Another connecting element among the four stories is the film's episodic structure (Putman, 2005). Kwapis's direction moved the events in the film among the four stories, continually connecting them with the "traveling pants" and the intermittent letters that the characters write to each other. In this way, the distance between the characters and their experiences is narrowed by the physical reality of the pants. According to Dustin Putman, the episodic structure works because of the exceptional acting performances by the main characters. I would add that the effectiveness of the structure is also related to the nature of the plot. The four characters separate to allow them to grow as human beings. Each episode shows an aspect of this growth. While each girl's experiences are unique and targeted to herself, they are able to share these via the pants that travel among them. Finally, they are united in both the sorrow of death and the joy of matrimony, drawing the four stories to their collective and emotional conclusion.

As mentioned above, the film survived to become a sequel even after negative or lukewarm criticism, as indeed did the book. Currently, the number in Ann Brashares's best-selling series of books amounts to four. This appears to indicate that the market for the story is not limited to teenaged girls. In this, one could argue that the target audience for the "Sisterhood" film might be somewhat narrow to expect to draw positive reviews from both men and women alike. And certainly, at the surface, this appears to be a valid criticism. Not everyone could be expected to flock to cinemas for the sake of four young girls and their adventures in growing up. Nonetheless, the film rather surprised me not only with its depth, but also with its effective sentiment. Instead of feeling the need to cringe whenever a character became emotional, I was in fact able to identify with all the characters to some degree. Because of this, I felt that their emotions - even when quite tearful - were valid and free of artifice.

On the other hand, it must be recognized...

For me, the film's charm and uniqueness among many others of the same caliber comes from the very magic that is focused on the pants. The pants are special in terms of their subtle presence throughout the film. They do only one blatantly magical thing by fitting each of the four girls perfectly. Otherwise they are simply a pair of pants that, as it were, are continually at the right place at the right time.
The film touched me deeply, and I would not hesitate to see it a second, third, or fourth time. I would not hesitate to recommend it to my friends. I can see why Ms. Brashares's work has reached best-selling status. Although I have not read the books, I believe that it would be well worth the effort to do so if the film is any indication of their quality. The best thing about "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" is that it engaged all of my emotions: I laughed and cried, experiencing with the characters the pain of loss and the joy of love and reconciliation. The film was thoroughly entertaining, which I believe is the primary purpose of fictional cinema, and indeed all works of fiction.

Bibliography

Bradshaw, Peter. (2005, Aug 26). The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Review. The Guardian. http://film.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/Critic_Review/Guardian_Film_of_the_week/0,1556427,00.html

The Internet Move Database. (1990-2008). Blake Lively. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0515116/

King, Tim. (2005, Dec 4). The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants Review. http://bethestory.com/2005/12/04/the-sisterhood-of-the-traveling-pants

O'Sullivan, Michael. (2005, June 3). 'Pants' with too much stretch. Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/02/AR2005060200833_pf.html

Putman, Dustin. (2005, June1). The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Themovieboy.com (2001-2008). http://themovieboy.com/reviews/s/05_sisterhood.htm