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The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (film)

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The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Theatrical release poster
Directed byKen Kwapis
Screenplay by
Based onThe Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
by Ann Brashares
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyJohn Bailey
Edited byKathryn Himoff
Music byCliff Eidelman
Production
companies
Distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
Release date
  • June 1, 2005 (2005-06-01) (United States)
Running time
119 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$25 million[1]
Box office$42 million[1]

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is a 2005 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by Ken Kwapis from a screenplay by Delia Ephron and Elizabeth Chandler, based on the 2001 novel of the same name by Ann Brashares. It stars America Ferrera, Amber Tamblyn, Blake Lively, and Alexis Bledel. It follows four best friends who buy a mysterious pair of pants that fits each of them despite their differing sizes. They share the pants equally as they spend their first summer apart.

It was released in the United States on June 1, 2005 by Warner Bros. Pictures. A sequel, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, was released on August 6, 2008.

In 2018, a third film had been in development,[2] as was a musical adaptation based on the first film.[3]

Plot

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Lifelong best friends Lena Kaligaris, Tibby Rollins, Carmen Lowell, and Bridget Vreeland are teens from Bethesda, Maryland are about to spend their first summer apart. Lena is visiting her grandparents in Santorini, Greece; Bridget is attending soccer camp in Baja California, Mexico; Carmen is visiting her father in South Carolina; and Tibby is staying home.

While shopping together, they find a pair of jeans that inexplicably fit them all perfectly. They decide to share them equally over the summer, before parting the next day.

While wearing the Pants, Lena is saved from drowning by local Greek boy Kostas Dounas. She later discovers their families are enemies. When Lena returns the shirt Kostas loaned her, he explains the dispute was over money and fish. Their grandfathers claim to have cheated each other.

Kostas pursues Lena, insisting the feud has nothing to do with them. She initially rebuffs his advances but eventually they secretly date. Just after Kostas tells Lena he loves her, her family drags her away before she can answer. Lena’s grandmother berates her for seeing him, and for sketching him shirtless. Lena appeals to her grandfather, who he lets her see Kostas before he leaves for Athens.

Working at a department store, Tibby finds young girl Bailey Graffman unconscious, so calls 911. Later, Bailey delivers the pants to Tibby's when they are erroneously delivered to hers. Fascinated by Tibby's film-making, Bailey appoints herself her assistant.

Initially annoyed, Tibby later accepts Bailey, and learns she has leukemia. When Bailey again goes into hospital, Tibby initially avoids her, but eventually visits with the pants. Pleading with Bailey to take them, she insists their magic brought them together. After spending time together there, Bailey dies. Devastated, Tibby then edits her film inspired by and called “Bailey.”

Arriving in South Carolina, Carmen finds her white father Al about to marry Lydia, mother of teens Paul and Krista. They are all blonde WASPs, unlike Carmen, who is a Catholic, Puerto Rican. Although Carmen's father and step-family initially seem welcoming, they emotionally exclude her, acting as if she is not there.

When Carmen comes downstairs speaking Spanish, assuming her father still understands her from his marriage to her mother, she is told that nobody does. Her idea of making dinner with Puertorican recipes does not interest them either. Carmen overhears Krista and her friend talk mockingly about her.

Uncomfortable, her father refers to Paul and Krista as his kids, Carmen resents his being an enthusiastic and present father to them, while he has been largely absent from her life. She is embarrassed at a dress shop when her bridesmaid dress is much too small. Angered when the saleswoman calls her "the other one", Carmen shouts at everyone and runs away.

Carmen eventually returns home and sees Al and her step-family happily enjoying dinner together, oblivious of her absence. Enraged, she breaks their dining room window and returns to Maryland. Tibby tries to help Carmen with her feelings toward her father, but Carmen lashes out. Tibby leaves upset, although they eventually reconcile.

Tibby convinces Carmen to confront her father by phone, during which she expresses her feelings of neglect and abandonment. He apologizes sincerely, but Carmen says it is not enough.

At soccer camp, Bridget develops a crush on coach Eric Richman; despite relationships between coaches and campers being forbidden, she flirts with him and seeks his attention during games. When it is Bridget's turn with the Pants, she seduces Eric on the beach at night, losing her virginity.

Bridget becomes depressed, disappointed it made her feel empty. She isolates herself when returning home, but when Lena finds her note, she sends Carmen and Tibby to Bridget's. Bridget fears she might be like her mother, whose depression lead to her suicide. They reassure her that she is stronger than her mother, comforting her with happy memories. On his way back to Columbia University, Eric apologizes to Bridget for his behavior and hopes she will consider him when she is older.

The girls meet Lena at the airport, driving to South Carolina to attend Carmen's father's wedding, despite her reluctance. He publicly apologizes for neglecting her, Carmen accepts his apology, joining the blended family onstage for the ceremony.

