Welcome to the home of the Fitzgerald's.  Sara a once successful lawyer ( Cameron Diaz)  and mother of 3 and loving wife to Brian Fitzgerald ( Jason Patric ) a level headed fireman and loving husband  and father, and three wonderful children Jesse Fitzgerald ( Evan Ellingson ) sharp and personable,  Kate Fitzgerald ( Sofia Vassilieva) a long suffering cancer patient, and Anna Fitzgerald  ( Abigail Breslin) a genetically engineered child to provide compatible blood, plasma and marrow for her ailing sister in an attempt to keep her alive. 

Whoa!  Welcome to the 21st century where this actually possible.  Adapted from the Novel of Jodi Picoult screen writers Jeremy Leven who also worked on "The Notebook" and Nick Cassavetes who has been behind the camera or writing more this decade than his past career, have crafted a very sentimental and obligatory tear producing screenplay. 

The story will come to focus on young Anna and her right to keep her body her own, as  her mother has planned an operation to take a kidney to in yet another attempt to keep Kate alive.  With the aid of a local flamboyant yet compassionate and understanding lawyer with a conscience ( you'll learn his motivation later in the movie) played by Alec Baldwin, she sues her parents for medical emancipation.  She says she is just tired of the pain and agony of providing spare parts for her sister and wants control of her own body.  I have to admit I was shocked that parents had a right to do this at all and have yet to research the topic other than to say that a child can legally emancipate themselves for medical reasons and each state has laws regulations and procedures for the process.  In short they can find a way to determine what can and can not be done to them without their consent. 

I was pleased with all performances of each character.  Especially impressed with all the child actors, including the scenes payed with a fellow dying cancer patient Taylor Ambrose ( Thomas Dekker ) and the short love interest in Sofia. 

Another highlight is the fierce unwavering determination of Sara to keep her daughter alive as if she had the power of a God and could just work hard enough as in her past career as a lawyer,  she could and would succeed and prevail. She is convincing and moving as the mother and in one scene cuts her hair off to help bolster her daughter's self esteem. 

The Courtroom theatrics were a little over the top and Joan Cusack plays the Judge in a difficult trial. 

If not for Sofia's illness this was a perfect family.  It is not surprising that cancer in the family can tear it apart at the seams.  I've  been through this once in my family and there is time of total despair and another of family solidarity as we cope with a tragic and sometimes inevitable loss.

I found that that many main stream critics were a little harsh on the movie, I likened it to a good 3 plus stars or a A-  like movie and would recommend it.  Bring your Kleenix.....