The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2: Critic Reviews

Even cynics might concede that, again, four capable actresses have pulled off a relatively rare thing: They've convinced us they're an honest-to-God movie sisterhood.

The movie equivalent of being patted on the shoulder by an encouraging high school guidance counselor and assured that you are doing just fine.

The saga of the well-worn jeans on the move continues to be a warm and pleasantly diverting tale.

This is pure, escapist fun -- skepticism and naysaying are best left at home.

Aren't these ladies too old for this?

Resist if you dare.

No matter how serious the subject matter, this is an unabashed fantasy for tweens and teens.

You've got to admire a franchise targeted to adolescent girls that is hiply aware of its characters' humor and hankerings and isn't the least bit embarrassed by their smarts and achievements.

The sisters can go their separate ways, no doubt keeping in touch by e-mail, and congratulating themselves on being infinitely better than the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.

Like its predecessor, Sisterhood 2 is based on two radical ideas: namely, that young women's stories are about more than the pursuit of men, and that happiness isn't something someone else gives you -- it's something you have to find for yourself.

Screenwriter Elizabeth Chandler gracefully condenses three of Ann Brashares's best-selling teen novels, striking the right balance between humor and pathos as the characters cope with jealousy, heartbreak, family conflicts, and a pregnancy scare.

Second time around, the magic jeans are an even better fit.

Members of the sisterhood are often getting upset for one baffling reason or another.

There's a thin line between jeans that are well worn and jeans that are ratty and used up, and Traveling Pants 2 crosses that line.

Despite the flaws, the movie is reasonably pleasant most of the time. Some of that is leftover goodwill from the first film, but it is also a tribute to the four starring actresses.

With very little sex and very little city, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 still seems a good bet to grab a sizable chunk of the underserved chick-flick demographic.

Sensitively directed by Sanaa Hamri, The Sister of the Traveling Pants 2 demonstrates that not only is sisterhood powerful, it can be awfully entertaining.

A sequel that actually improves, slightly, on the boy-crazy original.

Three years have passed, but the pants still fit.

Like Sex and the City, this one is strictly for the already-converted.

Their tear-jerking adventures [are] appealing to even the staunchest chick-lit antagonist.

It's a relief to go to the movies and see teenage girls acting like teenage girls, as opposed to grown women acting like teenage girls.

As chick flicks go, this is one men can attend with the expectation that they might just enjoy experiencing two hours alongside these down-to-earth, appealing characters.

A shapely sequel that retains much of the sparkle and warmth that made the original such a pleasant surprise.

You just wish it were a more comfortable fit.