Susan Granger’s review of “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” (Warner Bros.)
For adolescents, relationships with friends tend to be far more intimate and open than those with parents. There’s a willingness to talk about oneself, to share problems and to seek advice. Through this, young adults not only bond but also develop a clearer sense of self-identity. As story begins, four lifelong friends find a pair of jeans that, miraculously, fits each girl perfectly, even though their body types are dissimilar. Since they’re facing a pivotal summer vacation that will separate them, they decide to share the jeans, FedEx’ing them to one another, forming the “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.” They devise ten rules, including: “You must never wash the Pants.” “You must never let a boy take off the Pants.” “You must never double-cuff the Pants.” And “You must remember Pants=love. Love your sisters. Love yourself.” Shy Lena (Alexis Bledel) gets the Pants first since she’s off to Greece to see her grandparents. Strong-willed Bridget (Blake Lively) is going to soccer camp in Mexico. Exuberant Carmen (America Ferrera) anticipates being reunited with her father. And cynical, rebellious Tibby (Amber Tamblyn) will be working at Wallman’s (think WalMart), making a “suckumentary” about the ‘losers’ she encounters there. They’re all in for coming-of-age surprises – and lessons. Basing their tender, tear-jerking screenplay on Ann Brashares’ best-seller, Delia Ephron and Elizabeth Chandler have captured the raw, emotional honesty of the rich, colorful characters as director Ken Kwapis cleverly interweaves the truthful-to-the-core stories, evoking memories of “Stand By Me.” On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” is an irresistible 8. It’s wonderful! It’s magical! It’s a movie your heart won’t let you forget.
