My Sister's Keeper

I was first introduced to My Sister's Keeper in my middle school health class. Although I didn't grasp the complete picture of the movie, it was a tear jerker even then.

As someone in a similar position to Anna, I can truly connect with her character and struggles. She plays an 11-year-old girl that was genetically designed as a source of spare parts for her 16-year-old sister that was dying of acute leukemia (Kate). I believe it was around this age where I myself donated stem cells to my mother, who faced/is facing a rare type of lymphoma. 

The film accurately depicted the sacrifices a family makes when presented by such a disease. We see the mother, Sarah, give her all to Kate's care. Kate's brother, Jesse, is overlooked as a child when he struggles with his dyslexia. I won't go into too much detail, but there are many other sacrifices showcased. Additionally, we see Kate's personal battle throughout the decade of her cancer, not only in terms of her physical health, but relationships and her mental health. This too is brilliantly brought to life.  

The main plotline is that Anna wants medical emancipation from her mother, meaning she will not donate to Kate, despite her kidney failing. This sounds incredibly coldhearted, but I assure you it is not. Watch the movie to find out why she's doing this (*wink wink, nudge nudge*).

One major prop I must give this movie is that the ending isn't too sappy. It's realistic. Moreover, each character serves as a narrator at some point, furthering the familial dimensions regarding Kate's health.  This movie receives a rotten apple scoring of 9 out of 10, as I wish more was discussed about Jesse and the father, Brian.