Though not exactly star-studded, In Her Shoes certainly boasts an interesting cast of characters: there is Rose (Toni Collette), a lawyer who cannot seem to find a boyfriend but has a killer shoe collection; Maggie (Cameron Diaz), Rose's trampy sister who can't hold a job; and Ella (Shirley MacLaine), the sisters' long-lost grandmother. Yet despite this unusual blend, Shoes amounts to nothing but a series of cliches. Rose, in typical spinster fashion, does not know how to properly apply makeup and keeps cartons of H...agen-Dazs stacked in her freezer. Maggie, in typical party girl fashion, reads at a first grade level. The two go down to Florida to see Ella, where old people predictably do old people things, like play shuffleboard and eat the early bird special. But, despite all their differences (which are both numerous and phony), the sisters and their grandmother eventually realize just how much they truly love each other. Tear.
Seeing Cameron Diaz and Shirley MacLaine on the screen together is marvelous; they share that same thousand-watt smile and irresistible charm. But, unlike MacLaine, Diaz has not yet proven her capacity for drama. In Shoes, Diaz shines during the comedic moments but thuds during the sentimental ones -- and, as Shoes is rife with them, she thuds often. Until Diaz learns how to carry a dramatic film on her own shoulders, she'll never fit inside MacLaine's shoes.
