The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (film)


The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is a 2005 American 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 was released in the United States on June 1, 2005, by Warner Bros. Pictures.
The film's production budget was $25 million. At the box office, it brought in a total domestic gross of $39,053,061. The DVD was released in the United States on October 11, 2005, and features on-camera commentary by Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel, and America Ferrera, as well as deleted scenes. The film was partially shot in the Kamloops and Ashcroft area in British Columbia, Canada.
It is the first installment of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants film series, which include a sequel The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, while a third film is in development. A musical adaptation based on the film is also in development.

Plot

, Tibby Rollins, Carmen Lowell, and Bridget Vreeland are teenagers from Bethesda, Maryland, who have been best friends their whole lives. The girls are about to spend their first summer apart: Lena is visiting her grandparents in Santorini, Greece, Bridget is going to soccer camp in Baja California, Mexico, Carmen is visiting her father in South Carolina, and Tibby is staying home. While shopping together, the girls find a pair of jeans that inexplicably fit them all perfectly. The girls decide to share the jeans – dubbing them the Traveling Pants – equally over the summer, before parting the next day.

Lena Kaligaris

While wearing the Pants, Lena nearly drowns, but a local Greek boy, Kostas Dounas, rescues her. Lena later learns from her grandmother that her and Kostas' families are sworn enemies. Kostas pursues Lena, and they develop feelings for each other. Lena is hesitant, but admits to herself that she is afraid of love, and begins a secret relationship with Kostas. While dancing together, Kostas tells Lena that he loves her, but her family interrupts and drags her away before she can answer. Lena confronts her grandfather, who finally agrees to allow her to see Kostas before he leaves for Athens. Kostas and Lena share a passionate kiss, and she confesses her love for him.

Tabitha "Tibby" Rollins

Working at a discount department store, Tibby finds a young girl has fainted in the deodorant aisle and calls an ambulance. A few days later, the girl, whose name is Bailey Graffman, delivers the Pants to Tibby's house after they are accidentally delivered to her home. Fascinated by Tibby's self-made film, Bailey appoints herself Tibby's assistant. Initially annoyed, Tibby grows to accept Bailey, and learns from Bailey's neighbor that Bailey has leukemia.
Bailey goes to the hospital with a bad infection, and Tibby avoids the hospital for a while, but eventually visits Bailey with the Traveling Pants. She pleads with Bailey to take them to help her, but Bailey says the pants have already worked their magic by bringing her and Tibby together. Tibby continues to spend time with Bailey in the hospital, until receiving a phone call from Bailey's mother that she died overnight.
When Carmen returns from South Carolina, Tibby tries to help Carmen with her feelings of being snubbed by her father. Carmen lashes out at Tibby, who leaves in tears. They eventually reconcile and visit Bridget to bring her out of her depression. Tibby undergoes dramatic changes in her outlook due to her time with Bailey.

Carmen Lowell

Carmen arrives in South Carolina, only to discover that her father is about to marry into a new family; they are blonde WASPs, unlike Carmen, who was raised by her Catholic, Puerto Rican mother. Although Carmen's father and step-family still love her, they emotionally neglect her, driving her to throw a stone through their dining room window and catch a bus back to Maryland. Tibby convinces Carmen to confront her father with a phone call; she finally tells her father her frustrations. She and her friends go to South Carolina, where they are attendants at her father's wedding. Carmen's father publicly apologizes for neglecting her. Carmen accepts his apology and joins the blended family onstage for the ceremony.

Bridget "Bee" Vreeland

Arriving at soccer camp, Bridget develops a crush on coach Eric Richman. Despite relationships between coaches and campers being forbidden, Bridget flirts with Eric, showing off for him during games. She reveals to him that, following her mother's suicide, a psychiatrist described her as "single-minded to the point of recklessness", presumably a way to avoid coping with her mother's death.
When Bridget's turn with the Pants begins, she puts them on and walks to Eric's cabin that night, leading him to the beach, where they make out. Bridget feels empty and listless afterward, even after returning home. After learning what happened in a letter, Lena calls Carmen and Tibby, and they arrive at Bridget's house to cheer her up. Bridget worries she is like her mother, whose mood swings culminated in deep depression and her suicide. Carmen and Tibby reassure Bridget that she is stronger than her mother. On his way back to Columbia University, Eric visits and apologizes to Bridget for his behavior. He tells her that while she is too young for him now, he hopes she will give him a chance when she is older, providing Bridget much-needed closure.

Cast

started on the island of Santorini, Greece. Filming then continued in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Reception

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 77% approval rating based on 125 reviews with an average rating of 6.69/10. 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."
Metacritic gave the film a score of 66%, with "generally favorable reviews", based on 34 reviews.
Yahoo! Movies gave the film a B rating based on 13 different critics.

Box office

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

Home media

The DVD and VHS were released in the US on October 11, 2005. The film has yet to be released on Blu-ray.

Soundtrack and score

The song album was released by Columbia Records on May 24, 2005.
  1. "These Days" – Chantal Kreviazuk
  2. "Unwritten" – Natasha Bedingfield
  3. "Time of Our Lives" – Paul van Dyk
  4. "Black Roses Red" – Alana Grace
  5. "If God Made You" – Five for Fighting
  6. "Just for You" – William Tell
  7. "Closer to You" – Brandi Carlile
  8. "No Sleep Tonight" – The Faders
  9. "I Want You to Know" – Chantal Kreviazuk
  10. "Be Be Your Love" – Rachael Yamagata
  11. "Sun's Gonna Rise" – Shannon Curfman
  12. "Simple" – Katy Perry
  13. "Always There in You" – Valli Girls
The album of Cliff Eidelman's score was released by Varèse Sarabande on July 12, 2005.
  1. "Prologue"
  2. "Deja Blue"
  3. "Fate"
  4. "Rules of the Pants"
  5. "A Touch of Greece"
  6. "Honey"
  7. "The Traveling Pants"
  8. "Reflection"
  9. "Running"
  10. "Traveling to Baja"
  11. "The Way of the Pants"
  12. "Letter"
  13. "Broken Heart"
  14. "A Brave Soul"
  15. "Last Words"
  16. "Us"
  17. "Sisterhood Reunites"
  18. "Together"
  19. "The Traveling Song"
  20. "Piano Suite"

    Awards