Four high school graduates struggle to maintain their friendship in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2. As the title suggests, these delightful young ladies still rely on that same magical pair of jeans to help them connect with each other while engaging in new adventures during the summer before college. While the first movie charmed me completely, this sequel falls short in terms of plot and pacing.

It’s not easy to keep friendships alive after high school, especially when the parties involved are out of sight for long periods of time. This movie emphasizes that point. Carmen (America Ferrera) is spending her summer in Vermont learning about live theatrical productions; Tibby (Amber Tamblyn) has found work in a video store; Lena (Alexis Bledel) hopes to sharpen her artistic skills and heal a broken heart by enrolling in an art class; and Bridget (Blake Lively) goes on an archeological dig in Turkey. Will sending the traveling pants around this time still work magic for the busy sisterhood?

Unfortunately, my interest in the answer to that question waned as the movie progressed. I couldn’t help becoming more involved in Carmen’s story than in what was happening to the rest of the group or to the quartet’s cohesiveness. Sacrilegious for someone who knows the importance of “sisterhood," I know. But Ferrera (Ugly Betty) projects such power in this role -- and her section of the film comes across as  much more entertaining than the rest of the move -- so I felt cheated when the camera moved to other characters. Watch for the scene where Carmen first discovers she has acting talent. It’s a real treat!  Her stage partner, played by Tom Wisdom (300), also adds to the quality of this wonderful sequence.      

Granted, there’s nothing wrong with the performances of Tamblyn, Bledel and Lively here. Tamblyn’s (Spiral) old-time movie star face and emotional depth still fascinate me; Bledel (Tuck Everlasting) looks as delicate and elegant as ever; and Lively (TV’s Gossip Girl) tries hard to draw us into her lonely world as her character searches for a family connection.  However, their sections of the film seem to drag at times -- at least for me. Thankfully, things perk up considerably toward the end of the movie when the friends get together to help Lena find her true love.

SPOILER ALERT

“Those girls will probably still be sending that darn pair of jeans around when they’re senior citizens,” my husband said sarcastically as we left the screening.

Clearly, he slept through the ending. This is probably the last of the Traveling Pants adventures. Although I’m not upset over that, I’d love to see more movies about Carmen. Wouldn’t you?  

(Released by Warner Bros. Pictures and rated “PG-13” for mature material and sensuality.)

For more information about this movie, please go to the Internet Movie Data Base or Rotten Tomatoes website.