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The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2

Buzz says:   MPAA Rating: PG-13
Current Showtimes: No showtimes available

In the summer of 2005, a little movie named The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants proved that silly names can be deceiving. Yes, the title is cliché, but Sisterhood was one of the biggest surprises to come during those three hot, sticky months. Based upon the beloved series of novels by Ann Brashares, the film was a smart portrayal of four friends who all part ways for the summer, yet remain connected by sending a magical pair of blue jeans (said pants miraculously fit all four girls!) to one another as hearts are broken, lives are lost, and obstacles are overcome. The movie was touching. It was realistic. It was damn good.

I am so happy to report that The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 is yet another successful outing for that mysterious pair of blue jeans. The film picks up a few summers after the original, and the four girls are all at different points in their lives. Meek, shy Lena (Alexis Bledel) is in art school, still hurt after a devastating breakup with Kostos (Michael Rady), her Greek boyfriend. Sassy Carmen (America Ferrera) follows a friend (Rachel Nichols) to theater camp in New England, where she inadvertently lands the lead in the summer show. Artsy Tibby (Amber Tamblyn) is taking filmmaking classes at NYU and working in a video store, all the while dealing with some emotional distress both with herself and with her boyfriend (Leonardo Nam). Lastly, free spirited Bridget (Blake Lively) sets off for an archaeological dig in Turkey and also decides to tie up things with her estranged grandmother (Blythe Danner).

The film is very similar to its predecessor. It presents four leads who are smart and realistic, which is so wonderful to see in a movie these days. These girls aren’t obsessed with partying; instead they value their family, friends, and education. They are insecure about their feelings and their future, rather than only caring about what clothes to buy or where the latest party is occurring. They are real. They react to situations in ways that normal girls would, which is why these books and films are so successful. Girls (and boys, dammit!) can relate to and recognize characters who seem normal.

None of these four girls (even though they are extremely attractive) would stick out in a room because they act like any girl their age does. They cry, they act stupid, and they do things they regret, but they do such things in a way that seems completely common, which makes the film all the more compelling. When Carmen finally confronts her nasty roommate, for example, instead of bitch slapping the girl and screaming at her, Carmen eloquently states her point and then leaves, making the scene anticlimactic yet quietly brilliant in its commonality. I felt like I was watching four of my friends, not four movie stars going through the motions of a chick-lit dramedy, which is a great compliment for the four stars. These girls are relatable, which is a quality missing in many films of the same vein.

It saddens me that most men will not go to The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 unless dragged by a significant other or family member. The movie is fantastic. It is compelling and intelligent, much more so than most movies which feature girls of this age. The chemistry between the four friends is sensational, as is the writing and direction of the film. When I saw the original in 2005, I was blown away by its down to earth brilliance. Moviegoers around the country can now rejoice at a film that yet again truly captures what it means to grow up while valuing one of the most important things in life: friendship. Even if the words Traveling Pants are in the title.