In Her Shoes

Herald rating: * * *

Let's not beat around the bush; this is a chick flick based on chick lit. It will have you laughing one minute and, depending on your day, crying the next.

Best to take along a tissue or your mother. It is also a good idea to wear comfortable clothing, as director Curtis Hanson (LA Confidential) has unnecessarily dragged out this drama over the two-hour mark.

Based on the novel by Jennifer Weiner, In Her Shoes is the story of two sisters who have nothing in common except their shoe size. Rose (Collette) is a responsible, ambitious lawyer who lives to work.

Her sister, the gorgeous and irresponsible Maggie (Diaz), struggles to hold down a job, and loves a good time - preferably one paid for by someone else.

When Maggie is kicked out of home by her stepmother, she makes herself at home at her sister's apartment, but when Maggie starts helping herself to more than just Rose's fabulous shoe collection Rose gives her the boot.

Destitute, Maggie goes in search of her maternal grandmother Ella, who she always believed was dead but discovers is alive and well in a Florida retirement village.

In among the rather contrived analogies involving shoes are genuine heartfelt and moving moments women of all ages will relate to.

While In Her Shoes is essentially the story of these two young women finding their place in the world and coming to terms with their individual complexes, it is also the story of Ella's reconciliation with her estranged family, which reinforces the film's overly worthy message about the importance of family, no matter what your age.

Collette steals the show with her gutsy and vulnerable performance as Rose, and her unravelling is much more realistic than Diaz's comedic performance as Maggie.

Time is somewhat confused throughout the film, and sentimentality is rife, but there is something sweet and special about In Her Shoes. It grabs you and keeps you in that seat for longer than it should.

CAST: Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette, Shirley MacLaine
DIRECTOR: Curtis Hanson
RUNNING TIME: 130 minutes
RATING: M, sexual references
SCREENING: Hoyts, Village, Berkeley and Rialto Cinemas