SISTERHOOD/OPPOSITES ATTRACT

Remember Crocodile Dundee in NY? Here the focus is an equally rough edged New Zealand lass in London using her brash girl power to find love.

******************

Speaking of girl power, the film itself is an excellent example of it, having started off as a script written by Emily Corcoran, who was also instrumental in raising the money for it, and finally plays the lead role in it as well.

Yes, Emily is the lass who is transported from the wilds of Down Under, where so little happens that sunset is news, into the confusing hurly burly of London because her mother has suddenly died and the family farm is under threat from the greedy English hands of her estranged father.

That’s right: Sisterhood features not only two countries for the price of one, but at least two stories as well.

One is the comically ripe situation where two girls, living very different lifestyles at opposite ends of the globe – think sheep shearing farm girl versus Chelsea glamour puss – suddenly discover they are sisters and have to find a way to work together for mutual benefit..

Ugh, cries the sophisticated sis at the descent of this untamed whirlwind into her carefully manicured life. You’re messing up my aura.

But barnyard Emily is hardly likely to be daunted by some girl so ranks long nails next to godliness, no matter how much she howls in protest.

Second up is the newly allied sisters’ pursuit of their estranged father who is having his own bit of financial bother with some nasty Mafia types and trying to make amends by hitching up with an charming but aging lottery winner.

Corcoran’s role is the richest, giving her the opportunity not only to push and shove the plot along by making all lesser mortals do her bidding but also to indulge in outrageous behaviour as her very rough edged country girl adapts to the more civilized habits of big city Chelsea.

But everyone around her seems to relish their own chances to play silly for the camera giving the film a convincing charm.

Credit is due as well to commercials director Richard Wellings-Thomas who has handled his first feature with surprising ease.

Posted May 5, 2008.