WARNING! CONTAINS SPOILERS!!!First, I must confess that I am a big fan of films about lesbians or films with lesbian themes. Though this film also contained incest, because it was between siblings I was not put off and found the incest element to make the film even more captivating. For me, the selling point of the film is the relationship between the two sisters, Christine and Lea. There are many beautiful scenes which show the closeness of the two sisters, and their affection and love for each other.However, I felt the plot had some points which were not developed fully, otherwise I would have given the film 10/10.I think there should have been more scenes which show the Christine's obsession. During the romantic scenes, it would also have made more sense for the older sister (Christine) to be more aggressive instead of the younger sister. The relationship between the sisters and their employer could also have been explored further. Even though the employer is portrayed as unkind and disdainful towards the sisters, I don't think it was enough to incite murder. The daughter in the family also doesn't have much effect on the plot, so I think she should have been given a bigger role, like maybe bullying Lea a bit or treating both sisters badly. Then the ending would have made more sense.Also at the end of the film, after the murders, I think the sisters should make a run for it. I know the movie is based on the actual event, but because the sisters were not shown to be that crazy throughout the beginning and middle of the film, it would not make sense for them to hide in their room at the end. Despite some shortcomings in plot, I still really enjoyed the film. The scenes of the two sisters are just really touching, and that alone is enough to make me recommend this film.

There is a major player in this extremely fine film who goes all but unmentioned: the work of cinematographer Ashley Rowe is some of the finest on film, creating an atmosphere solely within the confines of a home made dark by lack of light and by brooding madness and murder. The effect achieved is nothing short of miraculous and further adds to the importance of this under-rated movie.Based on the infamous Papin sisters' murder of their employer and daughter in 1932 in France, SISTER MY SISTER is based on a play by Wendy Kesselman (who also wrote the mesmerizing screenplay) and is directed by the imaginatively fine Nancy Meckler. Two sisters - Christine the eldest (Joely Richardson) and Lea (Jodhi May) are shown during the titles in black and white as poor orphans separated to different ends. As the film begins Christine has introduced her estranged beloved Lea to her employer, the rigid and strange Madame Danzard (Julie Walters) and her wallflower daughter Isabelle (Sophie Thursfield). Lea is hired by the penny pinching Madame Danzard and the two sisters co-serve as maids to the household. Christine and Lea view each other as not only sisters but as lovers and it is this latter role that leads Madame Danzard (spying contemptibly on the girls) that is the final straw in Madame's mistreatment of the girls that leads to the rather shocking murder of both Madame Danzard and Isabelle. We know from the start - both from the infamous case and from the opening sequences where the blood of the deed is seen along the stairwell - what the ending will be: it is the progress to that end that concerns the film.Each of the actresses is brilliant in their roles, roles that are far cries from the usual types that each actress has played. Julie Walters manages to ooze vitriol while moments later being oddly comedic in her la-la land of dancing to her Victrola. Joely Richardson is terrifyingly strange and Jodhi May says more with her facial expressions than legions of actors do with complex scripts. But again the physical ominous presence of the house of bad things is so magnificently created by Rowe's creative photography that is becomes of equal importance as a character. The musical score by Stephen Warbeck works solidly to convey the descent into madness of the two sisters. A brilliant tour de force for all concerned and highly recommended for those who love fine acting and dark thrillers. Grady Harp

I liked everything about this movie, the story, casting, acting, direction, everything. Some frames are so beautiful that they look like paintings (think Degas and one frame, Seurat). The casting was perfect and Richardson delivered one of the bravest and best performances I've ever seen. The tension between both pairs of women--it was an amazing way to build suspense. Even if you don't completely understand the relationship between the two sisters, their passion is obvious. What a great find this movie is.

I loved Sister, My Sister...in fact, I bought it without having seen it first based on recommendation alone, and I haven't regretted it one bit. I think that the acting was great, by the entire cast; I felt that the storyline (based on an actual murder case and subsequent play), though revisited in this film, is still relevant in that it addresses issues of classism, oppression, and societal stigmatization. To dismiss this film as merely an incestuous, murderous lesbian romp is a mistake. Even though the lesbian subject seemed to be a large factor, there is a definite timidity to the photography of the sex scenes, in that there was more in the way of well framed shots than fleshy action given the intensity of feeling portrayed. So probably, the film isn't as offensive as the description might imply. I feel that the film was evenly handled throughout. Even the murders, while fairly gruesome as described in the voiceover of the trial, weren't disgustingly splatter film-like, they, like the sex scenes left much to the imagination. I recommend this film highly, it's not at all fluffy feel-good schlock, it's disturbing, dark and painful - that's what makes it so good!