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Retro Review: A Look Back At Carl Reiner’s ‘Sibling Rivalry’

'Sibling Rivalry' from Olive Films.
‘Sibling Rivalry’ from Olive Films.

This week, our resident movie reviewer, Jeremy Morrison, is back with a fresh review of one of Olive Films most exciting new releases, Carl Reiner’s Sibling Rivalry.” The film stars Actors: Kirstie Alley,  Jami Gertz,  Carrie Fisher,  Bill Pullman,  Scott Bakula,  Sam Elliott and Ed O’Neill.

First, a quick synopsis: Sibling Rivalry is director Carl Reiner’s (Fatal Instinct) homage to the classic slapstick crime comedy genre, stars Kirstie Alley (Madhouse) as Marjorie Turner, the dissatisfied wife of Harry Turner (Scott Bakula, TV’s Quantum Leap), a workaholic doctor more invested in medical charts than in his beautiful wife.

Encouraged by her sister Jeanine (Jami Gertz, Twister) that an affair might be just the thing to break the monotony, a clandestine tryst with a handsome stranger (Sam Elliott, The Big Lebowski) ends on a low note when he dies from a heart attack.  The comic twists and turns are just beginning when hotel guest Nicholas Meany (Bill Pullman, Spaceballs,) who thinks that he may have accidentally killed said stranger, looks to Marjorie for help after finding her driver’s license at the scene of the crime.

Sibling Rivalry, written for the screen by Martha Goldhirsh, co-stars Carrie Fisher (Star Wars), Ed O’Neill (TV’s Modern Family), Frances Sternhagen (TV’s The Closer), Bill Macy (Serial) and Paul Benedict (Mandingo).

REVIEW: Carl Reiner’s lost classic? I hope not! I’d never heard about Sibling Rivalry before my opportunity to review the disc for Icon Vs. Icon – All Things Pop Culture, and I’m kinda upset it took me this long to see it. Released in 1990, the film stars Kirstie Alley right in the middle of her run on Cheers. Alley’s portrayal of a housewife stuck in the mundane normalcy of marriage is both hilarious and on point. After she is convinced to have an affair, things go from horrible to hilarity after her rendezvous ends in death and coincidental mishaps.

The cast really is an all-star gathering of both comedic and dramatic background, but Bill Pullman shines in this character driven piece. Reiner has proven time and time again for over half of a century that he is a comedic genius. His ability to pull unbelievably realistic performances out of his cast amidst the most unbelievable of circumstance is astonishing.

The disc is bare bones, the new standard, but the picture and sound did not disappoint.

Sibling Rivalry is another fun hidden gem newly discovered by Olive Films and is available for purchase now.

J-Mo says: CHECK IT OUT!

Check out this film and a plethora of other amazing releases from Olive Films via their official website — www.olivefilms.com.

Jeremy Morrison – Staff Writer
Co-creator/host of the Acid Pop Cult Podcast, film reviewer, screenwriter, Jeremy has more than eight years experience in television and film production. His childhood fascination with the naked breasts featured in the “Friday the 13th” franchise prepared him for absolutely nothing in life. J-Mo lives by one motto: #wecantallbezacksnyder
Twitter: @acidpopcult
IG: @almostgothim