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Based on a novel by Rebecca Wells that enjoyed a boost from Oprah's reading club, this is the tale of one young woman learning to appreciate her mother by discovering what her mother was like at her age.

The film stars Sandra Bullock as Siddalee Walker, the young woman who has become exasperated over the years by her mother's eccentric behavior. Finally, able to take no more, she moves across country and doesn't even invite her mother to her wedding. After she's married, Siddalee receives her mother's diary in the mail, and reads about her mother's experiences growing up in the '30s. Ellen Burstyn stars as Siddalee's mother, Vivi Walker, with James Garner as Siddalee's father, and Ashley Judd playing the young Vivi in flashbacks.

This Warner Bros release sounds pretty potent on paper; big-time cast, well-known and well-received book, and a storyline to which a lot of women can relate. What will need to be brought out, both in marketing and the trailer, is the power of the all-star cast and the familial relationships being explored. This is what's known as a chick flick, and to be a success, that aspect will need to be played up, as well as the date-movie angle. And any box-office longevity will rest on word-of-mouth, difficult to predict at this early stage. With this cast, and the title's recognition factor, Warner Bros has a big leg up on the competition; the marketing, done correctly, can only enhance the film's position. (Stephanie Star Smith/BOP)

June 8, 2002
Divine Secrets surprised most analysts yesterday by opening to a solid $6.0 million on Friday. Due to the lackluster marketing of the film, it had been largely written off prior to release but the Oprah Winfrey book of the month club showed up in force to carry the film to a strong debut. (David Mumpower/BOP)

Vital statistics for Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood Main Cast Sandra Bullock, Ellen Burstyn, Fionnula Flanagan, James Garner, Ashley Judd, Maggie Smith Supporting Cast Cherry Jones, Shirley Knight, Angus MacFadyen, Jacqueline McKenzie, Katy Selverstone, Kiersten Warren, Gina McKee, Matthew Settle, Leslie Silva Director Callie Khouri Screenwriter Mark Andrus, Callie Khouri Distributor Warner Bros. Trailer Click Here for Trailer Official Site http://www.yayasisterhood.com/ Rating PG-13 Running Time 116 minutes Screen Count 2,507 Talent in red has entry in The Big Picture

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Forces of Nature	3/19/99	13.51	16.09	2058	6565.00	7495.5	52.88	63.01	3.91
Practical Magic	10/16/98	13.10	16.84	2652	4940.00	6109.2	46.81	60.18	3.57
28 Days	4/14/00	10.31	11.53	2523	4086.00	4396.8	37.04	41.43	3.59
Miss Congeniality	12/22/00	10.05	11.24	2668	3667.00	3945.9	106.81	119.48	7.71
Where the Heart Is	4/28/00	8.29	9.27	2437	3402.00	3660.8	33.65	37.64	4.06
How to Make an American Quilt	10/6/95	5.79	8.02	1504	3850.00	5133.3	23.60	32.71	4.08
Steel Magnolias	11/17/89	5.43	8.20	480	11313.00	16445.0	81.00	122.41	14.92
Little Women *	12/23/94	5.30	7.83	1503	3526.00	5012.5	49.78	73.56	9.39
Joy Luck Club, The	9/10/93	3.01	4.38	481	6258.00	8767.2	32.78	47.74	6.95