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:

Never judge a girl by her address.

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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

The film was going to be financed by the American Playhouse company but then it went out of business. The former head of Playhouse, Lindsay Law, became head of Fox Searchlight and was able to set this project up there.

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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 H.R. Pufnstuf (1969)

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Soundtracks

"Papa Loves Mambo"
Performed by Perry Como
Courtesy of The RCA Records Label of BMG Entertainment
Written by Al Hoffman, Dick Manning, Bickley Reichner (as Bix Reichner)
Published by Shapiro, Bernstein & Co. Inc. (ASCAP), Al Hoffman Songs/Music Sales Corp. (ASCAP)

User Reviews

This movie is cinema distilled to its truest and purest essence

Now, I am a middle aged male movie buff, and although I like and have watched lots of movies, and all kinds of movies, comedies are not that high on my list, generally speaking. When I read the tv guide, it said this movie was a comedy. So I tuned in, expecting to not be too excited about the movie.

I tuned in about 10 minutes after the start of the movie, and gave the movie my partial attention. But within 2 or 3 minutes, this movie had my full attention. I could see right away this one was something special. It comes as close to depicting a genuine species of lower middle class family life as I have ever seen. It is a real gem.

And it is not really a true comedy, although it is quite funny sometimes. It sort of defies definition or categorization. Sort of wry and humorous exploration of the dynamics of a typical struggling, lower-middle class family.

No fancy camera angles. Not a special effect in sight (and I have enjoyed many movies with fancy camera angles and special effects--I am no snob). But this movie is cinema stripped to its bare essence. Just pure script and acting. And what a script.

Marisa Tomei is incredible. She should have won the Oscar for this one.

See it!

BTW, I cannot believe the lady who scripted and directed this one has not gone on to do more directing or writing! What a waste of talent!