The original title of Me And My Sister is Les Soeurs Fachees, meaning The Angry Sisters, which really nails what this film is about. The most overtly aggressive sibling is Martine, I Heart Huckabees' Isabelle Huppert, an uptight bourgeois woman, aggravating a loveless marriage and rotting in an unfulfilled life. The Dinner Game's Catherine Frot plays Louise, the less sophisticated, passive-aggressive sister who drives Martine to distraction with her happy outlook. When she comes to stay a time bomb starts ticking. The showdown is a doozy.
The beginning of Me And My Sister is deceptive. It appeared to be going nowhere fast, a kind of faux glimpse at Paris society that pulled its punches. Then the penny dropped. It gets funnier and funnier, and also progressively more moving – a deadly accurate glimpse into sibling rivalry and midlife crisis. The performances by the two leads are generous beyond belief, but I am getting worried for Isabelle Huppert – if she lands more of these tense, angry roles her health might suffer!
