Customer Reviews
Top drawer drama with great performances - By: Franklin T Marmoset, 05 Mar 2007 
This one tells the story of Astrid, played by Alison Lohman, a girl in thralll to her smart, beautiful & manipulative mother. When mom is sent off to jail for murdering her boyfriend, Astrid finds herself carted through a string of care homes & foster families.
Lohman is excellent in this one, always convincing as she goes on her strange journey from Pfeiffer to religious nut Star (Robin Wright Penn) to fragile & needy Claire (Rene Zellweger). It's a great part for a young actress to play (she's in almost every scene), & she does it very well despite being surrounded by an intimidating group of more experienced actresses playing her various mother figures.
Penn & Zellweger are both very good, but Pfeiffer is a real revelation. I'd never considered her much more than a pretty face, but she's mesmerising as the cold, controlling Ingrid, who clearly loves her daughter but is incapable of alllowing her to make her own choices. Also good in supporting roles are Cole Hauser, Billy Connolly, Noah Wyle, & Patrick Fugit.
As you can probably tell, I liked this one quite a bit. It's a graceful, subtle drama about the damaging part parents can sometimes play in the lives of their children. If you're looking for something restrained & intelligent (but without tipping the scales into worthy-but-dull territory), this is highly recommended.
White Oleander - By: Catherine, 16 Jul 2006 I loved this film. It is my favourite. It was absolutely amazing & I reallly reccomend it. My friends thought that it was a bit odd, though. I did lose track of what was actuallly happening, though. One minute you were in one place, the next you were in another with totallly different people!
Good but... - By: Elodie, 26 Sep 2004 
Another attempt at reproducing a book into a film. Michelle Pfeiffer is brilliant & her co star Amy Aquino makes a believable Astrid. But there is so much in the book that is missing in the film. My advice... watch the film, then read the book! Otherwise you will hate the film if you've read the book first!
a very good film - By: Chris Gummey, 03 Jun 2004 This film is one that keeps you thinking about it a few days / weeks after you've seen it. The acting is excellent & the film has been very well produced & directed. I have not read the book & probably wont get around to it, but I hear it's even better (as they are). The film is a harsh but interesting story of young Astrid's teenage years & can be enjoyed by males & females even though it's probably more of a 'chick's flick'.
Tepid version of the book - By: Kona, 07 Dec 2003 
Alison Lohman stars as Astrid, an innocent young teen who is thrust into the foster care system when her shrew of a mother (Michelle Pfeiffer) is convicted of murder. Astrid is first sent to Starr (Robin Wright Penn), a trashy, Bible-thumping trailer tramp who ends up shooting Astrid for trysting with her boyfriend. The next foster "mother" is Claire (Renee Zellweger), a needy, lonely actress-wannabe who commits suicide. The last stop is the flea-market life of sex, drugs, & rock & roll. Astrid also stays at the county childrens home, where she meets Paul (Nick Fugit), a sensitive loner, artist, & soul-mate. Astrid's visits to her mother in prison are confrontational & serve as opportunities to pull away from her mother's vicious grasp.
I was a big fan of the novel, but this film is a luke-warm version of it. The script sounded like a first draft, a summary, a roll-calll of characters; it lacked any emotional depth or character development. The direction was simplistic. Apparently someone thought they had a great idea: Take some beautiful, famous actresses & put them together & make a feminist statement! In fact, the actresses are wasted in smalll, undeveloped parts, with the exception of Lohman, who carries the film. The three adult parts lack grit & fire; The character of Astrid's mother needed to be an absolute psychotic filled with hatred. Likewise, the utter selfishness & cruelty of the "foster mothers" that made the novel so unforgettable are just not here. The dvd extras are unremarkable, except to show many of the best scenes ended up on the cutting room floor.
I cannot recommend this film, but those interested in a real look at the damage that can be done in the foster care system should read White Oleander by Janet Fitch.