Cast

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Production

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Casting

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A number of young actresses were in talks to be cast for the movie. Hilary Duff was reportedly considered for the role of Tibby; the director chose Tamblyn instead.[4]

Producer Debra Martin Chase, also behind the Cheetah Girls and Princess Diaries films, said Ferrera was "the first one we cast." Other actresses originally included Mischa Barton, Kristin Kreuk, and Olivia Wilde.[5]

Filming

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Principal photography started on May 17, 2004. Filming began on the island of Santorini, Greece. Filming then continued in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.[6]

The film was partially shot in the Kamloops and Ashcroft area in British Columbia, Canada. Also at the Zellers Coquitlam centre location.

Reception and legacy

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Critical response

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On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 82% based on 153 reviews, with an average rating of 6.7/10. The site's critical consensus reads "This adaptation of a beloved novel charms with its heartwarming tale of friendship and young adulthood; realistic portrayals of the lives of teenage girls lend the comedy-drama sincerity, and may capture hearts outside the female-centric demographic."[7] Metacritic gives the film a weighted average score of 66 out of 100 based on 34 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[8] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A-" on an A+ to F scale.[9]

Shondaland mentioned in its review of the film that Bridget's white underwear (seen in the trial scene at the beginning of the film) was iconic.[10]

Box office

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On its opening weekend, the film opened #5 at the box office with $9,833,340.[11] As of November 14, 2008, the film had grossed $42,013,878 worldwide.[12]

Legacy

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Demi Adejuyigbe has mentioned that he coerced director Malcolm D. Lee to have characters from the film appear as background cameos in Space Jam: A New Legacy. Though not confirmed, this was likely a joke given that Adejuyigbe comically suggested to "decide how much of this anecdote is real."[13]

Home media

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The DVD was released in the US on October 11, 2005 and it included extras including deleted scenes and conversations with cast members.[14][15]

Soundtrack and score

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The song album was released by Columbia Records on May 24, 2005.

  1. "These Days" – Chantal Kreviazuk (3:57)
  2. "Unwritten" – Natasha Bedingfield (4:19)
  3. "Time of Our Lives" – Paul van Dyk (3:37)
  4. "Black Roses Red" – Alana Grace (4:12)
  5. "If God Made You" (Radio Remix) – Five for Fighting (4:16)
  6. "Just for You" – William Tell (3:46)
  7. "Closer to You" – Brandi Carlile (2:54)
  8. "No Sleep Tonight" – The Faders (3:00)
  9. "I Want You to Know" – Chantal Kreviazuk (3:19)
  10. "Be Be Your Love" – Rachael Yamagata (4:14)
  11. "Sun's Gonna Rise" – Shannon Curfman (3:55)
  12. "Simple" – Katy Perry (3:39)
  13. "Always There in You" – Valli Girls (an early track involving members of HAIM)[16](3:46)

The album of Cliff Eidelman's score was released by Varèse Sarabande on July 12, 2005.

  1. "Prologue" (3:44)
  2. "Deja Blue" (1:04)
  3. "Fate" (1:01)
  4. "Rules of the Pants" (3:26)
  5. "A Touch of Greece" (1:18)
  6. "Honey" (1:10)
  7. "The Traveling Pants" (:53)
  8. "Reflection" (2:07)
  9. "Running" (1:26)
  10. "Traveling to Baja" (:39)
  11. "The Way of the Pants" (:34)
  12. "Letter" (1:48)
  13. "Broken Heart" (1:16)
  14. "A Brave Soul" (1:15)
  15. "Last Words" (:58)
  16. "Us" (2:18)
  17. "Sisterhood Reunites" (1:14)
  18. "Together" (1:29)
  19. "The Traveling Song" (3:17)
  20. "Piano Suite" (4:03)

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ a b "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved November 7, 2008.
  2. ^ "A Third "Traveling Pants" Film On The Way". Dark Horizons. April 28, 2018. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  3. ^ "'The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants' Stage Musical in the Works". The Wrap. July 17, 2018. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  4. ^ "Parenting, Baby Names, Celebrities, and Royal News | CafeMom.com". cafemom.com. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  5. ^ "Olivia Wilde, Mischa Barton, Kaley Cuoco and More Auditioned for Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Roles". Peoplemag. Retrieved February 7, 2024.
  6. ^ "THE SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS – Production Notes – The Traveling Pants Makes Their Circuit". CinemaReview.com. Archived from the original on December 6, 2005. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  7. ^ "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  8. ^ "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The reviews at". Metacritic.com. Retrieved December 16, 2009.
  9. ^ "Home". CinemaScore. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  10. ^ "Brief Moments in Briefs: 5 Pairs of Iconic Film Underwear". August 3, 2018.
  11. ^ "Box Office Weekend Grosses from 8/8 to 8/10". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved November 7, 2008.
  12. ^ "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved November 14, 2008.
  13. ^ "A review of Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021)". letterboxd.com. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  14. ^ Mangalindan, J. (October 12, 2005). "EW DVD review: 'Sisterhood' charming, uplifting". CNN. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  15. ^ Germain, David (October 10, 2005). "'Kicking and Screaming' limps on to DVD". Today. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  16. ^ Weiner, Jonah (November 12, 2013). "How Haim's Three Geeky Sisters Became the Year's Coolest New Band". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 22, 2014. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
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