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White Oleander (2002)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Release Date:
11 October 2002 (USA)
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Tagline:
Where does a mother end and a daughter begin?
Plot:
A teenager journeys through a series of foster homes after her mother goes to prison for committing a crime of passion. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Foster Home
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Prison
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California
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Poison
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Letter
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Awards:
3 wins
&
4 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(25 articles)
10 Most Underrated Young Actors
(From The Movie Fanatic. 12 October 2009, 7:54 PM, PDT)
10 Most Underrated Young Actors
(From The Movie Fanatic. 12 October 2009, 7:54 PM, PDT)
(From The Movie Fanatic. 12 October 2009, 7:54 PM, PDT)
10 Most Underrated Young Actors
(From The Movie Fanatic. 12 October 2009, 7:54 PM, PDT)
User Comments:
extremely powerful film
more (160 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Amy Aquino | ... | Miss Martinez | |
| John Billingsley | ... | Paramedic | |
| Elisa Bocanegra | ... | Girl in Fight | |
| Darlene Bohorquez | ... | Prisoner | |
| Solomon Burke Jr. | ... | Guard | |
| Scott Allan Campbell | ... | Bill Greenway | |
| Sam Catlin | ... | Teacher | |
| Debra Christofferson | ... | Marlena | |
| Billy Connolly | ... | Barry Kolker | |
| Marc Donato | ... | Davey Thomas | |
| Svetlana Efremova | ... | Rena Gruschenka | |
| Patrick Fugit | ... | Paul Trout | |
| Vernon Haas | ... | Guard | |
| Sean Happy | ... | Dirt Bike Boyfriend | |
| Cole Hauser | ... | Ray |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
Weißer Oleander (Germany)
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MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements concerning dysfunctional relationships, drug content, language, sexuality and violence.
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
109 min
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Certification:
Portugal:M/12 |
Argentina:13 |
Australia:M |
Brazil:16 |
Canada:PG |
Denmark:11 |
Finland:K-11 |
Germany:12 |
Iceland:12 |
Netherlands:AL |
Norway:11 |
Peru:14 |
Philippines:PG-13 |
Singapore:PG |
Sweden:11 |
UK:12A (original rating) |
UK:12 (video rating) (2004) |
USA:PG-13
Filming Locations:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
In the film, Astrid's mom is an artist, while in the book her mom is a writer - showing an artist working would make the movie more interesting then showing a writer write.
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Goofs:
Continuity: Astrid says her father left when she was two years old when she talks with Ray, but toward the end of the movie, Ingrid tells Astrid her father left when she was six months old.
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Quotes:
Soundtrack:
Melissa's Dream
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (160 total)
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First of all, those guys out there who see the posters and advertising and assume this is some sappy chick flick, you couldn't be more wrong. What it is, is an extraordinarily moving piece of work. It's the kind of film that hits you right in the pit of your stomach. Personally, my mind has a tendancy to wander during movies, but with this one, I was glued to it right from the first frame to the last. It's been awhile since I found myself so touched by a movie.. and it reminds me of why I love movies in the first place. The performances here are top notch. Alison Lohman (Astrid), I never even heard of her before going to see this... but she tackles this difficult role like she has the experience of an award-winning veteran. I'm not even sure most of the big names could pull off this role like she did. Michelle Pfeiffer (Ingrid), who I was never a big fan of, is also excellent...she has a character who's so beautiful, yet so repulsive at the same time. The mother/daughter relationship her character has with Alison's is probably the most unconventional i've seen in a film, and that's what makes it so compelling. Renee Zellweger, as Clare, also gives her best performance here. Her relationship with Astrid is a beautiful but ultimately a tragedy one, mainly due to Clare's infatuation with her cheating husband Mark (Noah Wyle), but I won't give it away of course! ;)
All I really have to say is, if you want to see a movie with strong performances throughout and an excellent story that will leave you fully satisified (and personally touched) when you leave the theatre, this one's for you. I highly reccomend it to everyone! One last thing I should say though... quite often when a movie comes out that's based on a book, the cliche seems to be for people to say "it wont be/wasnt as good as the book". Now, I never read the book to this movie... but the way I look at it, people need to judge the movie for the movie... not the book. If the directors were to follow the book word for word and detail for detail, we'd be left with a movie that would probably take days to watch. The advantage of a book is that you can have a complete knowledge of what the characters are feeling inside their head, which of course you can't always get in a movie unless they make it obvious or tell you how they're feeling truly. The advantage of a movie is that it brings it all to life... and let's you witness it for what it'd be like if you lived out the story. After all, if you were witnessing these actions in real life, you wouldn't have a book to help you understand what thoughts caused them. So, to all the people who go hating a movie before they even see it, just because it's based on a book... keep in mind that the book and movie are essentially two different things and that both have their advantages. I've honestly never seen a based-on-the-book movie where people were completely satisified with how it was translated to film. You can like both the book and movie separately, you know! :)
My rating: 10 out of 10... HIGHLY RECCOMENDED!!!