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IMDbPro

White Oleander

  • 20022002
  • PG-13PG-13
  • 1h 49m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
33K
YOUR RATING
Michelle Pfeiffer, Renée Zellweger, Robin Wright, and Alison Lohman in White Oleander (2002)
Trailer
Play trailer0:31
9 Videos
69 Photos
Drama
A teenager journeys through a series of foster homes after her mother goes to prison for committing a crime of passion.A teenager journeys through a series of foster homes after her mother goes to prison for committing a crime of passion.A teenager journeys through a series of foster homes after her mother goes to prison for committing a crime of passion.
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
33K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Peter Kosminsky
  • Writers
    • Janet Fitch(novel)
    • Mary Agnes Donoghue(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Michelle Pfeiffer
    • Renée Zellweger
    • Robin Wright
  • Director
    • Peter Kosminsky
  • Writers
    • Janet Fitch(novel)
    • Mary Agnes Donoghue(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Michelle Pfeiffer
    • Renée Zellweger
    • Robin Wright
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 177User reviews
    • 88Critic reviews
    • 61Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 7 nominations

    Videos9

    White Oleander
    Trailer 0:31
    Watch White Oleander
    White Oleander Scene: This Is Starr Thomas
    Clip 0:56
    Watch White Oleander Scene: This Is Starr Thomas
    White Oleander Scene: I Won't Bite
    Clip 1:20
    Watch White Oleander Scene: I Won't Bite
    White Oleander Scene: First Time In Mac?
    Clip 1:12
    Watch White Oleander Scene: First Time In Mac?
    White Oleander Scene: Additional Scenes
    Clip 1:03
    Watch White Oleander Scene: Additional Scenes
    White Oleander Scene: How Long Has My Mother Been Writing You?
    Clip 1:05
    Watch White Oleander Scene: How Long Has My Mother Been Writing You?
    White Oleander Scene: How Far Away Is It?
    Clip 0:45
    Watch White Oleander Scene: How Far Away Is It?
    White Oleander Scene: Must Be Difficult To Work Here
    Clip 1:32
    Watch White Oleander Scene: Must Be Difficult To Work Here
    White Oleander: B-Roll
    Featurette 5:17
    Watch White Oleander: B-Roll

    Photos69

    Michelle Pfeiffer in White Oleander (2002)
    Renée Zellweger and Noah Wyle in White Oleander (2002)
    Cole Hauser and Alison Lohman in White Oleander (2002)
    Renée Zellweger and Alison Lohman in White Oleander (2002)
    Michelle Pfeiffer and Alison Lohman in White Oleander (2002)
    Michelle Pfeiffer and Renée Zellweger in White Oleander (2002)
    Robin Wright, Liz Stauber, and Alison Lohman in White Oleander (2002)
    Alison Lohman in White Oleander (2002)
    Michelle Pfeiffer and Alison Lohman in White Oleander (2002)
    Michelle Pfeiffer and Alison Lohman in White Oleander (2002)
    Patrick Fugit and Alison Lohman in White Oleander (2002)
    (L-r) ALISON LOHMAN and SVETLANA EFREMOVA

    Top cast

    Edit
    Michelle Pfeiffer
    Michelle Pfeiffer
    • Ingrid Magnussen
    Renée Zellweger
    Renée Zellweger
    • Claire Richards
    Robin Wright
    Robin Wright
    • Starr
    • (as Robin Wright Penn)
    Alison Lohman
    Alison Lohman
    • Astrid Magnussen
    Amy Aquino
    Amy Aquino
    • Miss Martinez
    John Billingsley
    John Billingsley
    • Paramedic
    Elisa Bocanegra
    Elisa Bocanegra
    • Girl in Fight
    Darlene Bohorquez
    • Prisoner
    Solomon Burke Jr.
    Solomon Burke Jr.
    • Guard
    Scott Allan Campbell
    • Bill Greenway
    Sam Catlin
    Sam Catlin
    • Teacher
    Debra Christofferson
    Debra Christofferson
    • Marlena
    Billy Connolly
    Billy Connolly
    • Barry Kolker
    Marc Donato
    Marc Donato
    • Davey Thomas
    Svetlana Efremova
    Svetlana Efremova
    • Rena Gruschenka
    Patrick Fugit
    Patrick Fugit
    • Paul Trout
    Vernon Haas
    • Guard
    Sean Happy
    • Dirt Bike Boyfriend
    • Director
      • Peter Kosminsky
    • Writers
      • Janet Fitch(novel)
      • Mary Agnes Donoghue(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Alison Lohman wore a wig because she was bald throughout this movie, as she had just previously filmed a role as a cancer patient.
    • Goofs
      When Astrid, Starr, and Carolee are driving to go get clothes, Starr refers to the reverend of their church as "Reverend Thomas." However, in every other scene before and after this, the reverend is referred to as "Reverend Daniels." Perhaps his name is Thomas Daniels.
    • Quotes

