|
White Oleander imitates a chick flick
Fails to strike a balance between the various characters
|
Som Chivukula
A close personal relationship between a mother and daughter is examined in White Oleander, based on a 1996 best-selling novel by Janet Fitch. The film boasts a top grade cast led by Michelle Pfeiffer and Renee Zellweger. Considering the plot and the largely all-female cast, moviegoers would expect a chick-flick-which, sadly, it only imitates.
To be fair, White Oleander has some intense and emotional moments but as a whole, it does not hold up, in large part due to a faulty script by Mary Agnes Donaghue. The performances boost White Oleander, but it still requires an additional punch that would push it above the level of a run-of-the-mill film.
The film's title refers to a flower that is beautiful but poisonous. The same could be said of Ingrid (Pfeiffer), a mother who loves her daughter Astrid (Alison Lohman). When Ingrid is sent to jail for killing her boyfriend (an underused Billy Connolly), Astrid is sent to a series of foster homes.
First, there is the stripper-turned born-again Christian Star (a terrific Robin Wright Penn) who lives with her boyfriend Ray (Cole Hauser). Star forces Astrid to accept her way of life, which Astrid slowly adapts to. But trouble brews when Star suspects Astrid of having a close relationship with Ray.
A stint at a youth home, where Astrid finds friendship with a teenager Paul (Patrick Fugit), is followed by a stay with an emotionally fragile B-movie actress Claire (Renee Zellweger) and her filmmaker husband (Noah Wyle). Astrid finds peace and comfort with Claire, but not for long. A meeting with Ingrid at the prison leaves Claire unstable to the point where one day, she overdoses.
Each episode leaves a mark on Astrid's teenage life. She wants to lead a normal life but the constant moves and battles with her mother affect her --- physically and emotionally. Astrid is slow to recognise what's worse: be influenced by her imprisoned mother or the various environments she ends up in.
There are some encounters between Astrid and Ingrid that are powerful, especially when Astrid questions Ingrid's conversation with Claire. But other than the adventures Astrid faces, there's not much more to the script.
The supporting roles by Penn and Zellweger are terrific, as is Pfeiffer as a controlling but loving mother. But it is Lohman who really carries the film. The 23-year-old aptly plays a teenager between the ages of 15 and 18. The emotional scars of the encounters are visible on her face, which is very much reminiscent of the actress Brittany Murphy (Don't Say a Word).
However, when all is said and done, and the credits roll, you can't help but ask yourself 'that's it?' The story certainly is enticing but Donaghue's screenplay somehow doesn't strike a balance between the various relationships she portrays. White Oleander will surely attract its share of the movie audience, but with a faulty script it's a difficult recommend for others.
Also read:
Michelle Pfeiffer, Alison Lohman excel in White Oleander
Tell us what you think of this review