make Women with Disabilities get emotionally confuzed in Reality.

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6 out of 11 people found the following comment useful :-
great movie, 30 September 2001
Author: chris from USA

okay this was a great movie, great acting, great story ... my dad even cried during this movie .. sure my mother cried like always during movies .. but my dad come on.. give this movie a 10 imdb under rated this

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