The 10 Best Movies That Accurately Portray Sisterhood

If you have a sibling, and you’re close with them, then you know what it’s like to have a second version of yourself, only in a different form. And how you feel about your sibling could, quite honestly, change from minute to minute. However, there’s a bond there, and having that relationship is truly something special. Going beyond just being siblings, if you have a sister, it’s quite different from having a brother, or something equivalent.

Sisterhood is a powerful thing, and you don’t always have to be related to someone to consider them a sister. Sibling bonds and sisterhood aren’t extremely common in media, but when they are, filmmakers usually nail what it’s like to have that attachment. Let’s take a look at 10 films that accurately portray sisterhood.

10 Little Women (2019)

When Little Women was released in 1868, it resonated with young women everywhere, and it didn’t take long before it was being adapted into a film. Through every adaptation, stage play, and television series; the sisters, Jo, Meg, Amy, and Beth are represented accurately and present a sisterhood despite the time period. The sisters go through a lot as their father is at war and their mother is busy taking care of the house, but one of the biggest things that happens between them is Laurie.

Laurie (Timothée Chalamet) is initially in love with Jo, but once she snubs him for someone else, he goes to Amy. Amy was in love with Laurie from the very beginning and is extremely hurt when he comes to her as a second choice. It causes a brief rift between the sisters, but ultimately, Jo smooths it over.

Stream on Starz

Related: The 15 Best Quotes from Little Women (2019)

9 The Parent Trap (1998)

The Parent Trap

Release Date

July 28, 1998

Director

Nancy Meyers

Cast

Lindsay Lohan, Dennis Quaid, natasha richardson, Elaine Hendrix, Lisa Ann Walter, Simon Kunz

Rating

PG

Main Genre

Adventure

In The Parent Trap, one can’t imagine a worse custody agreement that Nick and Elizabeth made for their twin daughters. By chance, Hallie and Annie attend the same summer camp where they discover that they’re twins and have been estranged for their entire lives. At camp, they decide to switch lives in order to meet the parent they have been without and as expected, chaos ensues.

As the girls plot ways for their parents to get back together, they get closer and revel in the bond they have missed out on in the eleven years they’ve been alive. The Parent Trap is a great movie to watch during family night, or genuinely any time as it remains timeless.

Stream on Disney+

8 Frozen (2013)

Frozen

Release Date

November 20, 2013

Director

Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee

Cast

Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad, Santino Fontana, Alan Tudyk

Rating

PG

Main Genre

Animation

One of the most iconic pairs of sisters, has to be Elsa and Anna from Frozen. From the very beginning of the animated film, it’s clear that Anna longs for a relationship with her older sister, but Elsa is too traumatized to engage with her. Still, there’s a lot of love between them, especially when Anna expresses that she’s going to marry a man she just met, and Elsa becomes protective of her.

The ultimate act of sisterhood happens at the end of the movie, when Anna is prepared to give her life for Elsa. She steps in front of Elsa as Prince Han swings his sword to kill her, and Anna lifts her arm to take the blow. Their bond grows in the sequel, but an understanding passes through the sisters in the first one, which makes it that much more special.

Stream on Disney+

7 The Hunger Games (2012)

The Hunger Games

Release Date

March 12, 2012

Director

Gary Ross

Cast

Stanley Tucci, Wes Bentley, Jennifer Lawrence, Willow Shields, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks

Rating

PG-13

Main Genre

Adventure

From the very first Hunger Games movie, anyone in the audience can tell that Katniss loves her sister more than anything. Before Katniss volunteers herself to take her sister’s spot in the Games, we’re very aware that Katniss takes care of Prim because their mother physically and mentally can’t.

When their father was killed in the mines, their mother fell into a deep depressive state, and Katniss had to assume the role of the caretaker in their home. Not only that, but when the annual Games roll around, Prim’s name is chosen, and Katniss volunteers for her sister without pause. This action sends Katniss down a road that changes her life for good, and it’s the ultimate sacrifice she makes for her sister.

6 Black Widow (2021)

Black Widow

Natasha Romanoff confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Starring Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh.

