"Moved me and blew me away with the incredible acting by all and left me with the desire to read the book to hopefully find out more about these characters." Chuck the Movieguy COMINGSOON.NET

"The leaping story line, shaped by director Peter Kosminsky into sharp slivers and cutting impressions, shows all the signs of rich detail condensed into a few evocative images and striking character traits." Sean Axmaker SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER "The film takes the materials of human tragedy and dresses them in lovely costumes, Southern California locations and star power." Roger Ebert CHICAGO SUN-TIMES "A smart, compelling drama." Eleanor Ringel Gillespie ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION "Kosminsky ... puts enough salt into the wounds of the tortured and self-conscious material to make it sting." Duane Dudek MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL "Some of the year's most arresting female performances justify White Oleander." Lou Lumenick NEW YORK POST

"What elevates White Oleander from soap opera to a small but noteworthy triumph of the human spirit is Lohman's luminous performance." Bruce Newman SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS "A movie treat -- sharp, tasty and sugar-free." Margaret A McGurk CINCINNATI ENQUIRER "Much of the pleasure to be had in White Oleander is in watching its female stars revel in their screen time." Moira MacDonald SEATTLE TIMES "Like the titular flower of its title, White Oleander, will sting your senses and turn you cerulean with feeling as its Petals of gorgeousness, and stems of the finest celluloid work its way into your system." Clint Morris MOVIEHOLE

At A Glance

"The real star is Alison Lohman. The movie obviously lives or dies on the believability of its young protagonist, and with a movie where she's surrounded by good performances and a commitment to reality, she more than pulls it off." Mervius FANTASTICA DAILY

"White Oleander" is certainly one fascinating film and that fascination comes from, not only the intriguing tale which unfolds on the screen but also from the strong performances by its leading ladies and those women in the supporting cast. Yes there are men in "White Oleander", but they are just accessories to the tale. Alison Lohman is rock solid as Astrid who takes us through this journey of self discovery when as a 15 year old, her mother is convicted of murder and sent to jail for life. Lohman doubles as the narrator for "White Oleander" and takes us with her on a three year journey through life in foster homes and in the care of the state. The transformation of Astrid from a trusting daughter who has solely depended on her mother to an 18 year old who has become fully aware of her mothers manipulative, destructive behaviour [even from the confines of jail] is realistic indeed thanks to Lohmans skillful performance. You really do feel touched by Astrids sense of sorrow, her feelings about not belonging, her wanting to reach out [but to who], that makes the character feel so real and Lohman does it like a seasoned performer.
Michelle Pheiffer is certainly a seasoned performer and is impressive as Astrids mother Ingrid Magnussen. On the surface Ingrid appears caring and well bonded to her daughter Astrid, but the truth is she has exercised a strong hold on her by virtually manipulating her all her life. Ingrid has created a dependency on her through selective conditioning [or brain washing as some might say]. A passionate artist, Ingrid, has instilled a sense of elitism into their relationship with others, conditioning Astrid to rely on her alone. Pheiffer herself wasn't sure if Ingrid can be fully understood. "I'm not sure it's possible to completely understand Ingrid," Pfeiffer offers. "I think she's somewhat of an enigma even to herself. She's the ultimate purist, in a way, unyielding and unforgiving in her views and standards and the expectations she has of her daughter even at that young age. To some extent I admire that quality, the unwillingness to compromise, knowing that there will ultimately be a price to pay for it." "What she says about people is harsh but it's usually the truth," Pfeiffer acknowledges. "She says things that no one else will say because it isn't nice, but Ingrid is not concerned with being nice. She zeroes in on the weakness. It was challenging playing someone who could be so utterly cruel; I had to fight my natural impulse to soften her and take some of the edge off." Director Peter Kosminsky explains, ""With no real friends her own age," Kosminsky continues, "Astrid sits on the edge of adult society, observing and sketching what she sees on a drawing pad. She idolizes her mother, who has raised her single-handedly. Ingrid is fond of saying that they are descendant of Vikings and Astrid imagines the two of them as Viking warriors, a united force against the world. Then, reality intrudes in a most dramatic way. Her mother is snatched away from her in an instant and she's left to fend for herself in a very hostile world." The events that follow Astrids seperation from her jailed mother could have created much controversy, especially the situation she finds herself in with foster home care.
Producer John Wells is quick to point that out. "Some people automatically assume it's an indictment of the foster care system but that's not what the book is about," he said. "It's about how a young person, no matter the circumstances, can find his or her own identity and emerge from the shadow of a very powerful parent. The foster homes are just the setting for this metamorphosis. As it happens, it's Astrid's bad luck to fall into a series of placements that are far from ideal."
One of the pure joys of watching this drama unfold is indeed the women Astrid encounters during her stay in three foster homes. All the actresses do exceedingly well particularly Robin Wright Penn as the born again Jesus loving foster mum who is shacked up with her boyfriend Ray [Cole Hauser]. Then there's Renée Zellweger as the B-grade actress Claire Richards who finally strikes a cord with Astrid. They get on well. "Each of them enjoys being the most important thing in the world to someone else for the first time", says Zellweger. The final influence on Astrids values is Svetlana Efremova who plays Rena Grushenka. "Rena is a free bird," says Efremova of her role. "She's independent, confident and hungry for life. I fell in love with this simple, courageous woman who smoked and drank and had a good time, who didn't ask for the meaning of life but preferred to just enjoy it as it was. She's honest and has a good sense of humor. It was good for Astrid to be around her. Astrid fits in comfortably with Rena's unconventional routine, where she finds exactly what she most needs, the freedom to be herself."
Unlike "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood", "White Oleander" has the potential to reach more than its target audience which is at first glance, women. In fact this is a good film which should appeal to a lot of men, for even though all the 'big' performance come from its female cast members, and even though the storyline appears to be [on the surface] a mushy tale for women, this storyline has enough intrigue, depth and eclectic characters to hold a mans interest. Of course "White Oleander" is a film about women and the first focus will come from women but if you guys expect the lady in your life to go see Vin Diesel in action then you may as well give a little and take in "White Oleander" with her. Even if the worse comes to worse and you become somehow terminally bored, you can always play the romantic and gently nod off on her shoulder [as long as you don't snore], after all, you will have shown your willingness to do 'the right thing'. But try not to nod off guys, after all you'll kick yourself if you miss the 'eye candy' in this one. The sight of Robin Wright Penn in a g-string may not compensate for your 'suffering' but it will provide a sexy distraction. And what ever you do, don't forget to nod enthusiastically and smile along as she gushes on about the movie during the regulation after film cappuccino. You'll be so glad you did.
"White Oleander" also co-stars Cole Hauser ["Tigerland", "Hart's War", "Good Will Hunting"] as "Uncle Ray", Billy Connolly ["The Man Who Sued God", "Mrs Brown"] as Ingrids boyfriend Barry, Noah Wyle ["Enough", "ER"] as Mark Richards and Patrick Fugit ["Almost Famous"] as Paul Trout. The Story

