Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- melodramatic
- warm
- nostalgic
- girls night
- family drama night
What critics said
Critics found the film warm and female-centered but overly melodramatic, uneven across its time periods, and emotionally inauthentic.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Ya-Ya Sisterhood intervenes directly in Sidda and Vivi’s estrangement and collectively reveals Vivi’s history.
Younger Vivi’s experiences, portrayed by Ashley Judd, are placed alongside present-day conflict with Sidda and older Vivi.
The film centers on dramatic Southern women, long-buried family pain, flamboyant friendship, and reconciliation.
The sisterhood’s stories and rituals provide the framework through which Sidda understands her mother’s past.
Films like Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, and why
Terms of Endearment
female-centered family drama balancing melodrama, humor, and mother daughter reconciliation
Steel Magnolias
women-centered Southern drama with strong friendships, emotional secrets, and comic warmth
The Joy Luck Club
intergenerational female relationships combining domestic conflict, wit, and emotional catharsis
Fried Green Tomatoes
ensemble female friendship drama with Southern setting, humor, and reconciliation
Movie Details
- Director
- Callie Khouri
- Release Date
- 2002-06-07
- Runtime
- 116 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (265)
Cast
- Sandra Bullock
- Ellen Burstyn
- Fionnula Flanagan
- James Garner
- Cherry Jones
- Ashley Judd
- Shirley Knight
- Angus Macfadyen
- Maggie Smith
- Jacqueline McKenzie
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Howdy Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood about?
- A New York playwright is drawn into her mother’s Southern past when the Ya-Ya Sisterhood stages an unconventional intervention to heal their fractured bond.
- What is Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood as mild.
- What did critics think of Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood?
- Critics found the film warm and female-centered but overly melodramatic, uneven across its time periods, and emotionally inauthentic.
- Which films are like Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood?
- Films with a similar feel include Terms of Endearment, Steel Magnolias, The Joy Luck Club, and Fried Green Tomatoes.
- How long is Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood?
- Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood runs 116 minutes.
- Where can I watch Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood?
- In United States, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood streams on Howdy Amazon Channel.