Release Date

July 9, 2021

Director

Cate Shortland

Cast

Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, Robert Downey Jr., Rachel Weisz, David Harbour, William Hurt

Rating

PG-13

Runtime

2hr 14min

Main Genre

Superhero

Black Widow’s origin story was very much anticipated since she had been featured for years in other Marvel movies, and when COVID-19 hit, her movie didn’t get as much hype as it deserved. It had a theatrical release as well as a Disney+ release, but it still wasn’t appreciated enough, as we finally got to learn about Natasha’s life before the Avengers. In the beginning of the movie, we learn that Natasha had a fake family in order for her “parents” to infiltrate S.H.I.E.L.D., and had a “sister”, Yelena.

After the Sokovia accords are put into effect, Natasha and Yelena are reunited, and they fight together to defeat Dreykov, the runner of the red room. At first, Natasha is resistant to being Yelena’s sister as an adult, but after Yelena expresses that it was real to her, no matter how fake it was, Natasha comes around, and they establish a strong sisterhood together.

Stream on Disney+

5 Ramona and Beezus (2010)

Selena Gomez and Joey King brought the characters Ramona and Beezus to life in the movie adaptation of the books by Beverly Clearly. If you grew up reading these novels, then you can rest assured that the characters were done very well and the story was just as cute as the original stories. In this film, Ramona’s family is going through a big change as her father loses his job, and the family is put into crisis mode as their finances take a turn, and they begin to struggle.

Ramona, being the young and innocent girl she is, figures that she can raise the money herself, and ends up embarrassing her sister, Beezus, several times throughout the film. Even though they have some serious bumps in the road, Ramona and Beezus are a perfect example of a younger and older sister relationship, especially when it comes to Ramona teasing Beezus about Henry.

Rent on Apple TV+

Related: Selena Gomez: The 10 Biggest Moments of Her Career

4 Blow the Man Down (2019)

What brings two people together more than murder? Not much else. In Blow the Man Down, two sisters couldn’t be more different, come together for their mother’s funeral. After the service, Mary Beth goes out and meets a seedy man, and their encounter ends up in his death. So, she does what she thinks is right, and goes to her responsible sister for help.

Together, they take care of the body and avoid going to the cops, even though the small New England town prides itself on being relatively crime free. Blow the Man Down is more than just a movie about two sisters chopping someone up, as it explores grief, sibling love and forgiveness.

Stream on Prime Video

3 My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

My Neighbor Totoro

Release Date

April 16, 1988

Director

Hayao Miyazaki

Cast

Noriko Hidaka, Chika Sakamoto, Shigesato Itoi, Sumi Shimamoto, Tanie Kitabayashi, Hitoshi Takagi

Rating

PG

Runtime

86

Main Genre

Animation

My Neighbor Totoro is one of the best and most well-known Studio Ghibli movies, and it follows two sisters, Satsuki and Mei. They’re fairly young and are moved into a slightly creepy house with their father as their mother is in the hospital for a sickness.

Mei becomes friends with a beast called Totoro, and they start to go on mini adventures as they try to forget about their mother’s health status. Totoro brings Satsuki and Mei together in more ways than once, especially when Satsuki gets lost and Totoro and Mei go looking for her.

Stream on Max

2 The Joy Luck Club (1993)

Released in 1993, The Joy Luck Club is based on the novel of the same name by Amy Tan, and focuses on a group of women from China who immigrated to America, fell in love and had children. The story follows this group, the Joy Luck Club, as they enter motherhood, and then follows their daughters as their cultures clash.

It’s not only a story about sisterhood, but also mothers and daughters as well, as the mothers have high hopes for their children while their kids are barely surviving being adults. It follows four different perspectives, four different mothers and daughters, and it’s truly a special movie to watch on a girls’ night in.

Rent on Apple TV+

1 Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005)

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

Release Date

June 1, 2005

Director

Ken Kwapis

Cast

Amber Tamblyn, Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera, Blake Lively, Jenna Boyd, Bradley Whitford

Rating

PG

Runtime

113

Main Genre

Comedy

In this film based on the novel of the same name by Ann Brashares, the audience follows four best friends who were raised together after their moms became friends in a birthing class. As the summer nears, they’re all going their separate ways for three months, but before they can start their adventures, they find a mysterious pair of jeans that fit all four of them. They all have different body types, and it’s a mystery how this pair of jeans can fit them all so well, and they agree to share the pants throughout the summer.

As the jeans get mailed all over the world, each girl goes through some life-changing event; writing to each other along the way as they recount what happened and how the pants brought them good luck. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants is a great coming-of-age movie for any person, but it’s very special for a group of girls that might part ways for an extended period of time.

Stream on Prime Video