Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002)

Director:

Callie Khouri

Writers (WGA):

Rebecca Wells (novels)
Mark Andrus (adaptation)

Release Date:

7 June 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Mothers. Daughters. The never-ending story of good vs. evil.

Plot:

After years of mother-daughter tension, Siddalee receives a scrapbook detailing the wild adventures of the "Ya-Yas", her mother's girlhood friends.

Plot Keywords:

Friendship Between Women | Deep South | Lesbian Kiss | Estrangement | Estranged Family Member

Awards:

3 nominations

Cast

Sandra Bullock	...	Siddalee 'Sidda' Walker
Ellen Burstyn	...	Viviane Joan 'Vivi' Abbott Walker
Fionnula Flanagan	...	'Teensy' Melissa Whitman
James Garner	...	Shepard James 'Shep' Walker
Cherry Jones	...	Grandma 'Buggy' Abbott
Ashley Judd	...	Younger Vivi Abbott Walker
Shirley Knight	...	Necie Rose Kelleher
Angus Macfadyen	...	Connor McGill
Maggie Smith	...	Caro Eliza Bennett
Jacqueline McKenzie	...	Younger Teensy Whitman
Katy Selverstone	...	Younger Caro Bennett
Kiersten Warren	...	Younger Necie Kelleher
David Lee Smith	...	Younger Shep Walker
Gina McKee	...	Genevieve Whitman
Matthew Settle	...	Lt. Jack Whitman

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements, language, and brief sensuality.

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

South Korea:12 | Malaysia:U | Iceland:10 ) | UK:12 (video rating) (2002) | UK:12A (original rating) | Iceland:12 (video rating) | Finland:K-11 | Canada:A (Ontario) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | France:U | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:11 | Peru:14 | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:12 (canton of the Grisons) | USA:PG-13 (certificate #38793)

Filming Locations:

Burgaw, North Carolina, USA

Company:

All Girl Productions

Trivia:

Filmed in Wilmington, North Carolina at the same time as was A Walk to Remember (2002).

Goofs:

Continuity: When old Vivi knocks on old Shep's door and subsequently they hug, their positions change between shots.

Quotes:

Caro: [about Vivi's breakdown] She didn't leave you, Sidda.
Sidda: Yeah, well, she was sure as hell gone.
Caro: She sure as hell was.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Ashton Kutcher/Gwen Stefani (#30.15)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

You You Darlin'

A sweet tale of female friendships

This film is really a celebration of female relationships between; mothers and daughters, between girl friends and between wife and husband. There are numerous flash backs, but the film flows at a good pace that it is not a distraction at all.

The storyline is very light hearted to begin with, but gets darker. Ashley Judd does a great performance as an Alcohol addicted mother and Ellen Burstyn is also good as the older character, played by Ashley Judd. The humour is funny enough and does not go overboard. See this film with your girl friends, and make sure you bring a box of Kleenex with you. A two thumbs up.