THE OTHER SISTER

 

FOUR STARS - Inspiring

 

 

       When we saw “The Other Sister,” we were touched by its wonderful message of love and acceptance.   Though some have claimed the film is predictable and depends upon stereotypes rather than character development, we disagree.  “The Other Sister” uses the relationship of two mentally impaired young people to help us understand the primacy of love and the necessity of accepting each of us in our own impairments.

       The story centers primarily on Carla (Juliette Lewis), the youngest of three daughters of Radley (Tom Skerritt) and Elizabeth Tate (Diane Keaton).  Carla is a mentally handicapped young woman who returns to her family home after having spent her high school years in a special boarding school for mentally impaired young people.

       Though Carla is the focal point of the film, “The Other Sister” weaves together a realistic pattern of family interactions in which every member brings their own unique impairment to the system.  It soon becomes clear that though Carla’s disability is obvious, each of the family members is equally in need of love and acceptance in spite of their own disabilities.  It is Carla’s finding her way that creates the opportunity for others to do so as well.

       Carla’s mother, Elizabeth, is a socially striving, controlling woman who both disapproves of and smothers her daughters at the same time.  Though she repels her daughters by her behavior, it becomes clear that these behaviors mask her own feelings of inadequacy.

       In a revelatory moment, Elizabeth expresses her fear to her husband by explaining that she is not only judged for how well she is doing with her life, but how well her children are doing with their lives.   This struggle to succeed, both as a person and as a parent, has created a neurotic need within Elizabeth to push her own plans upon her husband and daughters.

       Her husband Radley is a recovering alcoholic.  Early in the film, he is shown leaving the family table and turning to take a drink in order to avoid facing both the misbehavior and the cause of that outburst in young Carla.  In the drunken stupor of those evening hours, Elizabeth bullies him into signing the paper for Carla’s enrollment in the special boarding school.

       Carla’s sisters, Caroline (Poppy Montgomery) and Heather (Sarah Paulson), are both reacting to their mother’s over-control and their father’s absence.  Caroline is a lesbian workaholic and Heather is an emotional underachiever.  Both are in need of love and acceptance despite their impairments.

       Finding her way back into the family after years away in the school is not easy for Carla.  Having been taught to seek a responsible and independent life, Carla decides to go to a technical school to learn the skills necessary for getting a job.  What she finds as well is a soul mate.

       Daniel McMann (Giovanni Ribisi) is also mentally impaired, but, due in part to his parents struggle with each other in their divorce, Danny has been put out on his own, living in an apartment complex under the watchful eye of the manager, Ernie (Hector Elizondo).

       When Daniel and Carla meet, their attraction is due in part to their mutual understanding of what life is like having to endure the insensitive laughter and ridicule of others.  But this initial bond soon expands as they experience not only a friendly companionship but a physical attraction for one another.

       Although she has been taught the mechanics of sex, Carla has not been told the sacred nature of her sexuality and is simply taught by her school that people who are in love “do it.”  The lack of moral teaching for Daniel and Carla becomes a cause for great embarrassment and disappointment for her when she becomes intimate with Daniel only to be exposed by him publicly.  Though Daniel does not understand what he has done, this betrayal of her privacy and her resulting anger thrust them apart.

       But once lost, both Daniel and Carla realize that they must not only accept one another, but also forgive one another for their shortcomings.  This becomes the catalyst for the entire Tate family to begin to face their denial and disappointments and begin to accept each other as well. 

       In a moving scene in which her mother does not want to accept Carla’s desire to marry Daniel, Carla makes it clear that she cannot do many things, but she can love and, though Daniel can’t take care of her, they can take care of each other. 

       This is a message worthy of our consideration.  Though we may not want to admit it, all of us are impaired and in need of love.  That love is found when we accept one another just as we are and commit ourselves to take care of each other.

 

792 Words

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