Your Sister's Sister

As follow-up to her cheeky indie bromance Humpday, writer-director Lynn Shelton explores love and friendship with the inspired dramedy Your Sister's Sister. Seattle schlub Jack (mumblecore icon Mark Duplass) is rudderless in the wake of his brother's death, so his devoted and beautiful best friend, Iris (the radiant Emily Blunt), offers her family's cabin as a refuge where he can savor some solitude. However, upon his arrival, Jack discovers her sister, Hannah (a superb Rosemarie DeWitt), drowning the sorrows of her breakup from a cheating girlfriend with copious amounts of tequila. Sharing shots and sob stories leads to an unlikely hookup made all the more awkward when Iris pops in for a surprise visit the morning after. Loyalties are tested as the weekend goes on, but Shelton and her extraordinary cast never lose sight of the humor of the situation. With her trademark blend of improvised dialogue and intimate atmosphere, Shelton creates a touching, frank, and funny film that shows a remarkable progression from her last effort. It's an evolution where mumblecore leaves the art house to become something more accessible, helped in no small part by the incredibly talented cast, who needs no script to create full-bodied and heartbreaking portrayals.