The grin-and-bear-it title, from a best-selling "tween" novel by Ann Brashares, refers to a clique of four sixteen-year-old girlfriends in Bethesda, Md., linked from the womb in their mothers' prenatal aerobics class, who purchase a pair of thrift-shop jeans that magically fit their dissimilar bodies ("scientifically impossible"), and who mail the garment back and forth as a way to stay in touch during their summer of separation. While it deals with matters like divorce, suicide, cancer, and defloration, the drama has a timidity about it that poses no hazard for the target audience (girls a bit younger than the principal foursome), nor for anyone else who might wander into range. Veteran cameraman John Bailey gives it a surface gloss; and a cartload of pop songs provides emotional cues or comic relief, according to your level of sophistication. Above all, the film serves as a showcase for four young actresses (though only one of them is truly as young as a teenager) to strut their stuff. Alexis Bledel and Amber Tamblyn, despite their experience on successful TV shows (Gilmore Girls and Joan of Arcadia, respectively), do not appear to have much stuff to strut. Both are a bit narrow and monotonous. But America Ferrera ranges easily from sunny smile to cloudy frown in a convincing simulation of complexity. And newcomer Blake Lively, the actual youngest of the group, a willowy, prom-queeny blonde, with an Ellen Barkin-ish asymmetrical smile, manifests a not quite flawless beauty (i.e., natural, not surgical) that doesn't blind you to her talent. With Jenna Boyd, Bradley Whitford, Nancy Travis; directed by Ken Kwapis. (2005) — Duncan Shepherd
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