"Director Peter Kosminsky gives these women a forum to demonstrate their acting 'chops' and they take full advantage." ........ Michael Elliott MOVIE PARABLES

The Oleander can appear beautiful, but its beauty only skin deep, for the Oleander hides a secret, it can be poisonous. When Ingrid Magnussen [Michelle Pfeiffer] is jailed for murdering boyfriend Barry Kolker [Billy Connolly] her daughter Astrids life changes dramatically. 15 year old Astrid [Alison Lohman] is placed in the care of the states welfare authorities. For the teenager whose mother is serving 35 years to life, that means a new life living in foster homes. Astrid soon learns that even though her mother is behind bars, she still has a strong hold over her. If Astrid is to gain her independence, to discover her true self, to find shelter and true happiness for her soul, she must break free from the destructive influence her mother still has over her life. It will take three years and three foster homes to do that. The Verdict "Two first class performances by Michelle Pfeiffer and Alison Lohman makes this meaty tale about a mothers influence over her precious, trusting daughter an absorbing, yet quietly disturbing experience. A solid support cast backs the two stars in this emotive journey recreated from the pages of Janet Fitch's best-selling novel. "White Oleander" is a film whose main target audience is women but men should not deny themselves the opportunity of seeing Renée Zellweger, Robin Wright Penn and Svetlana Efremova strong performances." The Cast & Crew

Michelle Pfeiffer Alison Lohman Robin Wright Penn Renée Zellweger Svetlana Efremova Amy Aquino Solomon Burke Jr John Billingsley Scott Allan Campbell Sam Catlin Darlene Bohorquez Debra Christofferson Billy Connolly Marc Donato Patrick Fugit Vernon Haas Sean Happy Cole Hauser Noah Wyle Leila Kenzle Cathy Ladman Drinda La Lumia Myra Lamar James Lashly

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Ingrid Magnussen Astrid Magnussen Star Claire Richards Rena Grushenka Miss Martinez Guard Paramedic Bill Greenway Teacher Prisoner Marlena Barry Kolker Davey Thomas Paul Trout Guard Dirt Bike Boyfriend "Uncle" Ray Pruitt Mark Richards Ann Greenway Swap Meet Mother Patty Detective Reverend Daniels

From the best selling novel by Janet Fitch Directed by Peter Kosminsky Screenplay by Mary Agnes Donoghue Original Music by Thomas Newman Cinematography by Elliot Davis Film Editing by Chris Ridsdale Production Design by Donald Graham Burt Art Direction by Anthony Rivero Stabley Set Decoration by Bryony Foster Costume Design by Susie DeSanto Casting by Ellen Lewis Run Time 110 minutes Rated M15+ [AUST] Copyright ©2003 - Warner Bros - All Rights Reserved Copyright ©2003 - Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved