Guest blogger: Megan B2

The movie My Sister’s Keeper is an incredibly touching story based on well-known author Jodi Picoult’s novel. The movie came out in 2009, starring Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Sofia Vassilieva, and Alec Baldwin. The story line is revolved around Kate Fitzgerald. Kate has leukemia, and in order to keep her alive, her parents had Anna. They didn’t have her at luck; they made her in a petri dish to be an exact genetic match for her older sister. When Kate turned fifteen, she went into renal failure. Eleven year old Anna knows she will be forced to donate one of her kidneys to her sister by her parents. She also realizes then that she may not be able to live the life she wants, giving up so much for her older sister, and taking risky side effects with her donations. So Anna decides to tell her parents that she doesn’t want to do it anymore and they can’t make her because she wants to sue them for medical emancipation and the rights to her own body. Kate and Anna’s mother, Sara, is extremely protective of Kate and her illness and goes to extreme measures to keep her alive and well. Sara is furious with Anna and her decision. The family has done so much in supporting and keeping Kate alive, but Anna is the one giving her the right organs and blood work she needs. Attorney Campbell agrees to work for Anna in the process of suing for partial termination of parental rights. The film goes on to tell the story and includes many flashbacks of Kate and Anna growing up and the progressiveness of Kate’s disease. The story line not only includes views from Anna, and Sara, but Kate’s dad, Brian, and brother, Jesse, as well, explaining how the illness affected their lives and their relationships. Anna Breslin played Anna Ftizgerald, and did a great job portraying the strong little girl we all read about in the novel. Cameron Diaz stared as Sara Fitzgerald, and also did an amazing job playing the role of an overbearing, overprotective, but loving mother. Some of the Anna’s traits incorporated in the book and the movie are strength, courage, and a big heart. Anna has a huge amount of strength, especially at age eleven, to stand up to her parents, and declare her right to say no. She also has a lot of courage and a big heart supporting her sister with the life-threatening illness. There are many themes that are shown in this movie. One theme would be the difference between right and wrong. Anna decided that she didn’t want to help her sister anymore, that she wanted to live the life she owns. Some people may agree with that decision, others may not. The movie also incorporates the meaning of sisterhood and the importance of family. According to New Orleans Times-Picayune, Mike Scott said, “There’s no point mincing words: My Sister’s Keeper is a difficult film to watch. That’s not to say it isn’t well-assembled, well-cast, or well-acted.” I agree with this critic’s opinion. The movie is not a light, warm, happy movie. It is a very deep and meaningful movie, dealing with very touchy topics. It was a very emotional movie, but also very eye opening. This movie is well worth your time and money. If you have read the book, there are some major and minor differences portrayed in the movie. But even if you haven’t read the book, it is definitely a great story line to follow along with.