Wow. If you thought Cameron Diaz was hot in "There's Something About Mary," think again. Diaz is steaming throughout the entirety of "In Her Shoes" - the only problem is that it's a chick flick.

Diaz and Toni Collette star as two sisters, Maggie and Rose, who are continually at odds over everything, generally because Collette is a smart, successful lawyer and Diaz is... well, she looks pretty. Literally illiterate, Maggie wants to become an actress, but her inability to read the teleprompter doesn't help. She gets through life by flirting with men and mooching off her sister, until one day when she sleeps with Rose's boyfriend. Honestly, if I had a choice between Collette and Diaz I would do the same thing, but man, that's cold! Anyway, Rose quits her job and becomes a professional dog walker (wow, what a step up in life) and Maggie flees to Florida to live with the grandmother she never knew existed. As Maggie gets a bunch of old men's penises to rise to attention for the first time in decades, she also begins to discover that she can be successful in life. Meanwhile, back in New York, Rose hesitantly finds love, but will her low self esteem ruin her relationship?

"In Her Shoes" is your quintessential chick flick, but, thankfully, isn't some generic piece of trash. In fact - I shouldn't admit this - I rather enjoyed the film. Diaz is great to look at in this movie, but, in reality, the film's success is much more than that. The screenplay develops both characters strongly and allows us to cheer for both of them even though they are often at opposite ends of the spectrum.

The best part about the movie is that it isn't like all the rest; so many chick flicks has the main goal of the woman to fall in love with a man - while that is a theme here, it is not the central core of the movie. In fact, only one of the characters ends up in the stereotypical happy place (with a man), while the other finds satisfaction through other venues.

"In Her Shoes" could have been slimmed down in a few places, but for the most part is strong and convincing drama that entertains from beginning to end.

Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.