No matter the age, sickness and death in the family is a tough thing to work through, and even worse when it's a terminally sick child.  This is a trial that will take its toll on the strongest of families.  How do you cope?  Do you fight it with everything you've got, or do you put it in the hands of fate and pray for the best?  When do you decide that it's time to let go?  These are questions that each member of the Fitzgerald family asks themselves in My Sister's Keeper.
 
Anna Fitzgerald is a perfect match for her sister Kate, sick with a rare form of leukemia.  Their parents have relied on Anna to help keep her sister alive.   When Anna sues her parents for medical emancipation, the family must ask themselves if they have neglected their healthy children for the sake of fiercely fighting to save the life of one.
 
This is a gem of a movie.  It's a sad and beautiful story of a family dealing with the toughest hand they can be dealt.  Each member tells their perspective of the story as you see a sweet girl stricken with a rare cancer journey through the highs and lows of leukemia and childhood.  Abigail Breslin is always a joy to watch.  Her eyes are earnest as the younger sister of a cancer patient.  Sofia Vassilieva is brilliant as Kate.  She pulls you into the secret thoughts of a teenage girl dealing with leukemia and trying to make the most of her life.  I've never seen much of the dramatic Cameron Diaz, but I was impressed by her tough-as-nails, fiercely fighting mom who will not stop until everything that can be has been done for her sick daughter.
 
This is a really difficult movie to watch.  There are sweet moments that are happy followed by difficult moments that are hard to watch.  It's a tearjerker, plain and simple.  If you've dealt with cancer in the family, it will hit close to home.  It's a beautiful movie and a poignant story.  My Sister's Keeper is rated PG-13 for mature thematic content, some disturbing images, sensuality, language and brief teen drinking.  This movie maybe too tough to watch for younger teens that do not have a full understanding of the issues discussed.  I've giving My Sister's Keeper two different ratings.  First, 4.5 out of 5 scarves for a beautifully sweet movie, and second, 3 tissue boxes because that's how many you will need to bring with you.