In Her Shoes, written handsomely by Oscar winner Susannah Grant (for Erin Brochovich) and directed sensitively by Curtis Hanson (8 Mile, L.A. Confidential), has substance, good natured humour and quality written all over it.

Maggie (Cameron Diaz) is the sister to Australian actress Toni Collette’s Rose, a chalk and cheese pairing; Maggie is serially unemployed and fixated on bedding boyfriends and Rose is career minded, a lawyer, and overweight, who thinks herself lucky to find romance. Rose and Maggie both have pasts which are about to be challenged as a separating incident causes them to both do some soul searching. In Miami, Maggie finds her grandmother (Shirley Maclaine), a family secret, working at a rest home.

Stand out is Cameron Diaz who is given a solid role here to showcase her ability. She is an unpretentious actress, a breath of fresh air because she carries a natural charm and mock-innocence in her roles (such as in There’s Something about Mary and My Best Friend’s Wedding). In dramatic form she holds a mild temperament while still touching in intimate moments, her character is layered and Ms Diaz’s rendering is convincing. Ms Collette and Ms Diaz are perfect for the parts and perfect playing the parts. 

The dramatic and comedic timing of this is in cue, with able male and senior supporting roles, until towards the end where it turns soft, the conclusions held the promise of dramatic conviction and not an adult version of Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants where everything is neatly packaged.