      Ingrid: Don't attach yourself to anyone who shows you the least bit of attention because you're lonely. Loneliness is the human condition. No one is ever going to fill that space. The best you can do is know yourself... know what you want.

    • Alternate versions
      Additional scenes featured on the DVD release that is not from the final print:
      • A scene where Astrid defends her brother (in the first foster home) after Starr beats him up.
      • A scene immediately after featuring Astrid and her brother (still in the first foster home) lying to the parademic asking how he broke his arm.
      • A scene where Claire can't decide which cereal they want to eat for breakfast and makes Astrid choose one.
      • A scene featuring Claire and Astrid riding home in the car after visiting Ingrid (Michelle Pfeiffer). Claire tells Astrid what Ingrid told her.
      • A scene where Astrid is drawing Claire's picture and Mark asking Astrid if she took his pen.
      • A scene where Astrid leaves to go back to Mac. Mark asks Astrid if she wants to go to Claire's funeral in which she declines to. He then gives her a lot of money before getting to the van.
    • Connections
      Featured in HBO First Look: The Journey of 'White Oleander' (2002)
    • Soundtracks
      Melissa's Dream
      Written by Earl Rose

      Performed by Earl Rose

    User reviews177

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    Alison Lohman stands out in subtle coming-of-age drama
    Based on the same-titled novel by Janet Fitch, White Oleander tells the story of a teenage girl (Alison Lohman) struggling to survive in foster homes while her free-spirited mother (Michelle Phieffer) is in prison for having murdered her lover with the poisonous flower 'White Oleander'. It is a complex story of the relationship between a powerless girl and a loveless mother that, in spite of its cheesy sounding premise, manages to avoid all clichéd Hallmark moments and project quite a lot of heart in doing so.

    White Oleander sees Alison Lohman in a superbly bruised and fragile performance as Astrid Magnussen and we follow her through her struggles, both to bond with her mother and to survive in foster cares. All developments in her life feel natural and genuine, for example seeking the affirmation of an older man (Cole Hauser) in one of her foster homes, and putting herself into a strangely Lolita-like situation -- and this part is viciously well-handled and more effective than any other teen girl/older man jail bait situation I have ever seen.

    The film stars a wide variety of blondes, Michelle Phieffer, Alison Lohman, Robin Wright Penn and Renée Zellweger in different parts and they all feel appropriate. Phieiffer is proud, cold and heartless and this is juxtapositioned with Lohman's mildness and loving ways. White Oleander is a film that is indeed very sad, but does not purposely pull at the human race's collective heartstrings in every emotional scene and set-up. This way, in spite of its content, it never becomes sappy. It's not a film I would watch again however, and I would never recommend it to male viewers because it is very chick-oriented.

    7/10
    helpful•20
    9
    • Flagrant-Baronessa
    • Jul 30, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 11, 2002 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Warner Bros.
    • Languages
      • English
      • Russian
    • Also known as
      • Білий олеандр
    • Filming locations
      • Santa Clarita, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Warner Bros.
      • Gaylord Films
      • John Wells Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $16,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $16,357,770
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $5,607,480
      • Oct 13, 2002
    • Gross worldwide
      • $21,672,284
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 49 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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    Michelle Pfeiffer, Renée Zellweger, Robin Wright, and Alison Lohman in White Oleander (2002)
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