Anywhere But Here

This movie wasn't anything extraordinarily special. Although it was something to warm people's hearts.

The story starts off with Susan Sarandon (Adele August), the kooky mom, and Natalie Portman (Ann August) getting away from their old life in their old town in Boringsville, USA. When you see the expression on Natalie's face when the camera just goes on her, you know that for the rest of the movie you will not be disappointed at any time with her performance. You can see everything in her eyes. As for Susan, she's amazing as well, with so much experience inside herself, she embodies wisdom, and never forgets to have fun with her character. Anyway, they're driving off to start a new life. That's from when they start the story. It's a story of ups and downs between a smart girl and her... well, mom that is a bit... crazy. Mothers and daughters everywhere should see this movie together.

I think the best thing in this picture is the acting, but when you walk out of that theatre after the movie, you will get that Sunday afternoon good feel of cinematic warmness.

I picked this movie up because I was curious to see Natalie Portman in something that was pre Star Wars. I liked this movie. Natalie and Susan were wonderful as mother and daughter. Susan Sarandon is such an outstanding actor. Better and better with every movie she does.

"Anywhere But Here" is the story of a mother who is a bit flighty and adventurous, and her daughter who is more down to earth and practical.

First off, I'd like to say that Natalie Portman gets better and better every movie I see her in. She is an enormous talent, and continues to get better as the years go on. She really held her own and managed to shine brightly, even against a talent as large as Susan Sarandon.

Ms. Sarandon is still no slouch either. She portrays Adelle August, a mother who desires more for her daughter than small town life in Wisconsin. She suddenly packs up one day and leaves it all behind, dragging her unwilling daughter (Ann) with her to Beverly Hills. She plays this role with a pure passion, making you believe that she is indeed, in spite of all her flaws and errors in judgement (the electric is repeatedly turned off due to forgotten bills) that she really is trying the best she can for her daughter.

Natalie Portman, as I stated earlier, is phenomenal. Her character of Ann is believable, even though we first meet her at 14 (Ms. Portman is 17) She plays the uprooted, resentful, but loving and loyal child to the fullest extent, without ever feeling forced.

While there is a good supporting cast, they are overshadowed by the presence of Susan and Natalie, and while they are all good, well crafted characters, the focus is clearly on the two stars. Notice a role put in by Ashley Johnson, as Ann's friend in California. Those of you who remember the show "Growing Pains" will remember her as the youngest Seaver child before that show was (mercifully) cancelled.

If I have to have one complaint about this movie, it's that it was a bit too long. At 113 minutes, it tends to drag a bit and has a couple scenes that are either overlong or could have been edited out. But those really are few and far between.

"Anywhere But Here" is a very strong, believable look at mothers and daughters, as well as the complexity of all family relationships. It is a skillful and subtile tearjerker (as evidenced by my friend and an entire theater full of teen girls and adult women crying during two pivital scenes). It avoids the trap of coming off heavy handed. To loosly quote the old saying, you will laugh, you will cry. Often in the same scene.

4 out of 5

This movie is powerful in the sense that it successfully employs the mother-daughter relationship in a not so stereotypical situation. However I wouldn't recommend it as a "let's rush to see it at the movies" movie, it's more a video movie. Susan Sarandon is brilliant as Adele August as she adds all the characteristics of a mother who wants to pursue her dreams and protect her daughter at the same time. Natalie Portman does a great job as Ann August showing the maturity her character possess, however I think there were too many tears on her part as in practically every scene that was shown she's be crying !! But I thought it was a fine movie

Anywhere But Here

The mother-daughter genre of film is one that is usually laced with caustic wit (POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE) or draining melodrama (TERMS OF ENDEARMENT). ANYWHERE BUT HERE is the latest entry into this undernourished genre. Falling somewhere in between the two examples above, ANYWHERE is a passable, but strangely distant film. One that for every unsuitable move it makes, it has Natalie Portman and Susan Sarandon to make the wrongs seem so very right.

Abruptly leaving her husband and family behind in Wisconsin, Adele August (Sarandon) takes her teenage daughter Ann (Portman) across the country to live the good and free life in Los Angeles. Having freshly minted a tumultuous relationship with this sudden move, the two find themselves in the strange position of having to rely on themselves and each other in the big bad city. Adele is flighty, irresponsible, and refuses to settle into her role as the parent. Ann is lonesome, homesick, and not sure about the love she has within for her mother. Over the years we watch as struggle after struggle continually opposes the family, with each battle reinforcing the love the two share. Told from Ann's perspective, ANYWHERE is essentially a film about trying to understand the people related to us. The bonds we share with our parents, and how those bonds always seem to work against us.

Based on a novel by Mona Simpson and a screenplay by crisis legend Alvin Sargent (ORDINARY PEOPLE), ANYWHERE is the kind of tragic-comic filmmaking that I usually crave. Unfortunately, ANYWHERE is far from touching. Directed by Wayne Wang, the film isn't nearly as resonate as Wang's earlier multigenerational epic THE JOY LUCK CLUB. Watching Adele and Ann struggle with their growing relationship is more tiring than emotionally satisfying. The flow of the drama fluctuates so much, by the end you're just glad the filmmakers didn't throw in one last argument for good measure. At 120 minutes, ANYWHERE is about six crisis over the limit.

It's the acting in ANYWHERE that takes the film to another level. We all know Susan Sarandon can spin gold with her acting, yet each new film she's been involved with recently (save the September vanity project ILLUMINATA) has shown more and more how commanding an actress she truly is. In ANYWHERE, only Sarandon could give Adele the most annoying characteristics yet ground the performance in love and warmth. Adele really does care for her daughter, she just desperately wants to maintain her own identity for once in her life. Bursting out onto the screen like some kind of Southern California Pokemon, her performance is grand and inviting.

But where does that leave Natalie Portman? After shimmying up into films with should-be-legend performances in THE PROFESSIONAL and the locally shot BEAUTIFUL GIRLS, Portman is like no other teenage actress working today. It's a testament to her sensibilities that we haven't seen her in the latest SCREAM variation or this next wave of AMERICAN PIE type comedies. Portman carries ANYWHERE with grace and dignity. Director Wang should be given the Oscar alone for his choice to just linger on Portman's face for extended times. As expressive as her acting can be, Portman can live a million lives in one glance. With Sarandon, the two create a complex and agreeable mother-daughter relationship for their characters. They share overwhelming chemistry and I hope this won't be the last time the two decide to work together.

Shot with a sparkling color palette by Roger Deakins, Wang captures both the frail beauty of Los Angeles and it's hard realities. I also give Wang credit for properly using dim-bulb actor Shawn Hatosy(OUTSIDE PROVIDENCE). In a small role as Ann's beloved cousin, Hatosy finally shows some talent and charisma. Unfortunately, the film is scored on autopilot by the self-looting Danny Elfman and features the second most aggressive soundtrack push of the year. The songs rarely fit in with the drama and scream "Buy me on sale at Sam Goody!" too blatantly.

Just like the characters in the film, it's hard to hate ANYWHERE BUT HERE as much as it is hard to love. Had Wang left open the emotion door a little more the film might have made a lasting impact. Too many scenes do not pay off the way they should and not enough texture is given to the characters. I would recommend ANYWHERE BUT HERE, only for the opportunity to bask in the glow of two actresses on the top of their game. -----7/10