By Damon Smith

Bringing Jodi Picoult’s challenging novel to the big screen was always going

to be tough but Nick Cassavetes just about pulls it off.

My Sister’s Keeper is a moral dilemma for the modern age.

Sara Fitzgerald (Cameron Diaz) and her husband Brian (Jason Patric) decide to

genetically engineer a sibling to be a blood and bone-marrow donor for their

sick daughter, Kate (Sofia Vassilieva).

After years of painful operations to save her sister, who next needs a kidney

transplant, 11-year-old Anna (Abigail Breslin) takes her parents to court to sue

for the rights to her own body.

Kate was diagnosed with leukaemia as a toddler. Lawyer mum Sara dropped

everything to look after her, never sure when the next nose-bleed might result

in a lengthy hospital stint.

She’s clearly a supermum, who almost treats her daughter’s illness as though

it’s a courtroom battle.

But Sara’s intense focus on getting Kate better, by any means, takes its toll

on the rest of the family, especially when she faces the lawsuit brought by

hotshot Campbell Alexander (Alec Baldwin).

The complex web of relations between each family member – from forgotten son

Jesse (Evan Ellingson) to the impenetrable bond between Anna and Kate – is

handled sensitively, through a series of voiceovers.

Kate’s voice is one of the last to be introduced, but is perhaps the most

poignant, as she says: “I don’t mind my disease killing me, but it’s killing my

family, too.’’

Cassavetes, who won critical acclaim for The Notebook, steers the film just

the right side of Hollywood schmaltz with his brand of naturalism, and manages

to keep it light for the most part.

Diaz, who’s best known as a comedy actress, gives a competent performance as

Sara, especially in her feisty exchanges with Baldwin, but it’s Oscar nominee

Breslin who steals the show as Anna, narrating both opening and closing

scenes.

Credit is due to 16-year-old Vassilieva for shaving her head for the entire

film – and the most heartfelt scenes are between her and Breslin. They clearly

developed a strong sisterly bond off-set to show such love on screen.

Rating: 4/5