Slums of Beverly Hills (1998)

This semiautobiographical story follows a lower-middle-class teenager (Lyonne) and her neurotic family in 1976 Tinseltown.

Director:

Tamara Jenkins

Writer:

Tamara Jenkins

Stars:

Natasha Lyonne, Alan Arkin, Bryna Weiss

8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Natasha Lyonne	...	Vivian Abromowitz
Alan Arkin	...	Murray Samuel Abromowitz
Bryna Weiss	...	Saleslady
Marisa Tomei	...	Rita Abromowitz
Charlotte Stewart	...	Landlady
Eli Marienthal	...	Rickey Abromowitz
David Krumholtz	...	Ben Abromowitz
Kevin Corrigan	...	Eliot Arenson
Brendan Burns	...	Cop in Station
Harris Laskawy	...	Charlie the Cook
Jessica Walter	...	Doris Zimmerman
Mena Suvari	...	Rachel Hoffman
Marley McClean	...	Brooke Hoffman
Mary Portser	...	Mrs. Hoffman
Jock MacDonald	...	Man at Brymans

Storyline

Vivian's family are penniless nomads, moving from one cheap flat to another in Beverly Hills so she and her brothers can attend the city's schools. Uncle Mickey sends them money to survive. When Mickey's daughter Rita runs away from an asylum, Vivian's dad offers shelter to her if Mickey will pay for a plush flat. Vivian must babysit her adult cousin, making sure she gets to nursing school and avoids pills and booze. But Vivian has her own problems: she's curious about sex, likes an older neighbor kid, has inherited her mother's ample breasts, and wants a family that doesn't embarrass her. Can she help Rita, keep Uncle Mickey happy, and feel OK about her body and her family?

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Plot Keywords:

nomad | moving | sex | nursing school | topless female nudity | 

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Taglines:

Take it from Vivian. The biggest problem in the country isn't money or drugs. It's breasts.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sexual situations, nudity, language and drug content

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 August 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Les taudis de Beverly Hills

Filming Locations:

Beverly Hills, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$125,561 (USA) (14 August 1998)

Gross:

$5,480,318 (USA) (4 December 1998)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fox Searchlight Pictures, South Fork Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Body doubles were used for Natasha Lyonne and Marisa Tomei's nude scenes.

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Goofs

In the closing credits, the word "Soundtrack" is spelled incorrectly as "Sountrack".

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Quotes

[Eliot and Viv are giving Rita a lift to her boyfriend's place]
Eliot: All right, we're close. I know this neighborhood. I do a lot of business up here.
Rita Abromowitz: Really? What do you do?
Vivian: He deals drugs.
Eliot: Vivian! Will you mind not going around misrepresenting me like that? Jesus. I just don't want anyone to the get the wrong idea that I'm like some kind of school yard pusher.
Rita Abromowitz: Oh, I don't mind. In fact, do you have anything for my nerves? You know, just laying around?
[rapidly]
Rita Abromowitz: Seconal, Demerol, Tuinal, Valium, ...
[...]

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Connections

Features Green Acres (1965)

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Soundtracks

"I'd Love to Change the World"
Performed by Ten Years After
Courtesy of Chrysalis Records, a division of EMI
Under license from EMI-Capitol Special Markets
Written by Alvin Lee
Published by Chrysalis Music (ASCAP)

User Reviews

Excellent and original family drama

Natasha Lyonne stars as a teenage girl growing up in various slums in Beverley Hills, but her family cannot necessarily afford to live in them. After moving around for most of her life, her family's finally found a place to call home with help from her uncle's money. The catch is that they have to watch after their troubled daughter (Marisa Tomei) and make sure that she makes a transition from drugs to a career worthy of their name.

That's not spoiling so much, I don't think, because the movie has much more depth than that. This very original drama/comedy features a great, universal struggle of living without proper means and making life work. It's a coming-of-age film for Lyonne's character who sees the beginnings of her womanhood, struggles of relationships, and maintaining her family's name and reputation through whatever means possible.

It's really touching how the Abromowitzes handle themselves and make each others' experiences memorable. The aging father (Alan Arkin) is truly memorable in this film for his struggles in finding out an end to poverty and loneliness without his wife. A great film altogether, not very long (only about 1 hr. 30 min), and easy to watch all the way through. Definitely a buy on DVD (even if the special features aren't all that special). I gave it an 8/10.