Sisters

Comediennes Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are terrific together. Unfortunately, in director Jason Moore's Sisters their exuberance is undermined by a flaccid script. Although Kate (Fey) and Maura (Poehler) are siblings, they are polar opposites personality-wise. Rebellious, immature Kate is a beautician, unable to hold down a job or provide stability for her estranged teenage daughter (Madison Davenport). Recently divorced Maura is a responsible nurse and earnestly relentless do-gooder. When their parents (Dianne Wiest, James Brolin) decide to sell their Orlando home and move into a retirement community condo, Kate and Maura are summarily summoned to clean up their cluttered childhood bedroom. But by the time they arrive, the siblings discover a “sold” sign out front. Sorting through their high-school journals, the pair nostalgically recall a major party they once threw. Determined to recreate it, they invite new acquaintances, like brawny handyman neighbor James (Ike Barinholtz) and young Korean manicurist Hae-Won (Greta Lee), along with old classmates (including Rachel Dratch, Bobby Moynihan, Kate McKinnon, and John Leguizamo). As the zany blowout bash evolves into major mayhem, the destructive debauchery is fueled in part by the arrival of a huge, tattooed drug dealer (John Cena) and the exclusion of Kate's frenemy (Maya Rudolph). The great chemistry of the leads just can't overcome the stale writing. Optional. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by costars Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, director Jason Moore, and writer Paula Pell, deleted scenes (18 min.), extended scenes (17 min.), “The Improvorama” outtakes (9 min.), a gag reel (3 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are the production featurettes “A Teen Movie…for Adults (11 min.), “The Original Sister” (7 min.), “Grown Up Parties Suck” (5 min.), “The Alex Chronicles” (3 min.), “The Kate and Pazuzu Chronicles (2 min.), and “How to Throw a Party” (2 min.), a brief pool collapse VFX reel, and bonus DVD, digital, and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a disappointing comedy.] (S. Granger)