THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS 2
RYAN: At long last, the sequel to “The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya…” – no, wait. I mean, it’s “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2.” And if ever there needed to be a sequel to a film, it’s this one, because two of its leading ladies have become huge TV stars since the first one.
CAROLINE: Yes, but don’t forget that the other two girls, Amber Tamblyn and Alexis Bledel, were the more famous ones during the original movie. Now they’re basically nobodies, and it’s all about Ugly Betty and Gossip Girl; who evidently, despite being about 20 lbs. apart, can magically fit into the same jeans.
RYAN: [laughs’ Let’s begin with said jeans. You know I’m all for magic in movies and cute though the jeans were, this has got to be one of the worst titles in history for a book or a movie.
CAROLINE: It’s not great. I saw the original Traveling Pants on a plane, and since I was expecting very little, I quite enjoyed it for all its cheesiness.
RYAN: I thought the first one was cute too, and this one followed suit. However, the storyline and friendship between these four girls doesn’t need the glue of the traveling pants. Why couldn’t they just be friends and then pen pals over the summer? They didn’t need to share a freakin’ pair of pants. If anything, it felt gimmicky and it made the plot cheesier when it was already cohesive.
CAROLINE: [laughs’ Especially given that there’s no way in hell that all four girls would fit into those jeans. LBH, Ugly Betty is no Gilmore Girl.
RYAN: Alexis Bledel was probably the weakest actress, but she got the hottest guys.
CAROLINE: Ugh, she was painful. All these girls are decent actresses except for her. She could barely carry her scenes.
RYAN: She had like, one emotion.
CAROLINE: The plot is totally contrived and formulaic. You know exactly what’s going to happen the whole time.
RYAN: I loved how that blond girl from “Alias” was in it though.
CAROLINE: Totally! And it’s got a surprisingly star-studded cast what with Blythe Danner and Kyle MacLachlan.
RYAN: They took over where Bradley Whitford left off in the first one.
CAROLINE: Basically, it’s very clear what the target audience is for this franchise. You know exactly what you’re getting with this movie. Men should stay away. But I must admit, I actually got misty once.
RYAN: You did?!
CAROLINE: I know. I’m a total sap. But for the most part, even though there are a few cute scenes, it’s a very predictable and typical teen movie.
RYAN: I think America Ferrara stands out as the strongest actor of the four girls.
CAROLINE: She narrates the film too, but only at the beginning and end. It’s pretty pointless.
RYAN: The storyline was decent, but kind of After-School Special or Made for TV movie-ish.
CAROLINE: Oh, for sure. There are all kinds of “lessons” and “messages” about friendship and love and relationships. It’s clearly designed for fans of the books only. No one else will be able to stomach it.
RYAN: I did hear girls as I left the theater talking about how many differences there were between the movie and the books.
CAROLINE: Well, I read that this one was based on the fourth book in the series, which is good news. Hopefully it means we’re not in for a 10-movie franchise. Though I will say that the scenery in the film is gorgeous, much like the first one. You really can’t go wrong with a Greek island.
RYAN: Not since “Mamma Mia!” have I seen Greece look so beautiful.
CAROLINE: [laughs’ Yes, a whole three weeks ago. Bottom line?
RYAN: It felt very long and slow. There are lingering shots that bored me. Though I tend to like chick flicks and movies targeted toward a younger audience, this one didn’t fully engage me.
CAROLINE: I thought it had its moments, despite being totally contrived. I enjoy any movie about female friendships and I think this one has a good message. But it’s not a great movie by any means.
RYAN: It’s definitely a rental – not a must-see in the theater.