Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002)
Average Rating: 5.3/10
Reviews Counted: 144
Fresh: 63 | Rotten: 81
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood is more melodramatic than emotionally truthful, and uneven in its mixture of time periods, actresses, laughter and tears.
Average Rating: 5.2/10
Critic Reviews: 37
Fresh: 17 | Rotten: 20
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood is more melodramatic than emotionally truthful, and uneven in its mixture of time periods, actresses, laughter and tears.
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Average Rating: 3.2/5
User Ratings: 65,862
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Movie Info
Screenwriter Callie Khouri makes her directorial debut with this adaptation of a pair of popular novels by author Rebecca Wells, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and Little Altars Everywhere. Sandra Bullock stars as Sidda Lee Walker, a New York playwright who opens a can of emotional worms with her estranged, boozy mother, Vivi (Ellen Burstyn), when she discusses her painful childhood and particularly Vivi's less-than-enviable mothering skills in a Time magazine article. The eccentric
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Cast
-
Sandra Bullock
Sidda Lee Walker -
Ellen Burstyn
Vivi Abbott Walker -
Ashley Judd
Younger Vivi Abbott Wal... -
Fionnula Flanagan
Teensy -
Maggie Smith
Caro -
Cherry Jones
Buggy -
Shirley Knight
Necie -
James Garner
Shep Walker -
Angus Macfadyen
Connor McGill -
Allison Bertolino
Little Sidda Lee Walker -
Caitlin Wachs
Little Vivi Abbott -
Jacqueline McKenzie
Younger Teensy -
Katy Selverstone
Younger Caro -
Kiersten Warren
Younger Necie -
Leslie Silva
Willetta -
Matthew Settle
Jack -
Gina McKee
Genevieve -
David Lee Smith
Younger Shep Walker -
Ron Dortch
Chaney -
Frederick Koehler
Pete Abbott -
David Rasche
Taylor Abbott -
Mark Joy
Mr. Whitman -
-
Mark Jeffrey Miller
Lyle -
Taj Mahal
Swing Band Singer -
Deborah Hobart
Aunt Louise -
Michael Moyer
Pawn Broker -
Nina Repeta
Lady at Gas Station -
Ursula Burton
Sister Solange -
Ann Savoy
Chanteuse -
Don Baker
Confessional Priest -
Austin R. Cooper
Little Shep Jr. -
Sarah Huck
Lulu -
Alex Cooper
Baylor -
Alyssa May Gold
Little Teensy -
Mary Katherine Weiss
Little Caro -
Nicki Tschudi
Little Necie -
Clint Lienau
James Jr. -
David Bridgewater
Dr. Beau Poche -
Sarallen
Older Willetta -
Veda Wilson
Shirley -
Michael Mattison
Officer Roscoe Jenkins -
Barbara Weetman
Female Interviewer -
Suellen Yates
Stage Manager -
E. Michael Hewett
Airplane Man -
Robert Longstreet
Pilot -
Gillian Johnson
Younger Chick
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All Critics (145) | Top Critics (37) | Fresh (65) | Rotten (82) | DVD (20)
While there are pleasures to be had from watching so many grand actresses strut their stuff, the fact is that the overriding preoccupation here rests with surface impressions rather than psychological probity.
Better make the most of the first ten minutes of this execrable melodrama (directed by the scriptwriter of Thelma & Louise), because from then on it's the yackety-yack sisterhood in spades.
Top CriticGives us a lot to enjoy and something most studio movies don't even try for: an attempt at the richness, density and sheer contrariness of life.
As 'chick flicks' go, this one is pretty miserable, resorting to string-pulling rather than legitimate character development and intelligent plotting.
Not one character in this ovarian jungle is particularly likable.
Except for Ashley Judd, who shows true grit as Vivi in her babe days, the effect is like being buried in molasses.
Chick flick for mom; teens may not enjoy it.
Sandra Bullock is great as Siddalee Walker, the angry and disgruntled woman who has a cross to bear with her mother and often exhibits the corky odd traits her mother does.
I heard something in the audience for Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood I don't hear often any more: the sound of middle-aged women laughing.
...if you plan on having a man watch this film with you, do him a favor...and don't.
Seeing the film, my initial, gut perception of those who form real life Ya-Ya Sisterhoods stands: these are women with way too much time on their hands.
There are some truly great actresses in this movie, but nearly all of them are wasted playing caricatures.
Though [Khouri] has an obvious flair for exploring the inner workings of the female mind, she unfortunately glosses over a pinnacle moment in the story and inevitably lets the viewer down.
That such strong, capable women are called on to carry a film as shoddy as Ya-Ya in front of and from behind the camera is hardly progress.
A tal irmandade Ya-Ya é de uma bobagem extremada, e o roteiro tem buracos incríveis, deixando de lado vários pontos sobre os irmãos de Burstyn e Bullock, que são mencionados, mas nunca vistos.
...it becomes clear that these two hours would be better spent reflecting on our own treasured memories than getting confused by this group's sordid past.
...Mostly a load of pretentious crap, but it has its moments.
Since, at least as relates to its central plot, Ya-Ya cheerleads for the pure life-living gusto of its gaudy heroines, some spirited overacting and slathery screenwriting is less a liability than a guilty pleasure the movie is wholly in on.
It is the actresses' irreproachable ability to tap into the feminine psyche, to capture the beauty of female friendships and to demonstrate the complex love and loathe relationship often found between mothers and daughters that elevates this movie.
You would expect Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood to sizzle. That makes it all the more disappointing when it doesn't.
Cross-generational mother-daughter drama is a little familiar, but it'll still warm your heart.
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