The best line in "Secrets of the Sisterhood" is when the protagonist, Ashley "Ash" Shields is being held captive by Desirée Holt, the head of the secret Sisterhood. Ash is about to be beaten to a pulp for her betrayal of the society. But the savvy Desirée gives a final instruction to her goon: "Not the face!!!" At this point, Ash is only being given a warning about the power of her "sisters."
The filmmakers developed a great set of characters with very clear motivations. The two sisters, Ash and Jasmine, are drawn to the Sisterhood because their lives have been in disorder. Desirée and the sisters offer an apparent solution to all of their problems. Unfortunately, Ash and Jasmine get themselves in too deep, and they cross the line with Jasmine becoming one of Desirée's goons and Ash inheriting the job of cooking the books.
Jasmine had always been the wayward daughter of the family. But, as the film opens, she has been "clean and sober" for nine months, due to the influence of the Sisterhood. But unbeknownst to Ash, Jasmine takes on the role of a prostitute, having an affair with Ash's boss, then blackmailing him to raise Ash's salary. It is at that point in the film that Ash recognizes she must take drastic action against Desirée.
Two especially intriguing characters were Ash's ex-husband Rick and his wife Julie, a cop. Ash used her influence with the Sisterhood to pay off an arbitrator so that Ash would receive full custody of her daughter Grace. Yet there is decency and even a quality of forgiveness on the part of Rick, who is dedicated to his daughter and is somehow able to find a way to support Ash in her time of need.
There was a chilling credibility in the character of Desirée who presides over the ritual initiation of Ash into the Sisterhood, then methodically takes over her devotee's life. To the end, Desirée confidently asserts that against any odds, the Sisterhood will not die. And the line is spoken with a steely determination to remain true to the sisters' motto: "Women Helping Women!"
The filmmakers developed a great set of characters with very clear motivations. The two sisters, Ash and Jasmine, are drawn to the Sisterhood because their lives have been in disorder. Desirée and the sisters offer an apparent solution to all of their problems. Unfortunately, Ash and Jasmine get themselves in too deep, and they cross the line with Jasmine becoming one of Desirée's goons and Ash inheriting the job of cooking the books.
Jasmine had always been the wayward daughter of the family. But, as the film opens, she has been "clean and sober" for nine months, due to the influence of the Sisterhood. But unbeknownst to Ash, Jasmine takes on the role of a prostitute, having an affair with Ash's boss, then blackmailing him to raise Ash's salary. It is at that point in the film that Ash recognizes she must take drastic action against Desirée.
Two especially intriguing characters were Ash's ex-husband Rick and his wife Julie, a cop. Ash used her influence with the Sisterhood to pay off an arbitrator so that Ash would receive full custody of her daughter Grace. Yet there is decency and even a quality of forgiveness on the part of Rick, who is dedicated to his daughter and is somehow able to find a way to support Ash in her time of need.
There was a chilling credibility in the character of Desirée who presides over the ritual initiation of Ash into the Sisterhood, then methodically takes over her devotee's life. To the end, Desirée confidently asserts that against any odds, the Sisterhood will not die. And the line is spoken with a steely determination to remain true to the sisters' motto: "Women Helping Women!"