After two weeks of Saturday evening sneak previews, where the median age of attendees left me searching for retirement home buses, “In Her Shoes” opens in theaters this Friday.Aside from the fact half of the film takes place in a nursing home, there is nothing about it that would indicate “for mature audiences only.”

“In Her Shoes” is a story about two sisters, played by Toni Collette and Cameron Diaz, whose relationship is strained by the self-destructive habits of the younger clashing with the protective instinct of the older sister. The resulting relationship fallout results in Diaz’s character finding their long-lost grandmother – with whom she takes up residence and takes advantage of.

What follows is more than two hours of each character, including the grandmother, experiencing some level of personal growth by breaking her daily routines drastically, which is conversely dramatic and hilarious at any given moment.

While the movie is long, the characters’ stories of growth and the subplots about their past are so rich with detail that every minute is needed. The script is much more intricate than most film adaptations of books and tackles many more facets of the character’s personality than the average movie audience is accustomed to.

If the film has a flaw, it is in the reason Diaz’s character can’t achieve any of her goals – she can’t read. While the scenes regarding this subject are executed very well, the only thing that comes to mind during them is the “Oscar clip” scene from “Wayne’s World.”

On a whole, the film combines comedy and drama so well (and if you didn’t see this coming I am ashamed) that “In Her Shoes” will fit almost anyone who goes to see it and may be a player come award season.

– Brian Chatman