Sibling relationships are unique in our lives. No matter what friends and lovers come and go, siblings are always there. Nobody else shares as much of our lives - not to mention our genes - and whether those relationships are rivalries, best friendships or something in between, the bond is among the most emotionally powerful we'll ever encounter.
Hollywood's portrayal of sibling relationships has been uneven (Hanging Up, anyone?), but through the years, a few films have managed to capture the complex nature of these permanent family ties.
Perhaps the best sibling movie to date hasn't yet been released: You Can Count on Me, starring Laura Linney, Mark Ruffalo and Matthew Broderick, will be released in November. Linney portrays a single mother whose life is shaken up by the return of her prodigal brother (Ruffalo). While Ruffalo's character learns about becoming an adult, Linney's learns how to kick back a little - as evidenced by her affair with her bank-manager boss (Broderick). A charming film, beautifully written, directed, filmed and acted, this film got a warm reception at September's Toronto Film Festival.
Home video may be your best bet in finding the best sib flicks. E.R.'s Noah Wyle stars in The Myth of Fingerprints (1998), a poignant and sometimes harrowing look at family dynamics. Set around a Thanksgiving reunion in New England, the film focuses on the relationship between Wyle's character Warren and his siblings: the promiscuous Mia (Julianne Moore), the remote Jake (Michael Vartan) and the I'll-never-grow-up little sister Leigh (Laurel Holloman).
That same year saw the release of Hilary & Jackie, the true story of world-renowned violinist Jacqueline du Pré (Emily Watson), as seen through the eyes of her sister Hilary (Rachel Griffiths) and brother Piers (Rupert Penry-Jones). Focusing primarily on the musical rivalry between Hilary and Jackie (hence, the title), the film perfectly captures the emotional essence of the sibling dynamic. Watson was Oscar-nominated for her performance as the doomed du Pré.
On a similar note (no pun intended) is Georgia, the 1995 film that follows the rocky relationship between a musically gifted, emotionally stable older sister (Mare Winningham) and her irresponsible younger sister (Jennifer Jason Leigh). The envy, resentment and painful love that runs both ways resonated deeply for me - as well as for my older sister, with whom I saw this film.
Twisting into comedy is Crimes of the Heart (1986). Based on the play by Beth Henley, the story featured the ultimate dysfunctional family, long before dysfunctional was cool. Three Southern sisters are reunited after the youngest (Sissy Spacek) shoots her husband. Diane Keaton is particularly brilliant as the overly-responsible eldest sister, [name], while Jessica Lange is more of a youngest-sister type in the role of Meg, the would-be actress and singer with too many men in her life.
-- Sarah Chauncey 
