Barnes & Noble

Janet Fitch’s memorable novel reaches the screen in a meticulously crafted adaptation that provides Michelle Pfeiffer with her best role in nearly a decade. As Ingrid, a smart, free-spirited, and somewhat narcissistic artist who kills her deceitful lover in a crime of passion, Pfeiffer positively radiates intelligent malevolence: this character isn’t just self-absorbed, she’s willfully manipulative. Even while serving a prison sentence, she exerts control over her adoring teenage daughter, Astrid (Alison Lohman), who’s forced to spend her teenage years in a series of foster homes before becoming her own person. Veteran TV director Peter Kosminsky, having undertaken a very ambitious project, acquits himself with distinction. He fully explores the strange relationship of Ingrid and Astrid, but he also takes pain to develop supporting characters -- particularly the kindly but insecure foster parent played by Renée Zellweger and the pious trailer-trash mom played by Robin Wright Penn. Pfeiffer’s intensely strong character is omnipresent, even in scenes in which she doesn’t appear, but Lohman’s Astrid experiences the most growth. At first merely an appendage of her mother, the girl develops character as a result of her peripatetic adolescence. Though Pfeiffer dominates White Oleander’s early scenes, it’s Lohman who brings the film to such a positive, enormously satisfying conclusion. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

The Oprah Book Club best-seller by Janet Fitch makes it to the big screen in this adaptation from British director Peter Kosminsky. White Oleander recounts the traumatic adolescence of Astrid Magnusson (Alison Lohman), who finds herself an orphan after her short-fused, enigmatic artist mother Ingrid (Michelle Pfeiffer) is carted off to prison on murder charges. Astrid first finds herself in the care of Starr (Robin Wright Penn), a garish, born-again mother of two with a gruff but sensitive boyfriend (Cole Hauser). From there, she's shunted back to a state-run facility, where she tangles with other troubled teens and finds temporary solace in the arms of Paul (Patrick Fugit), a dough-faced comic book artist with dreams of moving to New York City. Astrid then lucks into a living arrangement with a successful but insecure actress (Renee Zellweger) who offers her unconditional love. But Ingrid's stifling influence continues to haunt her daughter, whether through the occasional prison visit or via manipulative letters to Astrid's caretakers. White Oleander received a Gala North American premiere at the 2002 Toronto Film Festival before reaching multiplexes later that fall. Michael Hastings

New York Times

Superbly acted from top to bottom. Stephen Holden

Hollywood Reporter

Graced by several splendid performances and clean direction by Peter Kosminsky that shrewdly chooses to ignore most melodramatic impulses. Michael Rechtshaffen

Product Details

• UPC: 085392341429
• Source: WARNER HOME VIDEO
• Region Code: 1
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround
• Language: English, Français
• Subtitles: English, Français, Español
• Time: 1:49:00
• Sales Rank: 10,035

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