LYNN CONNORS (40) is a personal manager who prides herself on being able to fix just about anything. Her world revolves around OLIVER (45), her high-maintenance boss and lover in New York, and SUZANNE (35), her emotionally fragile younger sister in Los Angeles. Lynn does everything to make life better for Suzanne and Oliver—or so she thinks. The truth is: Lynn is an enabler, and as “Big Sister” unfolds, Lynn’s “loving help” becomes her downfall.
We open in L.A. at Suzanne’s birthday party. The sisters haven’t seen each other since their mother’s death two years ago. What should be a festive day turns into a showdown between Lynn and CARL (38), Suzanne’s slacker husband. Carl mocks Lynn’s rich lifestyle and Lynn tells him to grow the hell up and be the husband Suzanne deserves. Despite Suzanne’s protests, Lynn leaves the party early, but not before giving Suzanne another much-needed survival loan.
Upon her return to New York, Lynn and Oliver celebrate. Because of Lynn’s efforts, Oliver’s career as a motivational speaker is skyrocketing: European tour, big TV interview, and publishers clamoring for his second book (Lynn ghostwrote the first one). Their celebratory mood ends when Suzanne calls, hysterical: Carl drained her bank account, vanished and left her facing an eviction notice. Lynn knows she could send Suzanne money, but what Suzanne really needs is Lynn; but so does Oliver! He’s at a crucial juncture in his career and can’t function without Lynn. Lynn promises to keep Oliver’s world running, even as she helps Suzanne get back on her feet.
Soon after Lynn arrives in Los Angeles, Suzanne and Oliver’s problems escalate. Lynn goes into overdrive to fix everything. Instead, Oliver slips back into his self-destructive ways, and Lynn and Suzanne have the blow-out fight that’s bubbled beneath the surface for years. Why can’t Lynn accept that, no matter what, Suzanne loves Carl? More importantly: Why was Lynn chasing Oliver all over the world instead of helping Suzanne care for their dying mother? Lynn counters that she was too busy earning money for Carl’s slush fund! Suzanne finally takes a stand and sends Lynn packing. Lynn happily returns to New York, but Oliver fires her for abandoning him in his hour of need. When the dust settles, Lynn must face the person she’s avoided her whole life: herself.
Lynn hunkers down in her apartment, intending to complete the book she promised Suzanne she would write, about their terminally ill mother and her choice to end her life. This was the one problem that Lynn could not fix — and this is all Lynn knows how to do; fix things. One day, unannounced, Lynn returns to L.A. to find that Suzanne has rebuilt her life—without any help from Lynn. When Lynn admits for the first time that she’s the one who needs help, Suzanne guardedly agrees to let her stay and the sisters begin the task of rebuilding their relationship.
