Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood is a 2002 American comedy-drama film starring an ensemble cast headed by Sandra Bullock, co-written and directed by Callie Khouri. It is based on Rebecca Wells' 1996 novel of the same name and its 1992 prequel collection of short stories, Little Altars Everywhere.
Plot[]
In 1937 Louisiana, four little girls in the woods at night take a blood oath of loyalty to one another, led by Vivi Abbott, who dubs the group the "Ya-Ya Sisterhood."
In 1990s New York City, Vivi's eldest daughter, playwright Siddalee "Sidda" Walker, gives an interview with a reporter from Time, mentioning her unhappy childhood as a major source of inspiration for her work. The reporter sensationalizes Sidda's complaint, implying abuse and deep, dark family secrets. The article upsets Vivi, who calls Sidda and angrily declares that she is dead to her. Vivi cuts Sidda from her will, and Sidda disinvites Vivi from her upcoming wedding to fiancé Connor McGill.
Still friends despite the years, the other Ya-Ya Sisters, Caro Benett, Teensy Whitman, and Necie Kelleher, decide to take the matter into their own hands. They kidnap Sidda in New York and take her back to Louisiana, hoping to show her how Vivi's troubled past has caused her present issues, including her fight with Sidda.
As the Sisters show Sidda Vivi's scrapbook, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, a series of flashbacks depicts Vivi's turbulent history from her childhood to Sidda's, which include Vivi witnessing racism at Teensy's aunt and uncle's house, being falsely accused of incest with her father Taylor by her bitter and jealous mother Buggy, and losing the love of her life Jack Whitman, Teensy's older brother, to an airplane crash in World War II. Sidda is unmoved in her opinion of Vivi as self-centered and helpless, and is so upset she tells Connor she wants to postpone their wedding. It is revealed that the main source of conflict in Sidda and Vivi's relationship is an incident where Vivi had a nervous breakdown and brutally beat Sidda and her siblings. Unbeknownst to Sidda, Vivi had been prescribed a dangerous dosage of antidepressant Dexamyl, which caused her erratic behavior; she had to be hospitalized following the incident.
With this revelation, Sidda finally understands her mother's suffering. Vivi and Sidda reconcile, and Sidda decides that she wants to marry Connor in Louisiana. Vivi and the Sisters induct Sidda into the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.
Cast[]
- Sandra Bullock as Siddalee "Sidda" Walker
- Allison Bertolino as the child Sidda
- Angus Macfadyen as Connor McGill
- Ellen Burstyn as Viviane Joan "Vivi" Abbott Walker
- Ashley Judd as young Vivi Abbott-Walker
- Caitlin Wachs as the child Vivi Abbott
- James Garner as Shepherd James "Shep" Walker
- David Lee Smith as young Shep
- Maggie Smith as Caroline Eliza "Caro" Brewer Bennett
- Katy Selverstone as young Caro
- Mary Katherine Weiss as the child Caro
- Fionnula Flanagan as Aimee Malissa "Teensy" Whitman
- Jacqueline McKenzie as young Teensy
- Alyssa May Gold as the child Teensy
- Shirley Knight as Denise Rose "Necie" Kelleher Ogden
- Kiersten Warren as young Necie
- Nicki Tschudi as the child Necie
- Matthew Settle as Jack Whitman
- Cherry Jones as "Buggy" Abbott, Vivi's mother
- David Rasche as Taylor Abbot, Vivi's father
- Gina McKee as Genevieve Whitman, Teensy's mother
- Mark Joy as Mr. Whitman, Teensy's father
Theatrical Trailer[]
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood - Trailer HD