SISTERS

Starring: Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph

Writer: Paula Pell

Director: Jason Moore

When Maura (Poehler) and Kate (Fey) discover that their parents are about to sell the family home in which they grew up they decide to throw one last party there, a throwback to the boozy, carefree shindigs of their younger days. Surely nothing's gonna go wrong, right? Especially with Kate's childhood enemy Brinda (Rudolph) hovering on the periphery...

If you really don't want to see Star Wars: The Force Awakens and would prefer to sit in a cinema where the audience isn't making lightsaber noises (unless you saw Sisters at the same time I did, in which case I apologise for the lightsaber noises I was making, I was still excited from seeing TFA), Sisters provides a generally chucklesome and occasionally hilarious alternative to a galaxy far, far away.

The main reasons that this comedy works are, of course, Amy Poehler and Tina Fey, who could wring laughs from a reading of a microwave oven's warranty details. There's material here that would struggle to raise a smile in normal circumstances but Poehler and Fey are gifted comedy performers who play off each other brilliantly, often elevating the ho-hum to ho-ho.

Their characters make for a pleasing contrast too, Poehler's sensible, organised Maura providing the perfect counterpoint to Fey's spontaneous, chaotic Kate. And yet the film isn't full of OTT bickering between the pair, instead their relationship is warm and believable and any moments of snark evolve in a natural way given the escalating craziness of the plot.

Although the movie does belong to Poehler and Fey they are given suitably fine support. Rudolph has a lot of fun as Kate's uptight, Game of Thrones-loving nemesis, Ike Barinholtz makes the most of his role even if he's just there as a potential suitor for the recently divorced Maura and John Leguizamo totally nails it as a sleazy yet somehow affable ex-classmate. James Brolin and Dianne Wiest, as the parents of our titular twosome, really ought to be given more to do here but they're enjoyable to watch (although hearing Wiest drop the film's single c-bomb took me aback slightly).

For me, it's John Cena - yes, that John Cena - who walks off with the supporting honours for the second movie in a row, having sent himself up very nicely in Trainwreck and now bringing the funny here as mysterious, stone-faced drug dealer Pazuzu. It's a character which plays to Cena's strengths and the fact that his apperances are carefully rationed throughout the second half makes it even more of a treat.

Sisters doesn't quite deliver on the comedic promise of its stars but the Poehler/Fey double act is finely honed and there are far worse ways to while away a couple of hours. Yes, there were clunky moments and far too convenient resolutions but I was quite taken by its sweet nature - Dianne Wiest using the c-word aside. Dianne, you're so lovely as well. I couldn't believe my ears.