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WHITE OLEANDER Send This Review to a Friend
Apart from anything else, "White Oleander," screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, is worth seeing for its main performances. Michelle Pfeiffer makes the most out of a challenging role in the best work I've seen her do. She plays Ingrid, a mother who goes to prison for killing her unfaithful lover. But her tour de force does not stand alone. Alison Lohman matches her as Astrid, her daughter who must navigate through foster homes and iron out the contradictory relationship with her mother that is part hatred and part unbreakable attachment.
Based on the novel by Janet Fitch, "White Oleander," as scripted by Mary Agnes Donoghue and directed by Peter Kosminsky, is an emotional story that takes its place in the realm of conflicts between parents and offspring, but it also has some interesting stops along the way. Renée Zellweger stands out in a moving portrayal of Claire, a foster mother who is particularly vulnerable, and Ingrid, bitch that she can be, is so jealous of the warm relationship that develops between Astrid and Claire that she does something terribly destructive with tragic ramifications. There is also a strong performance by Robin Wright Penn as Starr, another foster mom.
Without making comparisons with the novel, one can enjoy the screen version as a well-made story on its own terms despite flaws. There are aspects of the legal story that don't seem to have the ring of truth and some of the drama is a bit too precious. But by and large the material works as screen drama with the performances playing a huge role in the reasons to appreciate it. A Warner Bros. release.
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