The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2005

Critics score:
77 / 100

Reviews provided by RottenTomatoes

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: A sweet-natured journey not to a galaxy far, far away, but to someplace just as mysterious: the first tentative steps toward adulthood, taken here by four teenage girls. Read more

Allison Benedikt, Chicago Tribune: The relationships and performances are strong and moving, with an effect both breezy-fun and profound. Read more

Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper: This is an earnest and honest effort about a demographic that is deeply under-represented in today's movies. Read more

Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Anyone looking for a solid, unpretentious, entertaining film with some important messages could do a lot worse than this saga of girls gone wise. Read more

AV Club: Read more

Kathy Cano Murillo, Arizona Republic: It's warm, endearing, upbeat and fast-moving. It presents likable, goofy characters who confront adult issues that teens often face. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: That rare meal both adolescent girls and their mothers will be able to agree on. Read more

Carina Chocano, Los Angeles Times: It's the girly equivalent of a midsummer Bruckheimer extravaganza -- a roller-coaster ride to the edge of total (emotional, natch) devastation that makes the happy ending that much more reassuring and cozy. Read more

Bruce Westbrook, Houston Chronicle: It's unfair to pigeonhole this meaningful human story in that genre, especially since it feels more real than some adult chick flicks. Besides, a good story is a good story. Read more

Lisa Kennedy, Denver Post: The real backbone of Sisterhood comes from the actresses playing the friends, and the fifth-wheel surprise of Jenna Boyd. Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: The more roles that go to the fresh, charming, untabloidy Pants cast, the better. Read more

Nancy Churnin, Dallas Morning News: Ken Kwapis and his exquisitely cast young ensemble preserve the essence of the tale about girls whose friendship is bigger than their differences. Read more

Chuck Wilson, L.A. Weekly: The finale goes on and on, but the movie is nicely photographed and duly empowering, and should please the vast teen-girl audience for which it's intended. Read more

Connie Ogle, Miami Herald: May be somewhat predictable, but it fits the needs of its young audience like a glove. Or a pair of magic jeans. Read more

Ken Tucker, New York Magazine/Vulture: The film is filled with positive messages ... Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: This is a movie about girls made for girls (and perhaps the occasional trusted mother or aunt). It doesn't care if not everyone likes it, and it's not about to change itself drastically in hopes that they do. Read more

Jami Bernard, New York Daily News: For the legions of fans of the book, this movie is one-size-fits-all. The rest of us will have to keep shopping. Read more

Dana Stevens, New York Times: Like the four teenage girls at its center, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants makes up in charm what it lacks in sophistication. Read more

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants plays to everybody's inner weepy teenage girl. And that's not such a bad thing. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: I am unquestionably not a member of the target demographic for Ken Kwapis' The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, but that didn't prevent me from enjoying it. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: This Sisterhood is real pleasure, a big-hearted movie where a group of gifted actresses find opportunities most younger movie stars can only dream about. Read more

Ruthe Stein, San Francisco Chronicle: Remarkably for a movie geared to teenage girls -- a market Hollywood typically panders to with glossy imitations of their lives -- The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants has no glaringly false moments. Read more

Jeff Strickler, Minneapolis Star Tribune: What could have turned into a featherweight teenybopper movie matures into a lot more. Read more

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Read more

Peter Howell, Toronto Star: Kudos to a movie that encourages girls -- and everyone else -- to accept their bodies, to forgive their friends and family and to live their lives to the fullest. Read more

Time Out: Read more

Dave Calhoun, Time Out: Read more

Claudia Puig, USA Today: It's heartening to see a movie about teenage girls that is concerned with serious questions and avoids the pettiness that filmmakers tend to ascribe to young women of that age. Read more

Dennis Harvey, Variety: Sticking fairly close to the 2001 novel, co-scenarists Delia Ephron and Elizabeth Chandler preserve its strengths as a complex adolescent soap operasoap opera leavened by humor, warmth and empathy. Read more

Ed Park, Village Voice: The multiple story lines can feel choppy, but the dialogue has snap, and the pants' powers never distract from the teenagers' emotions. Read more

Scott Moore, Washington Post: The emotional story and fine acting are enough to make this a must-see movie for teen girls. The real surprise is that they can make a grown man cry. Read more