"The Sisters" DVD Review

"The Sisters" is one of those rare films where every single member of the cast delivers their best performance. Maria Bello's particularly astonishing, however it's impossible to find fault with any of the acting in this completely captivating, mesmorizing film.

"The Sisters" is very loosely based on Anton Chekhov's play, "The Three Sisters," which was adapted into a play by Richard Alfieri. Alfieri then adapted his play, "The Sisters," for the screen. Directed by Arthur Allan Seidelman, this film version stars Maria Bello, Mart Stuart Masterson, and Erika Christensen as three sisters who, along with their only brother (played by Alessandro Nivola), struggle with childhood issues that, as adults, provide the basis for hurtful accusations and almost daily confrontations.

Saddled with descriptive labels (the serious one [Masterson], the beautiful one [Bello], and the baby [Christensen]) as children by their professor father and his colleagues, the three sisters have grown up to become dysfunctional adults. Their public lives may appear solid, however pulling the curtain aside on their private lives reveals three women who haven't been able to come to terms with their relationships as siblings. The three women and their brother alternate being the target of one another's wrath, with only the youngest of the group being spared the harsh treatment. As secrets spew forth and true feelings become known, the family dynamics collapse and relationships are ripped apart.

The Bottom Line

The writing's very heavy-handed yet the performances are so compelling the material does come alive, despite the overly wordy screenplay. If you can make it past the stagey first 15 minutes, "The Sisters" is riveting entertainment.